Schilthorn cableway station extensions scaffolded under alpine conditions

Schilthorn cable car station extensions scaffolded under alpine conditions

Thin air and alpine winter weather are the biggest challenges for scaffolding on the Swiss Schilthorn.

The construction of the new Schilthorn aerial cableway will complement the existing cableway, which has been in operation since 1967. While the latter has only one gondola per section, resulting in long waiting times, the new system will have two gondolas running in opposite directions at the same time, significantly increasing frequency and capacity to up to 100 people per gondola. When completed, the new Schilthorn cable car will be the "steepest cable car in the world", according to the operator.

The new cableway will be divided into three stages:

• Section 1: Stechelberg (866 m) - Mürren (1,641 m),
• Section 2: Mürren - Birg (2,676 m),
• Section 3: Birg - Piz Gloria (2,960 m).

Swiss scaffolding specialists burn und künzi gerüstbau ag were contracted to erect the necessary scaffolding for all the stations: Stechelberg, Mürren, Birg and Piz Gloria. The requirements ranged from simple facade scaffolding at the valley station, to stair tower solutions for smooth operation during continuous tourist use, to load-bearing scaffolding for concrete work - in some cases on slopes with a gradient of 45 degrees.

According to CEO Jonas Burn, they had already had very good experiences with Scafom-rux modular scaffolding system RINGSCAFF on other projects, which is why they also used it for the various requirements of the Schilthorn project. The scaffolding planning was carried out by burn und künzi gerüstbau ag, while the static calculations were carried out by Jochen Gebauer, technical director at Scafom-rux Germany.

There were several special challenges with the various scaffolding at the different stations, but Jonas Burn highlighted the material transport, weather conditions, and the significantly reduced oxygen levels at the higher stations.

The material was transported to the top by a transport platform, which was suspended under the gondola of the old cableway. The maximum load capacity was 8 tonnes per trip.

As the work continued throughout the ski season, abundant snowfall was an additional factor that had to be managed. Clearing snow and ice from the scaffolding was part of the daily routine, and suitable equipment such as mountain boots, crampons, and climbing harnesses was essential. On clear days. the scaffolders were rewarded with a breathtaking view of the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau peaks.

Due to the thin air at the higher stations, the scaffolders decided not to spend the night there: sleep would have been possible, but rest was not guaranteed. Instead, they chose to take the gondola up in the morning back down in the evening. Another side effect that surprised even experienced scaffolders was that their calorie needs seemed to increase significantly. According to their own accounts, they often ate double portions at dinner in the valley.

The 'Schilthorn 20XX' project is scheduled to be fully completed in 2026 with the final construction phase on the summit.

Until then, 4 to 6 scaffolders from burn und künzi gerüstbau ag will continue to work on adjustments and extensions of all scaffolds necessary during ongoing operations. Daily gondola rides to the top and back down again included. Villain "Blofeld" from the James Bond film On Her Majesty's Secret Service had it much easier in 1969: he traveled up the mountain by helicopter. The helipad, originally installed for the film, is now a popular viewing platform on the Piz Gloria.

Burn und Künzi AG, based in Oey, Switzerland, was founded in 1973 and is now run in its fourth generation by CEO and owner Jonas Burn under the name burn und künzi gerüstbau ag. Their range of services includes facade scaffolds, load-bearing and industrial scaffolds, and emergency roof constructions. In addition to much-noticed constructions at the Federal Palace in Bern, on dam walls and bridges, or on inaccessible mountain terrain, their offerings also include classic church scaffolding or school buildings.