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Latest in Ischgl
Ischgl's Final D-Line Chairlift Takes Shape as Höllkarbahn C2 Construction Begins
The last piece of Ischgl's 50 million euro lift overhaul is underway. With the Höllbodenbahn and Sassgalunbahn already running since 2025, attention has turned to the Höllkarbahn C2 - a new 8-person Doppelmayr D-Line chair with heated seats, weather hoods and room for 89 chairs across 14 pylons. Helicopters have been hauling out the old towers since May, with a November 26 opening targeted. Here's where the build stands and what it means for the Silvretta Arena.
Samnaun's Iconic Twinliner Double-Decker Gondola Gets New Cabins for 2026/27
The Twinliner at Samnaun - the world's first double-decker aerial tramway cabin when it opened in 1995 - is getting a full cabin replacement this northern summer. Both cabins will be swapped out as part of a comprehensive modernisation ahead of the 2026/27 season, with the control system and platform doors also upgraded. It's part of a broader €50 million investment program at the Silvretta Arena Ischgl-Samnaun.
Samnaun Breaks Ground on New Gondola That Will Reshape Access to the Ischgl-Samnaun Ski Arena
Construction has started on a new 10-person gondola at Samnaun, the Swiss entry point to the cross-border Silvretta Ski Arena Ischgl/Samnaun. The Laret-Champs-Muller lift connects lower-lying hamlets directly to the ski area with a midway station adding flexibility on the slopes. It opens for winter 2027. Here's what's being built.
Ski Slope Burglary Getaway Foiled by Snow Groomer in Ischgl
Two burglars who broke into a restaurant and attempted to escape down Ischgl's ski slopes at 2am were caught after an alert snowcat driver spotted them hiding in trees. Austrian police used snow groomers to reach the remote location and apprehend the suspects.
Ischgl Completes Two New Lifts as Austrian Resort Continues Infrastructure Overhaul
Ischgl has opened two new eight-seat chairlifts, including what it claims is the world's shortest heated eight-seater. The Höllbodenbahn and Sassgalunbahn installations mark the latest phase in the Austrian resort's ongoing lift replacement programme, with another project already scheduled for 2026.
Silvretta Arena Welcomes 2 Million Visitors for 2024/25 Season
The Silvretta Arena Ischgl/Samnaun has achieved a significant milestone, recording over 2 million first-time visitors for the 2024/25 winter season, marking a return to pre-pandemic levels of success.
Ischgl Ski Resort Upgrading with Three New 8-Person Bubble Chairlifts
Ischgl, a popular Austrian ski resort, is investing €50 million to replace three existing lifts with state-of-the-art 8-person bubble chairlifts, enhancing guest comfort and transport capacity.
Late-Season Skiing: Where to Find Snow in May 2025
As many ski resorts close after Easter, some high-altitude destinations remain open into May. Learn which resorts still offer skiing and what conditions to expect for late-season snow sports.
Ikon Pass 2025/26: A Comprehensive Guide
Explore the options and benefits of the Ikon Pass for the 2025/26 ski season. This guide covers pass types, pricing, and new features for skiers and riders looking to access over 50 top ski resorts worldwide.
Ikon Pass 2025/26: New Pricing, Resorts and Benefits Revealed
The Ikon Pass for 2025/26 ski season launches March 13 with price increases, adding Austria's Ischgl resort and unlimited access to Arapahoe Basin. New pass holders gain immediate spring skiing access at up to 17 resorts, alongside enhanced benefits including heli-skiing discounts and brand partnerships.
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More from the SnowStash desk
Spain Moves to Ban Smoking at Ski Resorts Under New Tobacco Law
Spain's government has approved a draft tobacco law that would ban smoking across a wide range of outdoor spaces, including sports venues - a category Spanish winter sports media expect to cover ski resorts, potentially extending to slopes and lifts themselves. The rules would also apply to e-cigarettes and vaping devices, even nicotine-free ones. The bill still has to clear the Spanish parliament before any ban, signage, or fines can take effect.
South Tyrol Approves New 16-Person Ciampinoi Gondola in Val Gardena
South Tyrol has approved a full rebuild of the Ciampinoi cable car in Selva di Val Gardena, replacing the current 12-person gondola with a 16-person cabin and a new mountain-station restaurant. Capacity is capped at 3,200 people an hour rather than the 3,600 the operator wanted, and 250,000 euros must go toward compensatory measures. No construction or opening date has been set, though the upgrade is partly aimed at clearing bottlenecks before the 2031 Alpine Ski World Championships.
Resort Spotlight: Hoshino Tomamu - Corporate Japan's Mountain Playground Revisited
Hoshino Tomamu is the ski resort equivalent of a conference hotel that happens to have excellent powder. Built for corporate retreats and package tourists, it offers genuine Hokkaido snow on surprisingly limited terrain - 29 runs spread across 585 vertical metres.
La Thuile's New Cable Car Replaces Two Ageing Chairlifts
La Thuile is spending 38.7 million US dollars on a new 10-person cable car linking Les Suches to Chaz Dura, replacing the La Combe and Chaz Dura chairlifts after nearly forty years of service. Built by Leitner, the new cable car runs 1,950 metres to a top station at 2,576 metres, carrying up to 3,000 people an hour with a six-minute ride. It also improves the connection to La Rosiere in France via the Petit-Saint-Bernard Pass, and is on track to open for the 2026/27 season.
The Remarkables Adds Scarpa Bowl to Its Inbounds Terrain
The Remarkables is adding new inbounds terrain for winter, bringing the Scarpa Bowl - known locally as the Toilet Bowl - into its lift-accessed network after years as backcountry-only ground. The roughly 500 metre run is reached by bootpacking from the top of the Sugar Bowl chairlift, with a shuttle picking skiers up from the road at the bottom. It's a smaller, faster addition than the resort's planned Doolans expansion, though the new terrain hasn't opened yet due to a lack of snow this season.
Ski Portillo Cut Off After Storm Dumps More Than 4.5 Metres of Snow
Ski Portillo remains isolated after an extended storm buried the Chilean resort under more than 4.5 metres of snow, with both ground and air access suspended since Tuesday while crews monitor avalanche hazards and worsening weather. Resort officials say further snowfall is expected in the coming days and haven't set a timeline for reopening the mountain road. Once access resumes, the scale of the snowpack could set up a strong season at one of the Southern Hemisphere's most historic ski resorts.
Resort Spotlight: Lotte Arai - Japan's Corporate Ski Anomaly With 22 Metres of Annual Snowfall
Lotte Arai receives 22 metres of annual snowfall - exceptional even by Japanese standards - but its corporate ownership model and limited terrain create an unusual cost-benefit equation. Here's what the numbers actually mean on the ground.
Resort Spotlight: Banff Sunshine Village - Nine Metres of Snow and a Season That Runs Until May
Banff Sunshine Village sits at 1,660m base and receives 9.27m of snow annually. Inside Banff National Park, it offers a six-month season and terrain split that skews heavily advanced - though the crowds and lift infrastructure tell their own story.