The new six-seater chairlift will provide access to a new, wide slope area on Levi’s South Slopes and introduce additional safety features designed especially with families in mind. The target is to open Sunny Express to skiers in late November.

The new Sunny Express chairlift on Levi’s South Slopes is nearing completion. Construction has progressed quickly throughout the summer and remains on schedule, with the entire project set to be completed by the end of October.

“The lift is progressing well. At the moment, we’re fitting out the chair storage area so the chairs can be moved inside. Next, the chairs will be installed and the top station completed,” says Jouni Palosaari, CEO of Levi Ski Resort.

The first skiers will be able to ride the new lift once winter arrives and temperatures are cold enough.

“Ultimately, it all depends on when winter and the freezing temperatures arrive. Our target is to open Sunny Express in late November,” Palosaari says.

Sunny Express will have a capacity of 3,000 passengers per hour. Like Levi’s other chairlifts, it will feature heated seats and wind stabilisers. The new lift also includes an additional safety feature designed especially with families in mind: the safety bar closes automatically.

“The lift has been designed to be family-friendly. The automatic safety bar adds an extra level of safety, especially when travelling with children. This is also why the lift station is longer than usual.”

Sunny Express will also provide access to a new, exceptionally wide slope area. The slope to the right of the lift will be approximately 100 metres wide at its widest point, providing plenty of space for safe and enjoyable skiing for a wide range of skiers.

The surrounding landscape will also be an important part of the Sunny Express experience.

“From the top, you have views stretching more than 200 degrees around you, with practically no light pollution in sight. In winter, with the snow-covered trees all around, the scenery will be truly impressive for both Finnish and international guests.”

Preparations for Sunny Express began last year alongside the construction of the new slope area. The locations of the lift towers and the access roads were planned in advance, while the lift foundations were prepared in Levi’s own facilities during the winter. Work on the fell began as soon as the previous winter season came to an end.

“We’ve stayed on schedule. In recent years, we’ve built a new large detachable chairlift approximately every two years, so we have a great deal of experience and a highly skilled team. We build the foundations and erect the lift ourselves, and that is something we can be very proud of.”

This coming winter, Levi will have a total of six detachable chairlifts and two gondola lifts.