The long-planned link between the ski resort of Kaprun in Austria and its glacier ski area, the Kitzsteinhorn, is in to the final stage of its two year construction plan, due to finish this autumn.
Kaprun has had two separate ski areas for more than 50 years, the Maiskogel family ski area directly above the village, and the Kitzsteinhorn glacier, the lifts up to which are located up the valley from the resort itself.
However the new project which began construction last year, and is known as the 3K K-onnection, will link Kaprun directly to the Kitzsteinhorn, via the Maiskogel. Kitzsteinhorn offers skiing around nine months of the year and just ended its summer ski for 2019 opening a few days ago.
The 3K K-onnection is Salzburg's first tri-cable gondola and uses Doppelmayr's latest lift technology, presented to the world for the first time at the beginning of May during the Interalpin 2019 trade fair.
The spectacular stringing of cables for the 4.3 km-long lift is underway and delivery of the 32 custom-designed cabins also imminent.
"The 3K K-onnection will go into operation in November 2019, connecting what has always belonged together: The town center of Kaprun, Maiskogel family ski area and the Kitzsteinhorn glacier ski area will be united as one. For Kaprun, this represents the fulfilment of a generational dream. And the Zell am See-Kaprun region will embark on a whole new era of alpine tourism," said a spokesperson for the ski area.
A new regional lift pass incorporating the lifts and runs of Zell am See (as previously) as well as with the giant Saalbach-Leogang-Fieberbrunn area (newly included) will also be available from next winter.