Industry News
After a string of mechanical failures last winter, one of Switzerland’s most distinctive gondolas at Flims-Laax-Falera—linking the alpine peaks of Crap Masegn and the Vorab Glacier—has taken its final run. The aging six-person gondola, built in 1978 by Swiss ropeway manufacturer Habegger, broke down three times in less than 10 days last January, prompting frustration among skiers and renewed scrutiny of the 47-year-old lift. On January 27, 2024, following a technical failure, resort staff had to transport stranded guests out of the Fuorcla bowl using snowcats and hiking routes. The breakdown followed a similar incident the previous weekend, when the gondola again left skiers stuck at the bottom of the bowl, a mid-station in the lift’s continuous peak-to-valley-to-peak journey.
At 3.8 kilometers (2.4 miles) in length, the lift was the last detachable gondola of its kind by Habegger still in operation. The route connects Crap Masegn (2,478 meters or 8,130 feet) to Fuorcla (approximately 2,150 meters or 7,054 feet), before ascending again to the Vorab Glacier at 2,573 meters (8,442 feet), forming a rare double-peaked ropeway system with no alternative exit—making routine malfunctions significantly disruptive.
On March 30, 2025, the legendary double-peak gondola completed its final journey. The Weisse Arena Gruppe, which operates the Flims-Laax-Falera resort, has confirmed that the system will now be replaced by a new state-of-the-art eight-passenger gondola built by Garaventa, set to open for the 2025–26 winter season. While the line layout will remain unchanged, most of the existing towers and stations will be reused in the CHF 24 million (approximately USD 28.7 million) retrofit. According to resort and industry data from Skiresort.info, the upgrade will boost passenger capacity from 1,500 to 2,400 people per hour on the Crap Masegn segment and from 1,500 to 2,000 on the Vorab section. Many of the old gondola cabins will be recycled by German company ConceptGondel, which rents out old gondola cabins as decoration or photo boots.
The lift upgrade marks another step in the long evolution of Flims Laax Falera, one of Switzerland’s largest and most innovative ski resorts. Located just under two hours from Zurich Airport, the resort offers 224 kilometers (140 miles) of groomed pistes, five terrain parks, and 28 lifts spread across high-altitude terrain ranging from 2,000 to 3,000 meters (6,560 to 9,840 feet)—making it one of the most snow-reliable winter destinations in the Alps.
Operated by Die Weisse Arena Gruppe, the resort was shaped by local businessman Reto Gurtner, who took over the Laax mountain railway from his father in the 1980s. After merging Laax with neighboring Flims in 1996, Gurtner modeled the business on the U.S.-based Vail Resorts, integrating ski school, rental, hospitality, and lift operations under a single umbrella. The interconnected area now sees an annual turnover of around CHF 120 million (USD 140 million). Though Gurtner stepped down as CEO in 2020, he returned as interim CEO after his successor abruptly resigned in 2023, along with four other senior managers.
The management vacuum has added fuel to long-running acquisition rumors. Both Ikon Pass parent company Alterra Mountain Company and U.S. giant Vail Resorts are said to be eyeing Laax for a potential purchase—speculation that has intensified in the absence of a long-term leadership plan. For now, however, the resort is focused on delivering a much-needed infrastructure upgrade ahead of the 2025–26 season.
