Sunkid Mountain Coaster Installed On The Rosskopf

The Sterzinger Hausberg has been preparing to set out into a new era for a few years now, says Hannes Stofner, president of the administrative board of Neue Rosskopf GmbH. Plans to renew the aged circulating railways has been pursued with high urgency, following implementation of the new panoramic lift, installed a few years ago, the new downhill slope, new artificial snow facilities, setup of the water playground, and the petting zoo. A new summer toboggan run is now presented as the next highlight.

Starting from the top station of the panorama lift at 2,120 meters above sea level, a mountain coaster from Sunkid was installed on the Rosskopf in a very short time. Only 9 weeks passed from the awarding of the contract to the opening. The track covers a length of 1,303 metres and a height difference of nearly 300 metres down to the lift’s valley station. An average inclination of 20% and a maximum one of 56% allow speeds of up to 40 km/h, offering spectacular enjoyment for all age groups in a wonderful mountain panorama.

Florian Mair, managing director of Tourismusgenossenschaft Sterzing Pfitsch Freienfeld, is happy about the value increase for the mountain. The Rosskopf is a local recreational zone for residents and guests alike. Sterzing has always been the economic and social centre of the Southern Tyrolean Wipptal. The valley station of the Rosskopf cableway is just a few minutes’ walk from the historical town centre, making the new attraction very easy to reach on foot. With the nearby train station, the Sterzingen exit of the Brenner motorway, and a location right by the Brenner Road, it is extraordinarily easy to get to the Rosskopf. The train can be utilised well, thanks to more than 10,000 guest beds and 400,000 arrivals in the region.

Florian Leitner, technical project manager of manufacturer Sunkid, emphasises the project’s considerate implementation. “Sustainability is important to us. We have found our customer to be an ideal partner who also practices these values. Our construction method avoids greater impairments of nature. For example, the rails are anchored in the ground with spikes that can be removed again easily. The light-weight construction of our toboggans also optimises use of the available climbing aids.”

In fact, the existing panoramic gondola lift is used to transport the toboggans up the mountain, and in winter the majority of the lift is dismantled again for skiing operations.

The summer toboggan run supports the trend of growing interest in the summer season among South Tyrol’s skiing area operators. The new Mountain Coaster consistently continues the concept of active holidays in and around the alpine town and its local mountain.

One essential aspect of the summer toboggan run is increasing utilisation of the Rosskopf-Bergbahn, making the offering more attractive, and preserving the Sterzinger Hausberg in the long run. This step is necessary to develop Sterzing from a passage region to a holiday one in the medium term, explains Alois Bacher, president of the Tourismusgenossenschaft Sterzing.

Fact Box: “Panorama Mountain Coaster” Rosskopf/Monte Cavallo