TL;DR
The long-planned ski connection between Sillian in East Tyrol and Sexten in South Tyrol has hit another setback. An environmental review found the planned Austrian-side lift would cut through sensitive habitat, including breeding grounds for rock ptarmigan, so the Schultz Group has scrapped the single-lift plan for two separate lifts with a transfer at Leckfeldalm. New landowner agreements are needed and a fresh application isn't expected before 2027 - the South Tyrol side is unaffected.
The Sillian-Sexten ski connection is being redesigned from scratch on the Austrian side
The long-discussed lift link between the Hochpustertal ski area near Sillian in East Tyrol and the 3 Zinnen Dolomites area in South Tyrol has run into another hold-up. An environmental review found the originally planned single lift would cut through ecologically sensitive ground, including breeding habitat for rock ptarmigan, so the project's backer, the Schultz Group, has dropped that plan for two separate lifts instead.
Two lifts, one transfer point
Instead of one continuous lift, skiers will ride a gondola from the existing lifts in Sillian up to Leckfeldalm, then transfer to a reversible cable car with two large cabins for the final stretch to Hochgrube, just above the Sillianer Hutte near the Italian border. The stop at Leckfeldalm also means skiers who don't want to go all the way to the top can get off and ski from there instead. A cable car was chosen for the upper section because it needs far fewer lift towers than a standard gondola, is more wind-stable, and is easier to coordinate with avalanche blasting in the area.
What happens next
The route change means earlier agreements with landowners no longer apply, so those need to be renegotiated before revised plans can be submitted - talks are already underway. The Schultz Group hopes to lodge the updated documents with the state of Tyrol in 2026, with a decision possibly following in 2027; no construction start or opening date has been set. Costs are also expected to rise from the roughly 60 million euros quoted at a 2023 presentation, though a new figure hasn't been released. The changes only affect the Austrian side - 3 Zinnen AG has held approval for its own South Tyrol section since 2020, and says the rework in Sillian doesn't affect its plans. Once finished, the link would give skiers from Sillian direct access to the Tre Cime di Lavaredo and the wider Dolomiti Superski network - a connection that's been discussed for more than forty years.
About the author
Michael Fulton
Melbourne-based skier and snowboarder with 50+ resorts across 5 continents. Specialises in Australian resorts and international resort comparisons.
