Gondola Lift in Ísafjörður?

The company Odin Skylift is interested in installing a gondola lift in Eyrarfjall mountain, in Ísafjörður Municipality, the West Fjords, mbl.is reports.

The Ísafjörður town council did not make any comments on the application, submitted at a town council meeting on Monday, but noted that safety and environmental issues must be taken into account.

At the meeting, a suggestion was submitted for the location of places where people would get on and off the gondola. A final decision on the precise location of the gondola lift would be made in cooperation with town authorities, once a change to the land-use plan, now underway, has been implemented.

Odin Skylift’s suggestion includes the construction of a restaurant and, later on, a hotel on Eyrarfjall mountain, in addition to trails and facilities for outdoor activities. Odin Skylift is owned by Gissur Skarphéðinsson and his Canadian business partners, according to bb.is. 

You can view the plan here.

According to Gissur Skarphéðinsson, who was interviewed by Bylgjan radio station, a group of investors is ready to spend ISK 2.5 billion (USD 20.3 million; EUR 18.5 million) on the construction of the gondola lift. If all goes as planned, it could begin transporting tourists to a 250-person restaurant three years from now for the price of ISK 7,500 (USD 61; EUR 55) per person. A merchant in Ísafjörður, Úlfar Úlfarson, came up with the idea for the gondola lift 13 years ago.

Ísafjörður is a popular tourist destination, and as many as 140 cruise ship arrivals are scheduled there next summer.

This shows the suggested location of the gondola lift.