Polaris is a firm believer that a product comes to life through its applications, partnerships but most importantly, via the people who use it. To showcase the versatility of the Ranger, Polaris has embarked on a journey across Europe, the Middle East and Africa to discover and film how customers are using the Polaris Ranger in their day-to-day lives. The initiative, called Ranger Stories, is set to demonstrate the many ways in which the RANGER line-up is servicing customer lives worldwide.
Episode 15 – Saalbach Hinterglemm, Austria
From the fresh tracks in the morning to the very last chair, RANGER is always at work with customers who live and work in Saalbach Hinterglemm, Austria. In the heart of this world-class ski destination, a Polaris RANGER is a common sight. For the locals that keep the mountains moving, it’s a necessary tool that allows them to get the job done and keep the customers happy, no matter what the mountain climate throws their way.
“Saalbach Hinterglemm is a hotspot for sport and tourism year-round,” said Gerold Vonblon, Managing Director and Founder of Vonblon, Polaris dealer in Austria. “Skiiers, snowboarders and mountain bikers in the summer; the fantastic network of pistes for all abilities means there’s a constant stream of activity. For the people that live and work here, they are guaranteed to be busy year-round, so it’s important they have vehicles that are reliable day-in, day-out, and can be adapted to the extreme seasons.
“Seeing how Polaris Rangers have become an essential part of daily life here—whether for ski event logistics, mountain hospitality, or trail maintenance—is a testament to their capability and the trust that’s been built within this hardworking community.”
Ranger Stories Episode 15 follows Gerold Vonblon as he visits valued Polaris customers across the Saalbach Hinterglemm area:
Thomas Johann Ferner - Owner of the Stöcklalm Restaurant in Leogang and owner of three Polaris Rangers, including the Ranger XP Kinetic and two Ranger XP 1000s. Running a restaurant business on the top of a mountain is no easy feat in winter, so Thomas and his wife, Christine, must find an easy way to transport essential supplies and ingredients from the town below to their restaurant. The solution is a fleet of Rangers, all equipped with snow tracks, to traverse the snowy slopes and carry everything they need in the cargo bed.
Fritz Steger - Local hotelier and Chief of the Piste at Saalbach Hinterglemm Ski Club, Fritz is the main man when it comes to preparing the Zwölferkogel for major skiing events, including the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships that took place on the mountain this year. With a fleet of Polaris’ in operation, including the Sportsman XP 1000 and RANGER XP Kinetic fitted with snow tracks, Fritz is always on hand to monitor and manage the slope during the busy ski season.
Sepp Gensbichler - Winkler Alm Restaurant Owner in Saalbach Hinterglemm, a restaurant that sits amidst all the action on the Zwölferkogel directly on the slope, Sepp is a longstanding Polaris customer now on his third Polaris RANGER XP 1000. Fitted with several accessories that make it ideal for winter use, Sepp’s RANGER has a full cab, including an in-cab heater and snow tracks for travelling up and down the mountain with ease.
Hannes Gensbichler - Zwölferkogel Workshop Manager in Saalbach Hinterglemm, Hannes is the master of winter vehicles that operate in and around the Saalbach region, working round the clock to keep the mountain in pristine condition for the season. Maintaining snow groomers, snow blowers, and snow plows are all in a day’s work, made easier by their fleet of 12 Polaris Sportsman and RANGER XP Kinetic that work tirelessly alongside the team to keep the mountain moving.
The all-electric RANGER XP Kinetic is an important tool for the teams that operate throughout the Saalbach Hinterglemm region, synonymous with their commitment to sustainability and responsibility to both people and nature, whilst supporting them with unmatched capability and strength to get the job done, no matter what the mountain throws their way.
Similar to Vonblon’s customers, Polaris vehicles in operation across the area are commonly seen with snow tracks fitted for travelling across deep snow, complemented by the fact that UTVs are generally much more lightweight than cars, for easy traversing up and down the mountain. Customers can then replace the tracks with wheels in the summer season, making it the ultimate year-round vehicle. For most, adapting the RANGER with a full cab kit, including windshield, roof, full doors and a rear panel, is a must, along with an in-cab heater for extra warmth and windshield defrosting.
Hear the stories of Saalbach Hinterglemm’s winter workforce and see why no other machine gets the job done like RANGER.
