Stubai in Austria has confirmed that their glacier will close early next month in May 2016 to allow construction for the new Eisgrat 3S gondola.
The glacier will be closed from 19 May 2016 to 23 September 2016.
Gondola will cost 60m euros
This is a huge project that will cost around 60 million euros and should mean the new lift will be opening in October 2016.
The new lift will replace the existing Eisgrat cable car which has been in operation for more than 40 years.
“Environmental impact of project is not significant”
One of the reasons the cost is so high is that since the original plans were agreed, additional elements such as avalanche barriers (the largest of which will be 60m wide and 10m high), cables and the commitment to enlarge the nature reserve in the area have increase the cost.
According to Reinahrd Klier, managing director of the Wintersport Tirol AG, “The environmental impact of the project is not significant and we are actually increasing the size of the local nature reserve.”
Lift will carry 3000 skiers per hour
The development will see two new buildings at the base and mid-station station. The new lift will be able to carry around 3000 skiers per hour.
Work on the mid-station will see 5,000m³ concrete and 50 fixed pillars with a diameter of up to one metre used. The pillars are necessary because of the difficult terrain.
For details of catered chalets in Austria for next winter, please contact the Chaletline team on 01822 617761
Article by Iain Martin