"It's no longer possible" Traditional Aargau lift closes for good after 54 years

The ski lift on the Horben in Beinwil AG is closing after 54 years of operation. The operators explain the reasons for this decision.

For 54 years, skiers from the region were able to indulge in their hobby in Beinwil AG. This is now coming to an end: the Horben ski lift is being closed for good. Margot and Alois Waser, who have been running the lift for 35 years, have decided to take this step with a heavy heart, as reported by the "Aargauer Zeitung" newspaper.

"It's no longer possible," the Wasers write on their website. The decision was not easy for them, but the financial losses and the insufficient number of snow days made the operation unprofitable.

There was never a shortage of customers, but of snow. Last year, they were only able to operate the lift on two days. The costs for the parking lot service and maintenance of the lift far exceeded the income. On nice days, the access road to Horben was closed, which made the situation even more difficult.

Thousands of francs for maintenance

The financial burden was enormous. In addition to the parking spaces, the Wasers also had to pay for the maintenance of the lift, the slope and the snow groomer. The annual costs amounted to around 5,000 francs, in addition to expenses for the operating license and insurance. Despite a contribution from the Sins Ski Club, the Wasers bore the majority of the costs themselves.

Now that they have retired, the Wasers no longer want to finance the ski lift out of their own pockets. The support of family and friends as well as the positive experiences with guests will be remembered fondly. The Wasers hope that someone might take over the operation and will keep the ski lift's website online. Perhaps this will one day allow people to ski down the slopes again in tranquil Beinwil.

This article was created with the help of artificial intelligence (AI). All content created by AI is verified by the editorial team.

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