In 1946 construction began on a chairlift from Niederau to the Markbachjoch. It was the first such project in Austria. The initiator was Ing.Sepp Hochmuth, a trained machine fitter at the time. The main building materials used were wood and components from cannibalized tanks. At that time Niederau was a fraction with 250 inhabitants who lived in remote individual farms. The Gasthof Simmerlwirt had to offer 12 “foreign beds”. There wasn't that much electricity in the whole of Wildschönau to operate a mountain railway. The approach from Wörgl was bad. Construction transports were almost impossible because the two bridges could only withstand a load of 2 tons. Bus passengers had to get off in front of the bridges.
Under the prerequisites, the performance at that time, the construction of this chairlift, is to be rated even higher. The inauguration of the facility took place in January when there was 50 cm of snow. Austria's first chairlift stood on wooden supports. Armored wheels and the drive, an old relic of war, served as rollers. Transport capacity of 120 people per hour.
After that, gastronomy began to develop around the lift. In addition to the “Simmerlwirt” in Niederau, there was also the “Kellerwirt” and the “Dorferwirt” in Oberau. The “Weißbacher” inn already existed in Auffach, the “Färberwirt” and the “Badgasthaus Thalmühle” in Mühltal and the “Sollererwirt” in Thierbach.