The cable wagons used to be one of the main characteristics of the valley. They used to be the main method of transport in the valley around 1900 and were situated at almost every farm. The last cable car was closed in the 1970’s, the last of them being at the farm Merki. It was common for the roads to be impassable most of the winter and the cable cars were then used to transport products and goods. There are many stories of people crossing Jökla in cable wagons which could be very dangerous and sadly there were some fatal accidents where people fell into the river.
In the winter once the river managed to freeze the locals felt the freedom as they could cross the river without worry. In the summer it was riskier to travel in the cable wagons because the forceful currents could get very strong in the river. The locals often say that what went into the river never returned.