Two New Independent Quad Chairlifts to Replace 1-2

$4 Million Investment this Summer

Little Switzerland Ski Area is thrilled to announce its largest single capital
project to date with the installation of two brand new Skytrac quad chairlifts. This significant $4
million investment will replace the resort’s original Lifts 1 and 2 double chairs, marking a major
milestone in the hill’s history and setting the stage for a dramatically improved guest experience.

Red cable car station with large windows and metal platform.

Skytrac Quad Chairs

The two new chairlifts will feature red terminals at both the top and bottom matching the Little Switzerland brand colors. The replacement of the historic "up-and-over" 1-2 chairlift, believed to be the first of its kind in the country, will double the capacity, lessen lift lines, and it will also provide less starts and stops! Anytime the 1-2 had a stop it not only affected the front it also affected those on the back. This will provide more time on the slopes and less time in lines or on the chairlift themselves.

Ski lift station on a snowy slope under a clear blue sky.

Project Timeline

The transition from 1-2 to the two new chairlifts will begin immediate once we close the doors on the 2025-2026 ski season in March. Our team will be working side by side with representatives of Skytrac on the installation of the new chair but first we will have to take down the 1-2 chairlift. In order to do so chairs will need to come off haul ropes, sheave trains will be removed, and of course the towers will need to come down. All of this is much easier to do while we still have some snow left on the hill allowing our staff the uses of our grooming machines to do some heavy lifting and moving of rather large pieces of equipment.

Once we remove the major pieces of the chairlift we will wait until the hill melts out and drains before major construction begins.

We plan to document the entire project within this blog site with consistent updates, photos, videos and more but the timeline has us doing load testing in the fall of 2026 well before the start of the ski season.

Man sitting on a ski lift bench indoors near a large window and banner display.

Skytrac

Skytrac has a rich history in aerial lift technology with roots going back nearly four decades as the only new North American aerial ropeway manufacturer to be founded in more than 30 years. Skytrac has lifts across the country and many here in the midwest in Minnesota, Michigan, and Wisconsin.

In the fall our owner Rick had the pleasure of touring the headquarters for Skytrac which is apart of a larger corporation that includes Leitner-Poma (lifts), Prinoth (grooming machines), & HKD (snowmaking) - all major players in the ski industry! Check out some photos below.

Photos from the Skytrac Factory

Industrial workshop with large metal machinery.

Gray metal wheels on a concrete floor in an industrial setting.

Large circular metal structure in an industrial workshop.

Bullwheel Construction

Industrial room with large equipment pieces on the floor, walls are gray, and lit by ceiling lights.

Various lift parts getting some finishing touches

White modular room with glass doors in a warehouse setting.

Lift Shack

Two people standing in a warehouse under a large American flag.

Rick Schmitz (co-owner Little Switz) with Sales Engineer for Skytrac Bobby Langlands.

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Follow the Process Along

We intend to use this blog site for updates as the construction continues so follow along as the off-season gets underway, the de-commission of 1-2 begins, and the rising up of our two new quads commence!

Until then we have a ton of skiing and riding left to do so I'll see you out on the slopes!

Greg

Greg Fisher
GM Little Switzerland