Over the summer, construction work got underway on the Presena Glacier to build the gondola lift that by the end of 2015 will connect Passo Paradiso (2,585 m) to Passo Presena (2,997 m). This is a major project that will replace the Paradiso-Presena chairlift and the two Presena right and Presena left ski lifts, leading to better enjoyment of the glacier in summer as well. The new lift is built by Leitner and features 8-seater cabins capable of carrying 1,500 people per hour. A mid-station will be built at the elevation of the current Capanna Presena mountain hut (2,738 m), which in turn will be completely rebuilt.
Work began at the start of the summer and experienced some delays due to persistent bad weather. The bottom station will stand to the left of the Paradiso gondola arrival station; the site has been excavated and a material ropeway capable of carrying 8 tons of materials has been installed. The line foundations on the section running from Passo Paradiso to the mid-station have been completed, and aided by fine sunny days, work is proceeding briskly to make as much progress as possible before the onset of winter. In the meantime, the existing lifts will remain in operation so skiing will always be guaranteed.
The project also includes an overall redevelopment of the glacier through the dismantling of old structures that once served as departure stations for ski lifts that no longer exist and were later used for storage.
Two more new features complete the project: the creation of the “Variante Presena-Paradiso” slope, which will run from the mid-station down to Passo Paradiso, and the “Paradiso” cross-country ski trail, which Nordic skiing enthusiasts will be able to use in autumn and spring when the tracks in Tonale, Vermiglio, and Pontedilegno cannot guarantee sufficient snow cover.
The 2014-2015 winter season in the Adamello Ski area will officially begin on October 25; once again this summer, the geotextile sheets spread across the glacier delivered good results, and at this point all that remains is to wait for the first real snowfall to kick off the skiing.
No comments yet