WIR 03/2019 [EN]

International Projects
21
Biking and skiing with one chairlift
8-CLD-B Köhlerhagen K1 | Willingen (GER)
Liftgemeinschaft Köhlerhagen GmbH & Co. KG
1,442 m 263 m 3,000 PPH 1,200 PPH 6.0 m/s 4.8 min
60 8-seater chairs 39 8-seater chairs 12/2018
The Köhlerhagen K1 chairlift in Willingen
wows winter sports enthusiasts and mountain
bikers in equal measure.
The first D-Line 8-seater chairlift in Germany
and the longest ski lift in the state of Hessen –
that’s the Köhlerhagen K1. The World Cup
venue Willingen saw the completion of one of
the country’s most cutting-edge ropeways in
time for the 2018/19 winter season.
Seat heating and bubbles in the winter
Winter guests get to enjoy the luxury of the individual
black-and-red comfort seats with seat
heating and bubbles to protect them against
the cold and the snow. The new ropeway
replaces two surface lifts and is part of the
resort’s expansion in skiing amenities. The
Köhlerhagen ski trail has been extended – the
1,600-meter run now leads straight from the
top station in close proximity to the summit
cross on the Ettelsberg down to the bottom
station of the new chairlift.
Bike transport with Bike Clips in the summer
In the summer season, the Köhlerhagen K1 is
transformed into a biker lift. During the warmer
months of the year, the Ettelsberg becomes a
paradise for mountain bikers, with its freeride
and downhill trail. Thanks to the Bike Clips developed
by Doppelmayr, taking a bike along
on the uphill ride is particularly easy. Guests
simply attach their bikes to the Bike Clips on
one chair and take up their seats on the next.
In the top station, the bikes are released from
the Bike Clip with a simple hand movement,
and the downhill fun can begin. Up to five
bikes can be carried per chair. A demo assembly
is provided in front of the bottom station
where bikers can try out the innovative system
for themselves.
No conversion work is required on the lift
between the summer and winter seasons.
Separate chair assemblies are available for
both applications. That makes the switch from
one season to the next and year-round use
very straightforward for the operators. When
developing this solution, Doppelmayr worked
closely with Liftgemeinschaft Köhlerhagen to
provide a custom solution for Willingen and to
optimize the Bike Clip product. The result is a
high-performance chairlift that sets an important
trend for year-round tourism in the sector.
Watch the Köhlerhagen K1
in operation here:
Our fi rst year of operation with the new chairlift
has shown very positive results. Availability
was absolutely top notch
in both the winter and
summer seasons, and the
response from our guests
has been very enthusiastic.
Jörg Wilke, Managing
Director, Liftgemeinschaft
Köhlerhagen