Monte Kaolino


Monte Kaolino is a sand dune in Hirschau, Bavaria, Germany. It consists of of sand, a by-product of kaolinite production over the years. The sand dune is now used as a ski resort for sand skiing and sandboarding, in addition to other activities.

Sand-skiing and sandboarding

By the 1950s the pile of sand had grown large enough that people experimented skiing on it and in 1956 a ski club was formed. Unique for this hill, skiing is done directly on the sand and as a result, its operating season is inverse with ski areas elsewhere - it only opens in summer, even though the area does snow in winter.
The hill is home to the Sandboarding World Championships.

Recent history

The area was extensively renovated in 2007. In addition to the ski hill, there is also camping facilities, pool, geopark, and trails.
In 2009 a funicular elevator has been installed to the top of the hill.