Two New Gondola Lifts: Galsterberg and Rittisberg make major investments

Galsterberg with a new 10-passenger gondola

“Our new Galsterberg gondola will carry passengers from the valley station to the mountain terminal in only just six-and-a-half minutes. Making long waits a thing of the past. And thanks to the broad glass sides, during the gondola ride itself guests will also be able to enjoy impressive 360-degree panoramic views”, says Planai C.E.O. Georg Bliem, looking forward to the start of the coming winter season with eager anticipation. His company has invested 11 million euros in the new cableway on the Galsterberg. With padded individual seats and ample legroom, the 10-passenger gondola cabins of South Tyrolean manufacturer Leitner offer exceptional comfort. In the first upgrade phase, the lift will be able to carry 1200 people per hour, though when the project is fully completed that number will actually rise to 1800 per hour. With respect to the architecture, integration of the facilities into the surrounding setting was a top priority. The exteriors of the mountain terminal and valley station are both characterized by a “shingle look” that is typical of the region. As for the predecessor of the new lift, the 30-year-old grouped gondola, its career is far from over. As soon as it was pulled down, it was shipped off to Alaska. There, it will be re-erected and bring joy to the hearts of skiers in the Eaglerest ski resort just outside Juneau.

New Combination Lift on the Rittisberg

2022 is a year marked by a major investment on the Rittisberg in Ramsau am Dachstein: In place of the quad chairlift, the team alongside lift operator Manfred Engelhardt has built an ultramodern combination lift for a price of approximately eight million euros. The new cableway is gondola lift and

chairlift all in one, carrying guests up the mountain in 10-person cabins and on 6-seater chairlifts. Which meets the varying needs of winter sports fans. Good skiers are able to ride the 6-seater chairlifts up the mountain in comfort and then, with their skis already clamped on, hit the piste in practically no time. Meanwhile, children, cross-country skiers, sledders and winter hikers can float up the Rittisberg inside comfy 10-person gondolas and then, having exited at the mountain terminal, begin their personal winter adventure. Engelhardt points out enthusiastically: “With respect to XCing, winter hiking and snowshoeing in particular, we see a whole new potential on the Rittisberg and, already this winter, want to create truly exciting and innovative offers. The new combination lift offers our guests much-needed flexibility as far as how they get to the top of the mountain.”

Overview of the Galsterberg:

• Small, outstanding ski area in Michaelerberg-Pruggern
• 4 lifts with 15 km of pistes
• 3 fun-runs
• 5 km natural sled run
• Broad range of opportunities for piste skiers and ski tourers
• Kinderland | ski school | friendly mountain huts | winter hiking path
• Provisional start of ski season: 8 December 2022

Overview of the Rittisberg:

• Central mountain destination in the Ramsau am Dachstein ski region
• 9 lifts with 25 km of pistes (Ramsau am Dachstein ski region)
• 3.5 km sled run
• Ski-touring route, ascent through open terrain, downhill on the piste
• Kali’s Pistes for Kids | ski schools | wide selection of dining and refreshment opportunities
• Provisional start of ski season: 8 December 2022