Aela ski lift in Maloja faces an uncertain future

The historic Aela ski lift in Maloja, a quiet haven for winter sports enthusiasts in the canton of Graubünden, faces an uncertain future. Local officials have announced that the lift risks being completely shut down for the next five years, putting an end—at least temporarily—to a beloved alternative to the region's crowded major resorts.

The decision to freeze the lift's operational license was announced by Mayor Fernando Giovanoli at the Bregaglia Municipal Assembly on June 18. The five-year suspension, coordinated closely with the Aela Foundation, is intended to give local leaders breathing room to decide whether the lift is financially and environmentally sustainable.

The Aela ski area was long considered an insider tip for fun away from groomed slopes. Now it is simply the insider tip for powder seekers, those seeking peace and quiet, families, nature lovers and sun worshippers. The lift is located a few meters away from the car park at Giacometti Sport. A platter lift takes skiers and snowboarders of all ages up the mountain - from 1817 meters to 2100 meters - at the top the view of Lake Sils and Lake Silvaplana and towards Val Forno is impressive. A red and a black slope lead back to the start. Freeriders take the path in between, paying attention to the wildlife rest area in the direction of travel to the left of the lift and the black slope.

A Million-Franc Hurdle

The primary catalyst for the shutdown is a steep regulatory and financial barrier. According to Giacum Krüger, president of the Aela Foundation (which owns an 11/27 stake in the lift), recent safety and compliance reviews required by cantonal authorities revealed that keeping the facility running demands a massive overhaul.

"During the review for a possible renewal or extension, it emerged that the necessary adjustments requested by the cantonal authorities would require significant intervention, estimated at around one million francs ($1.1 million USD)," Krüger told Keystone-ATS. "This is therefore a situation that must be carefully assessed."

The foundation and the municipality have jointly requested a concession extension from the canton to defer immediate compliance, but they are still waiting for a formal response from the regional capital in Chur.

Adding to the financial anxiety is a stark environmental reality: low snowfall in recent years. The Aela lift operates exclusively on natural snow, without heavy artificial snowmaking infrastructure. With winters becoming increasingly unpredictable, local authorities are questioning whether a million-franc investment into a natural-snow lift makes economic sense.

What Maloja Loses

The Aela facility isn't a massive commercial resort, and that is precisely its appeal. Sitting at a base elevation of 1,815 meters and rising to a panoramic summit of 2,160 meters, it is widely considered an insider secret.

For experienced skiers, the steep platter lift serves as a gateway to uncrowded, challenging red and black slopes. For freeriders and snowboarders, it is a premier destination on powder days, offering pristine fresh snow away from the massive crowds of neighboring Engadin valleys.

Pivoting to the 2026/27 Winter Season

The looming closure leaves local tourism coordinators facing a significant gap in their winter lineup. Eli Müller, director of Bregaglia Maloja Tourism, noted that losing Aela means losing a very specific target audience of purists and powder-chasers.

"Our task, therefore, will be to create alternative offerings to fill this gap," Müller stated. "We are working on it and hope to be ready for the start of the 2026/27 winter season."

While the main panoramic lift may stand idle this winter, local tourism portals indicate that less resource-intensive operations nearby—such as the Maloja pony lift and the local snow-tubing facility—remain crucial focal points for families. However, the fate of the upper mountain and its steep slopes will remain frozen in place until a definitive financial plan can be struck.