Manuel - the audit manager
“A race against time.”
Let’s be honest: the expectations of winter sports guests are constantly rising. In addition to perfectly groomed slopes and high-quality dining options, guests also expect a high level of comfort at the ski lifts.
Quality and safety are top priorities for Montafoner Bergbahnen. That is why the technical equipment is inspected on an ongoing basis. During the major post-season inspections, the Gargellner Bergbahnen inspect, clean, and replace the various components of all systems. “Our gondola lift, which also operates in the summer, undergoes maintenance twice a year during the off-season, and the sports facilities, which only run in the winter, once a year,” reports Manuel Stross, deputy operations manager at Gargellner Bergbahnen, which transports approximately 2 million guests in the winter season alone. The trained electrician has been working there since 2012. “In addition to our own inspections, there are many other external checks,” he adds.
“The most labor-intensive inspection is definitely that of the gondola lift. Three to four people spend about two hours per support pillar there, depending on what needs to be done. In addition, there’s a driver on site who transports the team and their equipment from pillar to pillar,” explains the 29-year-old from Tschagguns, describing the process. In addition to relevant training, a complete lack of fear of heights is a prerequisite for this job, as the supports are up to 23 meters high. “We spend about a month working on the gondola lift. The smaller lifts require correspondingly less time,” Manuel explains to us.
What’s the biggest challenge in his work? “The time factor: We have to get all the facilities ready well before the start of the season, even when the weather conditions are sometimes difficult,” Manuel says without hesitation.
By the way: You can learn more about this exciting topic during the weekly mountain experience “A Look Behind the Scenes” offered by Gargellner Bergbahnen.
