The impact of mass movements on alpine trails and huts assessed by EO data

The hiking infrastructure of trails and huts is a strong asset for tourism in the Alps. A major challenge for trail and hut management and maintenance are mass movements, such as shallow landslides, debris flows, and rockfalls. They can cause significant damage to alpine infrastructure and may block access to certain mountainous areas for weeks or even months. Alpine infrastructure management has an increased demand for consistent and appropriate information on mass movements. The project MontEO investigates the opportunities for EO (Earth Observation)-based mass movement mapping and hazard impact assessment to support alpine infrastructure management.

In MontEO, we analysed the potential benefits for trail and hut keepers and the value that an improved quality of the alpine infrastructure has for society. We combined optical and radar satellite data to comprehensively map mass movements and detect mass movement hotspots. Furthermore, we produced landslide susceptibility maps and modelled and simulated rockfalls. Finally, we analysed the network of trails and huts in relation to the obtained mass movement information and thereby assessed the impact of mass movements on alpine infrastructure. The results of MontEO contribute to improved maintenance efficiency, safer alpine infrastructure, and increased value for the tourism industry.