Every ski season there are hundreds of new ski lifts and upgrades in ski resorts across the world. As technology advances and ski resorts grow in popularity they continue to improve and advance current transportation links across their mountains. Discover the latest ski lifts news for 10 top resorts in Europe and North America.
La Plagne, France
La Plagne has teamed up with MND Group to equip the famous resort with a new generation detachable 6 seater chairlift. One of the major innovations of these new chairlifts is the detachable grip technology that connects the chairlift to the cable, improving performance and maintenance. This innovative ski lift, Envers is planned to replace the old Coqs lift in Aime 2000.
Val d’Isere, France
Work continues on the 2 year plan to redevelop the Solaise area in Val d’Isere. A new 10 person gondola will replace the current Solaise Express to increase capacity to 3600 skiers per hour. The ski lift will have 91 bubbles and each one will be fitted with heated seats and wifi.
Read more about the Solaise upgrades in Val d’Isere.
Chamonix, France
There will be 2 new ski lifts in the Brévent/Flégère region in Chamonix this winter. La Parsa will be upgraded to a new 6 seater high speed detachable chairlift to increase capacity to 3000 skiers per hour and the old TK 2000 draglift will be a replaced with a modern version. Both new lifts will increase travel times and the flow in this region.
Saas Fee, Switzerland
The 4 seater Von Roll gondola that was built in Saas Fee in 1976 will be replaced this summer with a new 10 seater gondola. Project Spielbodenbahn has already begun and the new gondola is planned to open on 22 December 2016, when the season begins. The enhanced cableway will reduce journey time by more than a half and will include free wifi in every bubble.
Project New Spielboden Gondola. Photo: Sass Fee
Saalbach-Hinterglemm, Austria
There are several new lifts planned in the Saalbach-Hinterglemm area this year: A new 10 seater cable car will replace the old Schönleitenbahn in Saalbach, increasing capacity to 3200 skiers per hour. Another new 10 seater cable car will connect the Zwölferkogel and the lifts in the area of the Westgipfel. Lastly the Oberschwarzachlift will be upgraded to a double drag lift.
St Anton/Stuben/Lech/Zurs, Austria
A huge new project was announced earlier this year to link the Stuben/St Christoph/St Anton side of the Arlberg ski area with Lech/ Zürs. Currently you can only travel between the resorts by road, but the new Flexenbahn gondola will link the resorts together creating the largest linked ski area in Austria.
Read more about the New ski lifts in Arlberg.
The new Flexenbahn cableway. Photo: St Anton am Arlberg
Solden, Austria
A new, 10 seater, ultra-modern cable car will replace the Giggijochbahn in Solden. This will increase capacity to 4500 skiers per hour.
Trysil, Norway
Great news for the Norwegian ski resort, a new 6 seater express lift is being built from Skihytta to the top of Trysilfjellet Mountain to replace 2 T-bar lifts. The Skihytta Ekspress will be high-backed with wind bubbles and heated seats. The new chairlift aims to boost skiing in the Trysil hugely.
The Skihytta Ekspress. Photo: Skistar
Jackson Hole, USA
After last year’s new Teton lift was a grand success, Jackson Hole is planning a new gondola between Bridger Gondola and Teewinot chairlift called the Sweetwater Gondola.
Vail, USA
The Sun Up lift in the Black Bowls will be the final old school chairlift to be replaced in Vail. From winter 2016/2017 there will be a new high speed quad chairlift.
View New ski chalets for 2017