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Glacier 3000 dodges bad weather to build bridge

The main steel cables for a daring new suspension bridge at Glacier 3000, near Les Diablerets in the canton of Vaud, arrived at the summit by helicopter on Wednesday.

Glacier 3000 dodges bad weather to build bridge
A mock-up shows the position of the new Peak Walk suspension bridge. Photo: Glacier 3000

The 107-metre long Peak Walk bridge will connect the summits of Glacier 3000 and Scex Rouge, making it the world’s first hanging bridge to link two mountain peaks.

Glacier 3000 CEO Bernhard Tschannen said bad weather over the summer period had presented a “significant challenge” to the team planning the construction, but that the first cables finally arrived this week.

“The work has progressed well, despite the difficult weather conditions,” he said.

In preparation for the arrival of the cables, the team laid concrete foundations on the two peaks and fixed 20 anchors into the rock.

The 1.8 million-franc ($2 million) project is due to open in November this year.

The bridge will be able to hold up to 300 people at a time, though numbers will usually be limited to a more comfortable 150.

It is designed to withstand the extreme conditions often seen at Glacier 3000, including snow and winds of up to 200 kilometres per hour.

A year-round playground, Glacier 3000 already has a number of attractions including a summer toboggan run, a snow bus and a fun park.

The new Peak Walk will be open year-round, weather permitting, and free to visit.

At an altitude of 2,971 metres – the height of the summit of Scex Rouge – the Peak Walk won’t quite beat the record of another Swiss suspension bridge, built in 2012 on Mount Titlis in Engelberg, canton of Olbwalden.

At 3,020m the Titlis Cliff Walk claims to be Europe’s highest hanging bridge.

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