LEITNER Supplies Austrian And German Ski Resorts With State Of The Art Technologies For The Coming Winter

The Austrian ski areas will also have new cable cars in the coming winter season. Four ski destinations rely on LEITNER's proven technologies, which, in addition to maximum safety and modern comfort, also meet today's demands for sustainable and resource-saving operations to the highest degree. From next winter, two individually designed gondola lifts and two chairlifts will provide a significant boost in quality. In Germany, LEITNER is implementing a truly major project in the Fichtelgebirge with the construction of the 10-seater GD10 “Ochsenkopf Nord” gondola lift by the end of 2023.

The two new 6-seater chairlifts CD6C “Gauxjoch” and CD6C “Trattenbach” in Kitzbühel ensure state-of-the-art sustainability. Here LEITNER integrates its latest technologies for minimal energy use and maximum operational efficiency. In addition to the LEITNER DirectDrive, the LEITNER EcoDrive, the automatic adaptive speed control for up to 20 percent energy savings and the Intelligent Heat Detector (IHD) are also used in the armchairs in the Gamsstadt. The sustainable Kitzbühel cable car duo is completed by photovoltaic systems on the station buildings.

The heated premium EVO armchairs and weather protection hoods ensure relaxed and comfortable transport in all weather conditions. The CD6C “Gauxjoch” transports up to 2,400 people per hour with a journey time of around 3.5 minutes, while the significantly shorter CD6C “Trattenbach” handles the same transport capacity in under three minutes.
In the Schlick 2000 ski center near Innsbruck, the new GD10 “Galtbergbahn” replaces a tow lift that is over 60 years old. The 11 million euro facility will serve the route from the Fronebenalm to above the Galtalm and, thanks to the Diamond EVO cabins with generous panoramic windows, will provide an impressive all-round view.

In the modern cable car, which runs at a speed of 6 m/s over a length of 1,435 meters, the LEITNER DirectDrive makes an important contribution to even more sustainability, less maintenance and maximum noise reduction.

The Zeller Bergbahnen in the Zillertal are also investing for the coming ski season. The 10-seater GD10 “Wilde Krimml” gondola lift provides a direct connection between Zell and Gerlos and, compared to the existing chairlift, does not require a middle station. The system, equipped with LEITNER DirectDrive and Diamond EVO cabins, creates generous space including heated seats and thus offers the most modern comfort for up to 2,400 people per hour during the journey from the Krimmalm to the Transition Pass.

The modernization in the Austrian ski areas is completed by a drag lift in the Kitzsteinhorn/Maiskogel – Kaprun ski area.

In the Bavarian holiday region of Fichtelgebirge, work on the new 10-person “Ochsenkopf Nord” gondola lift from LEITNER will be completed by the start of the 2023/24 winter season. Next year, the ambitious construction program - the complete replacement of the two existing chairlifts - will be continued with the modernization of the southern lift to the Ochsenkopf.

With this extensive investment, the operators want to make the traditional sports and recreation area even more accessible and usable for as many people as possible. For winter operations, particular attention is paid to the needs of mono-skiers, whose association also runs its own training center at Ochsenkopf. In order to overcome the distance up to the entrance to the cabin, which monoskiers normally cannot manage without help, two variants will be tested at the start of the winter season. On the one hand, the system of sliding mat strips that has already been successfully used on the Weissseejochbahn in Tyrol's Kaunertal is being tested, and on the other hand, a special wheelchair is being tested that makes it possible to travel to the cabin.

Once both systems have been completed, the modernization of the Ochsenkopf should lead to a doubling of transport capacity and a significant reduction in waiting times on the way to the longest ski slopes in northern Bavaria. Since the facilities are used all year round, barrier-free and extremely spacious Diamond cabins are in use. In summer, guests with strollers, wheelchairs or bicycles can be easily transported.

By making the Ochsenkopf more attractive, the holiday region in the Fichtelgebirge will offer an experience all year round not only for ski tourists, but also for mountain bikers, families and seniors.