TL;DR
San Martino di Castrozza - Passo Rolle is spending more than 16 million euros on its biggest modernisation yet. Two old 3-seater chairlifts on Alpe Tognola's Scandola-Conca section are being replaced by a single detachable 6-seater, cutting the ride to 4 minutes 27 seconds and dropping the number of lift towers from 33 to 10. The project also covers reworked slopes, an extended Conca run, a relocated snow park, 30 new snow cannons, and a new lift-station bar - most of it due to open in 2026.
Alpe Tognola's biggest overhaul in years is replacing two ageing lifts with one
San Martino di Castrozza - Passo Rolle is putting more than 16 million euros into the Scandola-Conca section of Alpe Tognola, its largest modernisation project to date. The two fixed-grip 3-seater chairlifts serving the area - Conca and Scandola - are both coming out, replaced by a single detachable 6-seater. Most of the work is scheduled for 2026, with a handful of smaller sections possibly running into 2027.
One lift instead of two
The new chairlift runs 1,324 metres and climbs 308 metres in elevation at 5 metres a second, cutting the ride up to 4 minutes and 27 seconds with a maximum capacity of 2,650 people an hour. Merging two lifts into one also drops the number of lift towers from 33 down to just 10 - a smaller footprint the resort says reduces development inside the Paneveggio Pale di San Martino Nature Park.
Slopes, snowmaking, and a new base bar
The upgrade goes well beyond the lift itself:
- The Scandola slope gets a full overhaul and improved snowmaking.
- The Conca slope is extended by more than 700 metres to connect directly with Scandola, easing pressure on the busy Rododendro ridge where several routes converge.
- A new run of about 500 metres, named Larici, links the bottom of the Cima Tognola and Scandola slopes.
- The boardercross is extended and rebranded as the Dolomia Funslope, with its own snowmaking and a new variant heading toward the snow park.
- The snow park is relocated to a new site with terrain for multiple skill levels and dedicated snowmaking.
- Thirty new snow cannons and a fresh water pipeline between Fratazza and the storage pond go in as part of a wider push to make the snowmaking system more water- and energy-efficient.
- A new Skibar Scandola is built into the lift's valley station, with a large south-facing terrace becoming the area's new central meeting point.
It's one part of a bigger push at San Martino - Passo Rolle, which is also building the long-awaited lift connection between the two resorts, targeted for completion in December 2027.
About the author
Michael Fulton
Melbourne-based skier and snowboarder with 50+ resorts across 5 continents. Specialises in Australian resorts and international resort comparisons.
