Sizable investments have flown into the modernization of the ski resorts of South Tyrol, Veneto and Trentino for the 2019/20 winter season. LEITNER ropeways has contributed a significant share of the outlay by opening ten new systems in the Dolomites and the Wipptal area. Pininfarina station coverings are in high demand, and the LEITNER DirectDrive remains a sought-after component for numerous new projects.
As of the upcoming winter season, the “Col Druscié” 10-passenger gondola lift, equipped with LEITNER DirectDrive, will replace the first section of the 50-year old aerial tramway “Freccia nel cielo” at the Tofana ski resort in Cortina d’Ampezzo. This upgrade modernizes the link from Cortina to Col Druscié and the middle station in Colfiere right on time for the upcoming Alpine World Ski Championships 2021 and the Olympic Winter Games 2026. The project also involves a complete overhaul of the valley station to include a large bar, a ski depot and a modern ticket counter alongside new office and accommodation space. La Crusc, the small ski resort on the doorstep of the famous Alta Badia ski area, will soon boast a new 10-passenger gondola lift dubbed “La Crusc”. The new facility replaces a two-seater chairlift that has been in operation for more than two decades, effectively reducing the travel time from 14 to just three minutes. Equipped with LEITNER DirectDrive, the installation offers its passengers an enjoyable ride with state-of-the-art equipment that truly raises the bar – heated seats included. Its hinged seats fold down to transport mountain bikes in the summer months. The ropeway also provides transportation to the popular La Crusc Pilgrimage Church.
Two new 8-seater chairlifts with Pininfarina stations and DirectDrive are being built on Monte Elmo in the Three Peaks Dolomites and Obereggen ski resorts. On Monte Elmo, the new “Hasenköpfl” system replaces the dated 3-seater that currently transports passengers to the 2,200-metre peak between Versciaco and Sesto. Set against the incredible backdrop of the Meridiana di Sesto, the world’s largest stone sundial, the chairlift offers a luxurious ride on heated Premium Chairs with weather protection bubbles and a boarding system that is safe for children to use. In Obereggen, the “Reiterjoch” 4-seater will be replaced by a modern 8-seater chairlift. This system will also feature an elegant Pininfarina station and provide an important connection between Obereggen and Pampeago.
In Colfosco in the municipality of Corvara, the new 6-seater chairlift “Stella Alpina” and a slope expansion will raise the standards of Alta Badia’s highest holiday resort as of the upcoming winter season. The same measures are being carried out in the Ladurno ski resort outside of the Dolomites. From the 2019/20 winter season onward, winter sports enthusiasts will board the “Wastenegg” 6-seater chairlift to reach the highest point of Ladurno in the Val di Fleres between Brennero and Vipiteno much faster and in style, thanks to a Pininfarina station and EVO Premium Chairs. The new “Cigolera” 6-seater chairlift in San Martino di Castrozza will optimize the link between Ces and Tognola further. As a part of the greater Dolomiti Superski resort, the new system replaces an existing surface lift to provide access to the slopes of the popular Carosello delle Malghe in Alpe Tognola. Two new surface lifts in Luson and La Villa complete the new LEITNER ropeway program for the 2019/20 season.