A mountain all of its own: Behind the scenes at the Glungezerbahn

Many love it, but few know what really goes on at the Glungezer: we take a look behind the scenes of this iconic mountain for Griaß di.

Now Gilli is taking us to a particularly interesting part of the mountain station: via a steep ladder, we reach the machinery above the gondola lift. We are standing above the wheels that slow the gondola down before it enters the station.
The motor and gearbox are also located up here. “The Glungezerbahn is an EUB – a single-circuit ropeway,” Gilli explains. “That means the haul rope and the carrier rope are the same. There are also large brakes – the service brake and the safety brake – which, in an emergency, can bring the entire cable car to a halt in a matter of seconds.” We can hear the roar of the engine and realise just how much power is needed to operate an entire cable car system that, at peak times, carries a thousand people up the mountain every hour. “At that point, the cable car travels at its maximum speed of six metres per second,” Gilli explains.

Back in the control room, which is opposite the observation room, we are then allowed to have a go at operating the cable car ourselves. The gondola lift is controlled from here.
Although much of the system is fully automated and monitored, a skilled ‘lift operator’ is still indispensable today. We can well imagine why, given that there are quite a few buttons and switches to operate and numerous displays to keep an eye on. We’re allowed to ‘select’ a gondola virtually. This is the signal to the staff member at the mountain station that a gondola is arriving with special cargo – such as a cash transport – or someone who is likely to take a little longer to alight.
“A lift operator also needs a certain amount of foresight,” Gilli explains to us. “He keeps an eye on everything: the incoming gondolas, the weather, the wind speed and direction, and the entire mountain station. It’s a job that involves a great deal of personal responsibility. Despite all the technology, there are situations that require a precise response.”

At the Glungezerbahn, the gondolas are taken into the spacious gondola garage every evening. Above the gondola garage is a workshop for repairs. “We do almost everything ourselves, apart from jobs that require specialised equipment,” explains Gilli. It’s now finally clear to us that, ideally, lift staff should also have some DIY skills.
Skill is also required elsewhere – when driving the large Pistenbullys. Four of them are in use at Glungezer, one small one for grooming the toboggan run and winter walking trails, and an ‘old lady’ as a spare.
When Gilli starts talking about his trips in the Pistenbully, his eyes light up. “Driving a snow groomer is a passion that’s hard to explain. You drive in complete silence, often in the dark, for hours on end, come rain or shine, but when you create the perfect slope as a result, it’s a real joy.” Every snow groomer operator has their own specific section that they work on alone, but sometimes they also drive in convoy. “That’s a really cool sight,” enthuses Gilli. “But you need a certain talent to drive a snow groomer.”
We weren’t born with this talent, but we’re still allowed to take a seat in the gigantic machine. The Sith is surprisingly comfortable, and the view is superb. Even so, we can imagine that it’s often difficult, especially at night, to react quickly to obstacles. That’s why the rule for night-time ski tourers is so important. “Since we introduced the official ski touring evenings, when slope grooming doesn’t start until 10.30 pm, the sometimes tense situation has improved.” Gilli appeals to all ski touring enthusiasts to continue to adhere to this rule in future. The fact that this means the Glungezerbahn team don’t get to bed until four in the morning is the flip side of the coin, but it’s a trade-off they’re happy to accept for the sake of good relations on the mountain.

As well as skiing and ski touring, the Glungezer has, in recent years, become a versatile mountain for winter sports enthusiasts: the winter walking trails are very popular; the panoramic toboggan run, of course, even more so. Sabine, Silke and Christine have put together a fantastic programme here: as tobogganing guides, they show both children and adults how to toboggan properly and, above all, safely. There is a dedicated toboggan run at the valley station of the Kombibahn. All information about “Zwugl’s Tobogganing School” can be found here.

Finally, we’re back in the control room. We have the utmost respect for the work that all the lift staff put in every day to ensure that we winter sports enthusiasts and nature lovers find perfect conditions on the Glungezer. And we have two more personal questions for the long-serving operations manager. Does Gilli actually ski in his own ski resort himself? “Not very often,” he says. “But when I do, I enjoy it.” And the next big project? “The new Schartenkogel lift. And a run down to the valley. Then I’d be perfectly happy. For the time being.” Gilli accompanies his words with a wink. “But the most important thing is: keep at it!”