Engineering the Future of Alpine Winters: KitzSki Unveils the €16 Million "Sonnenrast" Reservoir

Nestled just below the mountain station of the Fleckalmbahn cable car, Bergbahn AG Kitzbühel has officially commissioned its newest milestone in alpine infrastructure: the Sonnenrast Reservoir (Speicherteich Sonnenrast).

Representing a total investment of €16 million and nearly one and a half years of construction, the project is far more than a simple water storage basin. It serves as the technological heartbeat of a fully networked snowmaking system and a year-round mountain attraction designed to transform summer tourism in the Kitzbühel Alps.

Precision Snowmaking: Smarter, Colder, and 40% Faster

In an era of shifting alpine weather patterns, KitzSki's primary objective is not expanding total snow production, but maximizing efficiency during narrow cold-weather windows.

The Sonnenrast facility serves as the nerve center for seven interconnected reservoirs across Kitzbühel's core ski area. Water can now be routed dynamically between basins—from Seidlalm, Ehrenbachhöhe, Pengelstein, Brunn, and Usterkar—enabling operators to deploy water exactly where and when temperatures drop.

The Technical Engine

• Pump House Operations: Housing a massive two-story, 22x42-meter pumping station, the plant can inject up to 555 liters of water per second (approx. 2,000 m³/hour) directly into the snowmaking grid.

• 15 Integrated Cooling Towers: By cooling water down to optimal temperatures between 2°C and 5°C before feeding it to snow lances and cannons, efficiency per cubic meter of water increases drastically while reducing energy waste.

• Solar Integration: The station features an integrated photovoltaic array to offset operational power demands directly on site.

• Major Slope Upgrades and a 65-Meter Ski Tunnel

The extensive earthworks required for the reservoir—moving roughly 255,000 cubic meters of soil—were reutilized on-site to resolve critical slope bottlenecks and improve terrain safety:

• Slope Enhancements: Earth was repurposed to widen the narrowest pinch points on the Sonnenrast Run (No. 18), smooth out terrain bumps, and create a uniform gradient tailored for beginners. Similar comfort upgrades were completed on the Ochsalm (No. 43) and Walde (No. 21) runs.

• Eliminating High-Risk Intersection: To resolve a dangerous crossing point at the Jufen-Steilhang, engineers constructed a 65-meter ski tunnel. The blue Brunn Run (No. 27a) now passes safely beneath the steep black Jufen Run (No. 16b), disentangling beginner traffic from high-speed expert skiers.

• Summer 2027: Introducing "Baden am Berg"

Designed with dual-season utility in mind, Sonnenrast will become the first reservoir operated by Bergbahn AG Kitzbühel to open for public swimming.

Beginning in Summer 2027, visitors arriving via the Fleckalmbahn (a 5-minute walk from the top station) will enjoy free access to a mountain lake experience at 1,745 meters above sea level:

• 15,000 m² Water Surface with dedicated sunbathing lawns and swimming piers.

• Family & Recreation Areas: A 400 m² shallow water area with a children's playground, a diving platform, and a floating island.

• Water Sports & Safety: Stand-up paddleboarding (SUP) rentals and active lifeguard supervision provided by Bergbahn Kitzbühel.

Leadership Perspective

"Here we have jointly implemented a multi-decade project that is effective in several respects and sustainable. It strengthens our technical infrastructure on the mountain, enabled concrete improvements in safety and slope optimization, and will significantly expand the summer offer on the Ehrenbachhöhe." — Mag. Anton Bodner, CEO of Bergbahn AG Kitzbühel

"Projects like these not only strengthen the quality of our offerings on the mountain, but also secure regional value creation and jobs far beyond the ski area itself." — Bgm. Dr. Klaus Winkler, Chairman of the Supervisory Board

Project Key Facts & Metrics