The “Gletscherbahnen Kaprun AG”, the Glacier Lift Company plc, was founded on 1 August 1963 by the Tauern Power Plant Company, the Borough of Kaprun and the County of Salzburg. With it the first major step towards the expansion of the glacier into an all-year round ski area was made. On 12 December 1965 the first two sections of the pendulous aerial cable car (with the cabins carrying 35 persons each) to the Kitzsteinhorn started operations.
The highest cable car lift pylon in the world
Already in autumn 1966 the pendulous cable cars were travelling to 3029 m altitude. Over a total length of 6.2 km (reaching up to 175 m below the summit) only 8 supporting lift masts were needed. With 113.6 m the large support pylon for the top section still is today the highest lift pylon in the world. For this gigantic building effort 13 back-up lifts were required and 10 000 tonnes of material were carted up the mountain. Building work carried on even through the most atrocious weather conditions: Despite cold spells of minus 19 degrees the welding, cementing and hammering did not stop. To save journey times, the workers spent stormy and icy weeks in small, only sparsely heated bivouac boxes at and around the Schmiedingerkees mountain.
Investments into most modern cable car technique and best piste quality
The Kitzsteinhorn grew in popularity. In 1971 the building of a funicular railway was agreed with the majority of the track sections going underground. On 23 March 1974 the first alpine underground railway in the world was opened. Over the years the number of lifts on offer was constantly increased, modernised and improved in comfort. On 20 December 1991 a new and highly efficient 8-person cable car lift replaced the old pendulous aerial cable car. With this a chapter of the resort’s history closed. 1995 saw the installation of the Kitzlifts in the direct vicinity of the glacier. Apart from the feeder lift from the valley other lifts on offer are the glacier-shuttle, a funicular railway to the glacier plateau, two connectable 4-person chairlifts with hoods, a 6-person chairlift, four double T-bar drag lifts and two T-bar drag lifts.
Snow Guarantee
In 1999 the company invested in a snow making system of the latest technical generation. This means even the middle-alpine range from the Alpincenter to the Langwiedboden has snow 100 % guaranteed. The snow making machines right to the edge of the glacier provide first-class pistes.
The first panorama camera in Austria
Today panorama cameras are one of the basic information methods operated by all major ski regions. They were invented and tested at the Kaprun Kitzsteinhorn! In 1982 the summit station at the Kitzsteinhorn saw the mounting of the first panorama camera followed by the first test runs. The first live pictures were sent in November 1983. Today 4 different camera positions beam live pictures from the Kitzsteinhorn via www.kitzsteinhorn.at around the world. And with Kitz-TV the Glacier Lift Company Kaprun offers a 24-hour information channel through the local cable TV channel.
Extensive ecological measures
The investments undertaken by the Glacier Lift Company do not just and only concern lifts and cable cars. Right from the start measures were put into place to treat ecological resources carefully and environmental programmes are constantly updated.
Summer at the mountain
In the summer months too an extensive leisure offer is provided for visitors and mountain-friends. In summer 1992 the Rettenwand and Gletscherseeplatten climbing resorts were developed . The network of Kitz-hiking routes was widely extended in summer 1994.
Alpincenter: Modern gastronomy and service centre
The Alpincenter at 2450 m is not only the gastronomical hub of the Kitzsteinhorn. In 1999 the Alpincenter was modernised and has since become a focus point for service. The Alpincenter now houses the InfoService-Counter, a sports shop with equipment rental and service, a ski school and a ski and shoe depot.
11 November 2000 - Horrific fire
Shortly before the 35th year of operation a tragic accident shocked the Glacier Lift Company and the world: On 11 November 2000 a fire in the funicular train claimed the life of 155 people. The company mourns with the relatives and families from all over the world.
With renewed vigour to the Kitzsteinhorn
To replace the funicular train, the Glacier Jet 1, a double-cable railway was opened in December 2001. And October 2002 saw the opening of Glacier Jet 2, a single-cable railway. With the new cable railways a second and independent feeder train system to the Alpincenter has been installed in tandem with the Panorama and Langwiedbahn lifts.
First ISO-certified lift company in Austria
In autumn 2003 the Kitzsteinhorn Glacier Lift Company received the ISO Certificate 9001 for all areas of business. It is the first cable car lift operator in Austria to receive this award.
