Multifunctional Duplex System From Sunkid Installed In Haute-Nendaz

In summer, the Tracouet Alp, at 2,220 meters above sea level and with its mountain lake, Lac Noir, is a picture-perfect hiking paradise. Tracouet also offers the idyllic mountain panorama and unobstructed views over the Swiss Rhone Valley in winter. Even more important for winter sports enthusiasts who take the gondola of the same name up to the top is that the Tracouet mountain station serves as a central hub for access to and from Switzerland's largest ski area network – "Les 4 Vallées," with 410 kilometers of slopes.

Skiing, snowboarding, tubing, fun in the Kids Park, winter hiking, or paragliding – the range of activities around the mountain station is vast. For this reason, the resort invested heavily in the expansion of a modern, multifunctional lift infrastructure for the 2024/25 season. In December 2024, both the "Prarion Telemix" combined lift and a 148-meter-long Sunkid magic carpet were opened – covered by a duplex gallery that also offers space for a family-friendly walkway. Thanks to a LAN connection, cameras, and an external terminal, the lift operator also operates and monitors the safe and smooth operation of the conveyor belt.

Before the current duplex lift, a conveyor belt (without a gallery) with a transport length of 138 m was installed. This replaced a platter lift with a slightly different route in 2012. This Generation 17 conveyor belt was refurbished by Borer Lift AG and reinstalled next to the tubing run in the "Tracouet" area.

The new, state-of-the-art duplex lift serves as a child-friendly, easy way back from both the ski area and the "Kids Park Tracouet," located a few meters below the gondola station. Skiers and their instructors or parents make the journey there on foot alongside the magic carpet. Grating with a special anti-slip coating ensures a safe descent – at the steeper start of the wide walkway, a handrail provides additional support for both adults and children.

The new alignment of the Duplex system created more space for the slope on the left side, and the exit was also raised to the level of the approaching gondola. The light-flooded Duplex L-shaped gallery covers the entire entry and exit areas, as well as the deflection and drive station of the Type N system, including an active belt tensioning system. Electric roller doors completely close the gallery in the evening or during downtime. This eliminates the need for tedious snow clearing and has a positive effect on reliability and component durability. Easy-to-open and close sliding doors serve as emergency exits to the ski slope.

Axel Halder, Managing Director of Borer Lift AG, which is responsible for sales and service of Sunkid products in Switzerland, commented on the special requirements and solutions: "The biggest challenge in implementing the new conveyor belt's lines was that it had to be positioned at a height of up to seven meters above the natural terrain. Simply filling the area was impractical, as the piled-up material would not have provided a permanently stable base.

To ensure a long-term, safe and stable structure, the conveyor belt was installed on a steel bridge for approximately two-thirds of its length, supported by seven concrete pillars. These up to seven-meter-high concrete pillars were anchored deep into the load-bearing subsoil to ensure the system's high stability and longevity.

In addition, the runway and surrounding terrain were raised to the level of the conveyor belt. This measure offers several advantages: It allows barrier-free access for maintenance, facilitates rapid evacuation in an emergency, and reduces the facility's susceptibility to wind. Furthermore, the conveyor belt and its gallery visually appear to rest directly on the natural ground, blending harmoniously into the landscape.

Magic Carpet Haute-Nendaz