Those responsible for the construction of the new Ifen I and Ifen II cable cars in the Ifen ski area in Kleinwalsertal have had extremely productive months. Construction of the two state-of-the-art 10-seater gondolas is progressing according to plan and will provide optimized access to the ski area on all levels starting next winter season. Work is also underway on the mountain restaurant: The existing "Hahnenköpfle" restaurant is being completely renovated and converted into a tasteful table service restaurant.
Grand Strides to a Premium Ski Resort
"The enormous amounts of fresh snow in the spring made us hold our breath for a moment, but we stayed on track," says Augustin Kröll, Managing Director of the ski lift company links der Breitach, summing up the work so far. Despite around three meters of fresh snow at the mountain station in April, the construction progress on the Ifen is undeniable: The former chairlifts have been dismantled, and the old stations demolished. All support foundations have been concreted, and at the end of July, the supports will be erected in just two days by a special helicopter. Installation of the new valley station by cable car manufacturer Doppelmayr is already in full swing. This puts Kleinwalsertal at the forefront of this construction season: "Ours is one of the first valley stations that the installers have tackled this year in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. We are satisfied with the current progress of the construction work. Starting next winter season, we will offer locals and guests a completely renovated premium ski area. Our new, high-quality mountain restaurant will also contribute to this," Augustin Kröll is convinced.
More comfort thanks to modern technology
Ifen I and Ifen II represent fast, safe, and comfortable transportation to the Ifen. "The 10-person cabins of the so-called Doppelmayr D-Line are significantly more comfortable and offer more space than those of conventional cable cars," reports Dr. Andreas Gapp, Augustin Kröll's fellow management colleague. The exclusive product line, which also features a high level of ride comfort and is equipped with Wi-Fi throughout, is being used for the first time in Vorarlberg. "Passengers reach the mountain station without having to change trains at speeds of up to six meters per second," continues Dr. Andreas Gapp. Ifen I and Ifen II will be put into operation on December 23, 2017, just in time for the peak season. There's still a lot to do before then: "The next steps are the installation of the supports, the further construction of the cable car stations, and the construction of the mountain restaurant. These are exciting tasks that our experienced project team is working on with full commitment," says Kröll.
Phase Two of the Overall Concept
The current construction work is already the second phase of the overall project at Ifen: The first steps towards an improved winter offering were taken last year. The Olympiabahn cable car was rebuilt in 2016 and, as Vorarlberg's fastest chairlift, has since provided not only more skiing enjoyment but also increased comfort. The snowmaking system, also built last year, has already proven its worth in the past winter, which saw very little natural snow, and ensured a fantastic ski season from mid-December to Easter. With the current construction work on the Ifen, the complete renovation, with a total investment volume of around 40 million euros in 2016 and 2017, is now in the hot phase.
www.ok-bergbahnen.com
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For further information:
Jörn Homburg
Public Relations
Fellhornbahn GmbH, Faistenoy 10, D-87561 Oberstdorf Phone (Germany): +49 (0) 8322 / 9600-3310
Nebelhornbahn-AG, Nebelhornstraße 67, D-87561 Oberstdorf (Austria): +43 (0) 5517 / 5274-3310
Kleinwalsertaler Bergbahn AG, Walserstraße 77, A-6991 Riezlern
Skiliftgesellschaft links der Breitach GmbH & Co KG,
Walserstr. 77, A-6991 Riezlern Email j.homburg@ok-bergbahnen.com
