The 'Bergbahnen Feuerkogel'

The dream of opening up the Höllengebirge mountains for tourism and building an aerial cable car to the mountain plateau was envisioned and realized by the Ebensee pioneer Rudolph Ippisch.

Thanks to his unwavering determination, the cable car to the Feuerkogel was officially opened to public transport on June 26, 1927, in the presence of the leading politicians of the time and numerous prominent guests.

Since then, the — naturally thoroughly modernized — cable car has provided breathtaking views across the entire Salzkammergut region, relaxation in the most beautiful natural settings of the 1,600-meter-high Feuerkogel plateau, and skiing enjoyment for the whole family.

The Feuerkogel high plateau is one of the most popular excursion destinations in Upper Austria. For this reason, major investments have been made in the infrastructure in recent years — including the expansion of the ski area since 2009 with Gsoll gondola und Gruber chairlift as well as the construction of a modern snowmaking system in 2015.

Further milestones followed with the introduction of new gondolas for the cable car in 2018/19, providing greater comfort and panoramic views, an increased focus on sustainable development and quality in year-round operations from the 2020s onward, and most recently, the installation of EV charging stations at the valley station for environmentally friendly travel.

The Feuerkogel cable car is considered one of the most significant pioneering projects of alpine tourism in Upper Austria. For almost 100 years, it has connected the town of Ebensee with the high plateau of the Feuerkogel in the Höllengebirge mountains — and today stands as a successful blend of history and innovation.

“Stick to your trade,” says an old proverb. The versatile Rudolph Ippisch from Ebensee did not follow this wisdom. After completing an apprenticeship in his father’s shoemaking workshop, the young Ippisch first became a shoe manufacturer for the military. Later — after working in Vienna and Paris — he went on to craft footwear for the English royal family at a royal shoemaker’s workshop in London. After returning to his hometown of Ebensee, he took over his father’s business.

Over time, he became a cinema owner, captain, and bandmaster, before eventually establishing a fund that enabled him, in 1918, to purchase the ships of the Englishman Ruston and found the Traunseeschifffahrts-Gesellschaft.

Rudolph Ippisch’s dream: to build a cable car to Feuerkogel!

The Boldest Cable Car in Europe: Another dream of the visionary Rudolph Ippisch was to open up the Höllengebirge mountain range. In his memoirs, Ippisch wrote: “I simply could not let go of the idea of building a cable car!”

As it turned out, the road ahead was a rocky one. Numerous cost estimates and plans from cable car engineers were required, and in addition, the issues of financing and raising capital had to be resolved.

Wherever he went to seek funding for his controversial project, he was met with skepticism and rejection. Yet Rudolph Ippisch refused to give up and, after several years, finally overcame this obstacle as well. In 1925, the financing was secured, and he obtained the preliminary concession to build a cable car to the Feuerkogel.

On November 26, 1925, the construction contract was awarded to the Adolf Bleichert & Co. company, and nothing stood in the way of the project anymore. To make construction possible, a material cableway had to be built first. For this purpose, a cable car dating back to the war was purchased. According to Rudolph Ippisch, the greatest trouble and concern was caused by transporting the support cable for this material cableway — an exhausting and uncomfortable task. After the 50 workers assigned to lay the cable along the road went on strike one day, saying, “Carry it up yourself!”, two mules eventually hauled the cable up the mountain.

For sixteen months, this material cable car — with a carrying capacity of 450 kilograms — remained in operation and even transported two base plates for the diesel engines, each weighing 2,400 kilograms, up the mountain. It was an enormous risk, but the material cable car withstood the strain. A workforce of 90 men was required to make it possible to haul up the support cable of the Feuerkogel cable car, a project that took a full six weeks to complete.

These factors bear witness to the tremendous dedication and determination required to build this installation in such difficult terrain with the technical means available at the time. It was a great day for Rudolph Ippisch and his hometown of Ebensee: “This cable car, whose realization had caused me indescribable worries for almost a decade, could finally be opened to the public on June 26, 1927.” The international press described it as “the boldest cable car in Europe,” as its first section spans 1,400 meters without a single support tower.

Already in its first year, more than 20,000 people rode the cable car to the Feuerkogel. At the beginning, the two cable car cabins had a capacity of 16 passengers each; this was increased to 18 passengers in 1930 and to 25 passengers in 1946, with a transport capacity of around 125 people per hour. As part of further upgrades, the drive output was enhanced so that by 1955 the cable car reached a speed of 6.2 meters per second. After 58 accident-free years of operation, the cable car was completely renewed in 1985. Since then, it has had a transport capacity of 377 people per hour and a travel speed of 12 meters per second.

Incidentally, the pioneering spirit of the people of Ebensee in cable car and ski lift construction is also reflected in the fact that Austria’s first drag lift — the so-called Stangenlift — began operation at the Feuerkogel in 1936. It was designed by the Ebensee engineer Karl Schallinger.

With the growing interest in winter sports, the Feuerkogel quickly developed into a popular destination for skiers. A key milestone was the construction of the first so-called drag lift in 1947 – one of the earliest uphill transport facilities on the mountain and a decisive step in the development of winter tourism.

This simple yet functional lift made it possible for the first time to comfortably overcome greater elevation differences and spend more time on the slopes. For many winter sports enthusiasts, the drag lift 'Stangenlift' marked the beginning of an entirely new mountain experience – moving away from strenuous ascents toward more time enjoying skiing.

Even though modern lift systems today offer significantly more comfort, the drag lift 'Stangenlift' remains a symbol of the early days of skiing on the Feuerkogel. It laid the foundation for the continued development of the ski area and the infrastructure that exists on the high plateau today.

Today, the 'Bergbahnen Feuerkogel' present themselves as a modern mountain transport system with the highest technical standards:

• 1985 – Complete modernization of the cable car

• 2009 – Construction of the Gsoll Gondola (8-person monocable gondola lift) and the Gruber Chairlift (detachable 6-person high-speed chairlift) as a major expansion of the ski area

• 2015 – Modern snowmaking systems: Ensuring the winter season through high-performance snow production on the main slopes

  Efficient snow cannons: Optimal slope conditions in varying weather conditions

• 2018/19 – New gondolas: Greater comfort, panoramic views, and increased capacity for a modern mountain experience

  Ongoing investments: Infrastructure, slopes, and the sustainable development of the ski area

• 2024 - Installation of EV charging stations at the valley station for environmentally friendly travel by electric car

The combination of tradition and innovation makes the Feuerkogel a year-round attractive destination for excursions and skiing above Traunsee in the Salzkammergut holiday region.