06 Feb 8SBK ASITZKOGELBAHN – Press report of the trade magazine SBT
With the construction of the 8 SBK Asitzgipfelbahn in 2008 and the 8 SBK Muldenbahn in 2018, Leoganger Bergbahnen has already succeeded in equipping the Asitzmulde with modern lifts in recent years and providing passengers with premium quality.
8 SBK Asitzkogelbahn I Leogang
The last piece of the puzzle is now complete
General partner: Melzer & Hopfner Ing. GmbH & Co KG
In 2022, the focus was on modernizing the ascent aid to the Großer Asitz. The detachable 6-seater Sportbahn 2000 chairlift was dismantled after more than 20 years of operation and more than 15,000,000 accident-free rides in Leogang and sustainably rebuilt in Poland.
From this 2022/23 season, Leogang will now have a detachable 8-seater chairlift that will transport guests even more comfortably up the local mountain – the Großer Asitz. With the construction of the new Asitzkogelbahn, the most important connection between the Saalbach and Leogang sides has been taken to a new level in terms of capacity, design and comfort, which certainly exceeds today’s guest expectations.
With the new installation, not only are waiting times a thing of the past, but as with every cable car project in Leogang, the highest quality technology has once again been combined with contemporary architecture. In this respect, the Asitzkogelbahn represents a further milestone in the increasingly fierce competition between the top winter sports regions.
Construction costs: approx. € 11 million
Completion: winter season 2022/23
Together with its partners Saalbach, Hinterglemm and Fieberbrunn, the winter sports destination of Leogang forms an impressive “Skicircus”. Together, 70 cable cars and lifts are operated and guests have an impressive 270 kilometers of slopes at their disposal, most of which are covered with snow. Together with the Schmittenhöhe in Zell am See and the Kitzsteinhorn in Kaprun, the Skicircus forms the Alpin Card ticket network.
But even a ski circus at such a high level is constantly required to question its system anew and recognize the signs of the times. In recent years, the Skicircus has invested a great deal in its infrastructure – the quality has increased enormously and represents the highest international standard.
With the construction of the new Asitzkogel lift, the important direct connecting branch between the Saalbach and Leogange sides has been brought up to a standard worthy of the Skicircus in terms of capacity, comfort and the spaciousness of the piste connection. The Asitzkogel lift, one of the key facilities for returning ski guests from Leogang to the Saalbach ski area, was already being operated as a detachable 6-seater chairlift. However, the transport capacity was too low for today’s requirements and the space available in the valley station was limited.
The basic task was therefore to unbundle the valley station area and thus make it more attractive. Increasing the conveying capacity was another must.
The long-standing planning partners Melzer & Hopfner from Bregenz were engaged for this challenging task. Based on an overall study of the entire Leogang area, a high-performance lift of the highest standard was ultimately designed.
The valley station was moved to the south to create more space for the significantly higher transport capacity. The mountain station remains unchanged, only the connections to the existing slopes have been optimized.
Technically, the new ride plays every conceivable tune. All vehicles in the system are “station garaged” in the valley station.
The vehicles function fully automatically, i.e. automatic closing, locking, monitoring and opening, which means that 7 children can be transported with just 1 accompanying person. The upholstered and heated benches in Leogang design offer maximum comfort and round off the offer.
Sustainability played an important role in the planning of the new Asitzkogel lift. The south-facing façade of the valley station will be equipped with a photovoltaic system measuring around 100 m². A particularly efficient and energy-saving direct drive was chosen for the drive. Space consumption was reduced to a minimum by opting for a ward garage.
There is a lot on offer architecturally. The concepts of Melzer & Hopfner were “artistically” accompanied by the local master builder Waltl Fred – W2 Manufaktur – in order to create a special link between the Pinzgau building style and technology. The rock extracted from the excavation is reused as a façade element in the form of gabions, thus reinforcing the link to nature.
Based on sound detailed planning and schedule coordination, this complex construction site was completed in just over five months, so that the new 8 SBK Asitzkogelbahn will go into operation on time for the 2022/23 winter season.
The audit of the plant in question took place on November 9, 2022, followed by an oral announcement of the decision.
The Melzer & Hopfner team would like to thank you for the many years of loyalty and good cooperation on Project 8 SBK Asitzkogelbahn and wishes you much joy, success and accident-free operation with the new cable car.
