Around three weeks before the start of the season, snow removal is in full swing on the Furka mountain route.
 
Although the harsh winter of 2017/2018 left layers of snow up to eleven meters high in places, the DFB can start operating on 23 Jun 2018.
 
Those responsible had the situation in their sights throughout the winter.
 
In the course of late winter, sections of the route were repeatedly inspected on both the Uri and the Valais side.
 
At the beginning of May, the entire route was explored and a situation report was drawn up.
 
Since 14 May 2018, Patrick Smit's 40 strong snow removal team has been working to clear the track of snow piece by piece.
 
In addition to the open sections of the route, tunnel entrances had to be cleared, stops and train stations had to be cleared of snow, ice masses had to be removed from tunnels, and damaged areas repaired.
 
In addition to the snow, the debris that was carried down into the valley when an avalanche occurred was a particular challenge.
 
One of the most spectacular actions of the annual snow removal, the erection of the Steffenbach Bridge, could be done on 19 May 2018.
 
According to the WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF in Davos, the winter at elevations above 1,500 meters was one of the snowiest in the last 30 years.
 
It snowed most in Valais, in some areas the most in 75 years.
 
The large amount of snow also resulted in an above-average number of avalanches.
 
Author unknown.