Hiking with children is different — slower, louder, and sometimes filled with quite a few snack breaks.

While adults focus on reaching the summit, kids are more interested in discovering ants, waterfalls, fascinating rocks, flowers along the trail, or the perfect hiking stick.

The little guide to motivation

• Let children have a say: Which trail? Where should we stop for a break? Which snack comes first? Even small choices often boost children's motivation.
• Don’t over-plan: Short hikes with time to play are better than long hikes ending in bad moods.
• Let them take their own small backpacks: Children love responsibility. A small water bottle or their own snack in their backpack gives them a sense of pride.
• Don’t rush them: “Faster!” just doesn't work well outdoors. Children discover the world differently — and often much more intensely.
• Bring tasty snacks: Hiking really does sometimes come down to snacks.
• Don’t rely on the weather being perfect: Puddles, wind, or fog are often more exciting for children than a perfect summer day.

The adventure starts at home

For children, motivation is everything. “We’re going hiking” usually sounds a lot less exciting than:

• “Let’s watch animals in the mountains.”
• “Let’s collect pretty rocks from the mountain and paint them at home.”
• “Com, let’s build little fairy houses by the trail.”
• “Who wants to be our hiking guide today?”

And just like that, the children are all fired up about the hiking idea.

Fighting tired legs with imagination

Children are all about imagination. So why not make up stories together?

Maybe adventurers have left secret signs along the trail. Maybe a tiny hiking fairy has dropped colorful snacks along the way. Or perhaps a marmot with a secret hideout lives behind the next rock.

Playing little games along the way often provides fresh motivation:

• Who's the first to spot a cowbell?
• A red stone?
• A marmot?
• Or three different flowers?

Children dive incredibly quickly into their own world of adventure — they just need a little space to do so.

Breaks are not a waste of time

When hiking with children, it’s okay to go slowly — very slowly, in fact.

And that’s exactly what often makes family hikes so special. When you stop, you discover more. Maybe it’s time for a snack, watching insects, or spotting animal shapes in the clouds.

Sometimes it’s precisely these little moments that create the most beautiful memories.

In the end, it’s the experience that counts

Not every hike ends with a summit photo. Sometimes it ends with muddy pants, wet shoes, and a happy child falling asleep in the gondola on the way home.

Maybe those are exactly the perfect hiking days — we just have to allow ourselves to embrace them.

A look behind the scenes at the Madrisa-Bergbahnen

We are a team of around 25 people who work year-round to keep the gondolas running, the plates steaming, and our guests taking home a piece of happiness from the Madrisa. In summer, around 30 more colleagues join us, and in winter up to 100 more – then things really start to get lively.

A team like a colourful rucksack

Some of us set off late in the evening with the snow groomer to prepare the slopes overnight, others get the restaurants ready for a day full of guests, or start up the computer systems for planning in the background. We are a colourful bunch of technicians, restaurateurs, all-rounders and organisational talents. And yes, we have heated discussions about the best ideas, dialects, or the best pizza on the menu, but we all know that we are here together to give our guests a special day in the mountains.

Families, connoisseurs – and dogs

Our guests are just as diverse as we are. Families enjoy the adventure playground, connoisseurs celebrate the sun on the terrace with a glass of wine, and dogs are just as welcome - they often have the best instinct for where it is most beautiful. 

With heart and mind

We are particularly proud of our collaboration with "Madrisa mit Herz". Thanks to the foundation, people with disabilities also work for us in both technical and catering roles. They are just as much a part of the team as everyone else and contribute their own unique strengths. For us, this is normal – and at the same time an enrichment without which the Madrisa team would not be the same.

Our philosophy

Our philosophy is simple: we don't just move gondolas, we move people. With heart, joy, and respect for nature and the region – because Madrisa is the mountain that supports us and we are responsible for it.

Summer & winter – two sides of the same coin

In winter, we are a ski resort with sunny slopes and children's laughter. In summer, the Madrisa transforms into a world of fun and enjoyment at over 1,800 metres. For us as a team, this means new tasks and new guests, but always the same mountain that we all love.

In short, we are the Madrisa-Bergbahnen – a colorful, motivated bunch who put their hearts into ensuring that every day on the mountain becomes a Madrisa experience.

See you soon on the Madrisa!
Your Madrisa team

What actually happens during the autumn overhaul on the Madrisa?

Take a look behind the scenes of our mountain transport system

When hiking boots gradually make way for ski boots on the Madrisa, things are anything but quiet for us. Before the first guest kicks off the winter season with a ride on the lifts, our technical teams really get going: it's time for the annual overhaul. 

What does that mean? Simply said: we get our facilities ready for winter – ensuring everyone gets up the mountain safely, comfortably and with a smile.

Screwing, checking, and lubricating – we put our heart and soul into it.

Whether it's a gondola lift, chairlift, or magic carpet, every facility is checked in minute detail, serviced, and made ready. Brakes are tested, roller batteries are dismantled and lubricated, electronics are checked, and all safety functions are tested multiple times. We also bring our snow-making equipment and snow groomers from their summer rest and prepare them for their next central mission.

At Madrisa, there are also female workers in this male-dominated field. Our technical team consists not only of men but also of some tough women. This mixed bunch is technically top-notch and works well as a team. There is often laughter—and sometimes even swearing in the Prättigau dialect—but in the end, what counts is that everyone pulls at the same rope.

No winter operation without an overhaul

Many guests are unaware of how much work is required behind the scenes to ensure everything runs smoothly and, above all, safely. This is precisely what overhauls are for. They are required by law—and a matter of course for us. After all, only when everything is perfectly prepared can we kick off the winter season feeling fully relaxed and confident.

A little like Christmas...

To be honest: when the gondolas start running again on the first day of winter, the first skis click into the bindings and the snow crunches under our boots – it feels a little like Christmas to us. Because we know: Everything is ready. Everything is safe. Let's get started.

Curious? Suppose you happen to be hiking on our mountain in autumn. In that case, you might see someone hanging upside down from the ropeway cable, one foot on the mast and a roller in their hand – then you'll know: that's us, in the middle of our annual overhaul, in the middle of preparing for your winter.

See you soon on the Madrisa!
Your Madrisa crew