Pizolbahnen: The First Major Milestone Towards “Snowmaking 4.0” Achieved!
After another very intensive construction phase in summer 2024, the achievement of the first major milestones can now be announced.
The new reservoir at the Pizolhütte with the low water area has been completed and the filling went according to plan. With the further expansion of the pipeline network, the Pizol cable cars now have a closed water circuit for the first time from the middle station (Maienberg in Wangs) to the valley station of the Schwamm chairlift. The technical equipment of the two pump houses Twärchamm and Obersäss has been installed or adapted.
Additional sections of the slopes are now equipped with snowmaking shafts and new snow lances. In particular, sections of the Zanuz slope (steep slope), the Tritt slope (along its entire length) and the slope by the SAC lift can now be artificially snow covered for the first time. With this project status, efficient snowmaking will be possible, which will sustainably improve snow reliability on the Pizol.
The Pizol area was opened up in 1953/54 by a cable car from Wangs and from Bad Ragaz . The then oldest cable car in Switzerland from Bad Ragaz - a system based on the Bell/Wallmannsberger system - stopped operating in spring 2007 and was replaced by a new 8-seater cable car. The cable car leads to the middle station Pardiel at 1633 m . From there, a 4-seater chairlift leads to Laufböden at 2226 m .
After 20 years of operation, the Wangs cable car was replaced in 1975. The cable car built at that time was replaced in the summer of 2009 by an 8-seater gondola lift made by Leitner . It leads to Furt ( 1522 m ). From there, a 4-seater chairlift takes you via Gaffia ( 1861 m ) to the Pizol Hut at 2224 m , a mountain restaurant without overnight accommodation.