The spend is the biggest investment in the ski resort's history and has the stated goal of bringing Pyhä to the 'next level' in terms of development and meet international destination standards. By 2015 Pyhä aims to double the current number of skiing customers.
PyhäExpress will takes skier up to the top in four minutes, and has a capacity of 3000 people per hour - nearly three times as much as a traditional t bar lift. The lift is 1100 metres long, rising 280 vertical metres.
Nearly half the slopes of Pyhä can be reached by the new lift, including the resort's new FIS classified slope. In addition, thanks to careful planning, a uniquely versatile ski area will be formed around PyhäExpress with five slopes of different levels of difficulty can be reached by the new super fast lift.
These five slopes are all more than 1 km long and they include slopes suitable for both beginners and more advanced skiers. A completely new slope is the FIS classified racing slope, which will be built during summer 2010.
Planning of the investments at Pyhä began back in 2001 when the resort's master plan was made by Canadian-based company Ecosign Mountain Resort Planners Ltd, the team behind Whistler and many other leading ski resorts worldwide.
"The best slopes in the country will now be paired with the best ski lift in the country," said Miia Porkkala, ceo of Pyhätunturi Ltd.
"The aim of the careful planning and the big investments is to make Pyhä one of the top five ski resorts in Finland and the best destination in the country for an active skier."
"The new developments will improve the services for skiers at Pyhä remarkably and make the ski resort a more interesting destination internationally as well. The foreign tourists and training groups are used to modern ski lifts and they know to demand the same level of services anywhere they go."
Pyhätunturi Ltd is part of the Rukakeskus Group, which is owned by the Aho family. It has been operating the ski areas at Ruka since 1973 and at Pyhä since 1987.
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