Stories · Summer use of ski lifts
Can mountain bikes save our ski lifts?
More and more ski lifts at lower elevations are standing idle because there is no snow. Yet the solution is often already there: adapting existing facilities for mountain bikes can turn a loss-making winter operation into a year-round destination. Three examples show how it works.
When the snow fails to arrive
Many of us still remember the small village ski lift where we learned our first turns in the snow. These are precisely the lifts now under threat. In recent years, snow has barely reached lower elevations, or stayed only briefly. Many facilities no longer operate for enough days to cover their costs.
Especially in small municipalities, lifts have considerable emotional as well as economic value, so many are kept alive through donations and volunteer commitment. That is moving, but it is not a strategy. The question is no longer whether winter operations pay off, but what the facility can offer during the rest of the year.
The opportunity: from ski lift to year-round facility
This is where mountain bikes come in. Adapting existing infrastructure to transport mountain bikes allows surface lifts, chairlifts, and conveyor lifts to operate year-round, independent of snow. The demand exists: more people in Switzerland ride mountain bikes than play soccer, and the existing mountain biking infrastructure falls far short of meeting that demand.
What it takes
A lift alone does not create a biking offering. Successful operation requires sustainably built trails that meet riders’ needs and suit the terrain and intended target audience. It also requires a carefully planned path from the first idea through feasibility and permitting to opening day.
Here is what that path can look like:
Five reasons why the investment pays off:
| 01 | Use existing infrastructure: the lift, access road, parking, and restaurants are already there. |
|---|---|
| 02 | Snow-independent operation: the season lasts up to eight months instead of just a few winter weeks. |
| 03 | Economic value for the entire region: mountain bikers are a high-spending audience that also benefits accommodations, restaurants, and local businesses. |
| 04 | An offering for every generation: properly built trails let children, beginners, and skilled riders enjoy an experience in the same place. |
| 05 | An addition, not a replacement: winter operations remain possible, with a summer offering added alongside them. |
Three facilities that have led the way
What about your lift?
Whether conversion is worthwhile depends on the terrain, accessibility, and target audience. We clarify these questions in an initial conversation. We support municipalities, mountain lift operators, and destinations from potential assessment through planning and permitting to implementation, all from a single partner.
Assess your facility’s potential now
