Where to Ski And Snowboard - Ischgl opens wind-defying ski lift

Ischgl opens wind-defying ski lift

1st September 2016, by Abi Butcher

The new lift will keep skiers and snowboarders safe from the wind in Ischgl

The Austrian ski resort of Ischgl will this winter open a new wind-defying eight-person chairlift this winter.

The new €14m Flimjochbahn will be able to carry 3,200 skiers and boarders from the main lift hub at Idalp to Flimjoch at 2,752m. A clever exit system at the top station means the operation of the new lift will not be so affected by high winds. In very windy conditions, a downwind exit will come into use, and the whole unloading area will have a surrounding windshield.

The clever new lift can also claim a world first — mid-journey it will share a pylon with another lift. The third pylon of the new Flimjochbahn, which replaces a four-seater chair, will also be ninth pylon of the existing Hollboden eight-seater chair, the two lifts crossing spectacularly before continuing on their separate ways.

Meanwhile, just up the valley at the family resort of Galtür, a new 10-seat gondola will replace the existing Breitspitzbahn chairlift, serving the beautiful runs above the scenic Kopsee reservoir. The new gondola, which has cost €8 to build, will extend the ski area by 3km — 2km of black piste, 1km of red.

The bottom station of the new gondola will be located right down by the dam at the far end of the lake, considerably lower than the present chairlift bottom station. The gondola will run from 1,768m to 2,295m, with a newly-created 3km piste sweeping down to the bottom station by the lake.

And this summer, Ischgl has opened “Skyfly” — two parallel zip-wires to whizz people two by two on a 2km adrenalin ride from the mountain right into the valley. The Skyfly starts at the Silvretta gondola mid-station at 1,683m and lands on the roof terrace of the valley station of the Pardatschgrat gondola in the valley at 1,376m. The cables are 50m above the ground and ‘flyers’ are expected to reach speeds of up to 84kph (about 52mph).

Skyfly costs €35 for adults and €21 for under 17s. Though it is open in winter, Skyfly is not included in the skipass.