2.5 Mio EUR Investments In Muntele Mic Resort

The administration of the Muntele Mic Winter Resort in Caras Severin County has announced the beginning of the construction of a cable car system to help sustain the ongoing development of the resort. The constant increase in the accommodation capacity and the addition of various pieces of infrastructure and amenities have contributed significantly to the increase in the tourist inflow. After more than two years of design work, the resorts" leading investor, the Timisoara-based businessman Romeo Dunca, has undertaken the installation of a cable car system to cover 500 meters of altitude and seven slopes with a length between 3.2 and 4.2 kilometers.

The cable car system will comprise nearly 70 cars of six seats each and ensure a transportation capacity of 2,500 persons per hour at a speed of 5.5 meters per second. So far, the technical studies, the documentation and the design have cost Dunca approximately 600,000 EUR. The final cost of the system will be some 2.5 million EUR. It is scheduled to be commissioned in November 2009, in order to be in service during the 2009 - 2010 season. In Romania, similar installations only exist in Mamaia and Poiana Brasov.

In addition to this project, the Caras Severin County Council is planning to set up a cable car system between Poiana Marului and Muntele Mic. At the moment, the Muntele Mic Resort has three skiing slopes: Valea Soarelui (beginner level, 1,700 meters), Caldare (intermediate level, over 600 meters) and Sub Teleschi (advanced level, approximately 1,400 meters). The three slopes have two modern ski lifts and a nighttime lighting system.

In wintertime, the resort is accessible through the aerial lift based in Valea Craiu, at an altitude of 773 meters. From that point on, a chairlift carries tourists over 3,492 meters (the longest chairlift route in the country) and 799 meters in altitude to the final destination. Unfortunately, the chairlift only works a few hours per day and is often grounded because of unfavourable weather.

In summertime, access is possible via the road DJ 608A, which crosses the villages of Zervesti, Turnu-Ruieni and Borlova. The 13 kilometre road section has been recently asphalted by the County Council and is in good condition. The cable car is designed to increase the tourist transportation capacity in wintertime. Tourists will be able to drive to Poiana Marului, which is accessible throughout the year and then continue their travel via the cable car.

The Muntele Mic area is covered in snow as much as six months per year and therefore offers a skiing season between November and May.