Wolffkran concludes landmark alpine project at Grimsel Pass

The completed new dam in late September 2024, shortly before the dismantling of the first Wolff crane

Wolffkran has completed one of its most demanding assignments to date, supporting construction of the replacement Spitallamm Dam at Switzerland’s Grimsel Pass.

At nearly 2,000 metres above sea level, the 4.5-year project required two XXL luffing jib cranes – the Wolff 1250 B – erected on custom-engineered TV 60 tower sections and 1,500 tonne pile foundations to withstand extreme alpine conditions. Over the course of 32,000 lifts, the machines handled about 500,000 tonnes of concrete.

On 3 September 2024, the final concrete bucket was placed into the dam with pyrotechnics and coloured smoke, marking the end of the approximately six-year construction period of the new Spitallamm dam

With a limited construction season from May to October, crane operators worked in three shifts around the clock. Crews faced dense fog, snow, avalanches and sudden storms, while maintaining uptime through rapid repairs and rope replacements completed in less than a day.

“Standard towers and foundations would not have withstood the conditions,” said Ralph Stump, managing director of Wolffkran Schweiz AG.

Dismantling began in late 2024, and by June 2025 more than 1,200 tonnes of crane components had been transported down the mountain via 60 truckloads. The six-person operator team – two women and four men – called the experience a career highlight, despite the challenging schedule of seven days on and three days off.