Why does Europe have cooler lifts than North America? Obviously that’s a bit of a subjective question, but it does seem to be the case. Ski resorts in Europe often have more gondolas and trams, in addition to more unique lift designs and lift locations. PeakRankings took a look at why that is.
European resorts tend to have more advanced lift systems is less due to subsidies and more because the companies that design and build the world’s most sophisticated chairlifts, gondolas, funitels, tramways, and tri cable lifts were founded in the Alps and still operate there today. Doppelmayr, Garaventa, Leitner, and Poma all started in Europe in the late 19th or early 20th centuries because that’s where the mountain topography demanded the innovation. Unlike most North American ski areas, which as we mentioned, were built after World War II on gentler forested mountains, Alps resorts were built in steep, rugged valleys with huge vertical drops, sharp ridge lines and towns located thousands of meters below the ski terrain. #peakrankings#werankpeaks#skieurope#skivacation#mountains#winter#skitrip#travel#landscape#snowboarding#wintertrip#skiusa#skiingisfun#powder
It’s not too hard to understand that Europe’s ski lifts seem cooler both because that’s where most of the major ropeway companies are located and because the terrain actually demands it. Doppelmayr, Garaventa, Leitner, and Poma all started in Europe in the late 19th or early 20th centuries, simply because the mountain topography needed it.
The Alps are steep, rugged mountains, and getting skiers from the villages to the resorts above requires thousands of feet of travel over some nasty terrain. As such, the Alps inspires continuous innovation in aerial tramways, gondolas, and detachable chairlifts.
Tim Konrad is the founder and publisher of Unofficial Networks, a leading platform for skiing, snowboarding, and outdoor adventure. With over 20 years in the ski industry, Tim’s global ski explorations...
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