Bryan MacFarland, general partner to the Mighty Argo Cable Car scenic gondola project, holds up an artist's rendering of what the MACC will look like when completed from atop the landing site Thursday, July 10, 2025 at Virginia Canyon Mountain Park in Idaho Springs, Colorado. (JonathanIngrahamDigital Strategist for Denver Gazettejonathan.ingraham@denvergazettedev.gazette.comhttps://gazettedev.gazette.com/content/tncms/avatars/0/41/725/041725b8-b694-11ec-a830-f7ddbdb2b1a2.fc0f5608a6f1144f64f080f771bd904d.png)
Construction proceeded between rain storms in Idaho Springs on Thursday on the Mighty Argo Cable Car gondola at Virginia Canyon Mountain Park (VCMP) in Idaho Springs, Colorado. Crews installed 10 support towers at the $71M gondola system site, placed into position by a converted Blackhawk helicopter.
The gondola, when completed, will rise 1.2 miles from the Argo Mill in town to the observation point some 1,300 vertical feet higher, giving visitors and recreationalists scenic views of the Mount Blue Sky wilderness and Idaho Springs valley along with access to over a dozen trails for hiking and mountain biking at VCMP.
Bryan MacFarland, general partner to the Mighty Argo Cable Car scenic gondola project, holds up an artist’s rendering of what the MACC will look like when completed from atop the landing site Thursday, July 10, 2025 at Virginia Canyon Mountain Park in Idaho Springs, Colorado. (JonathanIngrahamDigital Strategist for Denver Gazettejonathan.ingraham@denvergazettedev.gazette.comhttps://gazettedev.gazette.com/content/tncms/avatars/0/41/725/041725b8-b694-11ec-a830-f7ddbdb2b1a2.fc0f5608a6f1144f64f080f771bd904d.png)A converted Blackhawk helicopter makes its return flight to the pickup zones after delivering a gondola section to the Mighty Argo Cable Car construction area Thursday, July 10, 2025 at Virginia Canyon Mountain Park in Idaho Springs, Colorado. (JonathanIngrahamDigital Strategist for Denver Gazettejonathan.ingraham@denvergazettedev.gazette.comhttps://gazettedev.gazette.com/content/tncms/avatars/0/41/725/041725b8-b694-11ec-a830-f7ddbdb2b1a2.fc0f5608a6f1144f64f080f771bd904d.png)Bryan MacFarland, general partner to the Mighty Argo Cable Car scenic gondola project, talks about the stanchion tower installation from atop the landing site Thursday, July 10, 2025 at Virginia Canyon Mountain Park in Idaho Springs, Colorado. (JonathanIngrahamDigital Strategist for Denver Gazettejonathan.ingraham@denvergazettedev.gazette.comhttps://gazettedev.gazette.com/content/tncms/avatars/0/41/725/041725b8-b694-11ec-a830-f7ddbdb2b1a2.fc0f5608a6f1144f64f080f771bd904d.png)A converted Blackhawk helicopter carries a piece of gondola tower to the Mighty Argo Cable Car construction area Thursday, July 10, 2025 at Virginia Canyon Mountain Park in Idaho Springs, Colorado. (JonathanIngrahamDigital Strategist for Denver Gazettejonathan.ingraham@denvergazettedev.gazette.comhttps://gazettedev.gazette.com/content/tncms/avatars/0/41/725/041725b8-b694-11ec-a830-f7ddbdb2b1a2.fc0f5608a6f1144f64f080f771bd904d.png)A converted Blackhawk helicopter hovers a piece of gondola tower over one of the towers while ground crews await positioning at the Mighty Argo Cable Car construction area Thursday, July 10, 2025 at Virginia Canyon Mountain Park in Idaho Springs, Colorado. (JonathanIngrahamDigital Strategist for Denver Gazettejonathan.ingraham@denvergazettedev.gazette.comhttps://gazettedev.gazette.com/content/tncms/avatars/0/41/725/041725b8-b694-11ec-a830-f7ddbdb2b1a2.fc0f5608a6f1144f64f080f771bd904d.png)Ground crews await positioning a piece of the gondola system at the Mighty Argo Cable Car construction area Thursday, July 10, 2025 at Virginia Canyon Mountain Park in Idaho Springs, Colorado. (JonathanIngrahamDigital Strategist for Denver Gazettejonathan.ingraham@denvergazettedev.gazette.comhttps://gazettedev.gazette.com/content/tncms/avatars/0/41/725/041725b8-b694-11ec-a830-f7ddbdb2b1a2.fc0f5608a6f1144f64f080f771bd904d.png)Tower 16 of the Mighty Argo Cable Car scenic gondola, as seen Thursday, July 10, 2025, stands atop the summit of Virginia Canyon Mountain Park in Idaho Springs, Colorado. (JonathanIngrahamDigital Strategist for Denver Gazettejonathan.ingraham@denvergazettedev.gazette.comhttps://gazettedev.gazette.com/content/tncms/avatars/0/41/725/041725b8-b694-11ec-a830-f7ddbdb2b1a2.fc0f5608a6f1144f64f080f771bd904d.png)The ‘bull wheel’ of the Mighty Argo Cable Car scenic gondola sits idle during a tour of the mountain top landing station Thursday, July 10, 2025 at Virginia Canyon Mountain Park in Idaho Springs, Colorado. (JonathanIngrahamDigital Strategist for Denver Gazettejonathan.ingraham@denvergazettedev.gazette.comhttps://gazettedev.gazette.com/content/tncms/avatars/0/41/725/041725b8-b694-11ec-a830-f7ddbdb2b1a2.fc0f5608a6f1144f64f080f771bd904d.png)Machinery inside the Mighty Argo Cable Car scenic gondola landing terminal, as seen Thursday, July 10, 2025 at Virginia Canyon Mountain Park in Idaho Springs, Colorado. The upper landing terminal at VCMP is part of a gondola system that will take visitors to the mountian park summit, allowing for access to trails once open. (JonathanIngrahamDigital Strategist for Denver Gazettejonathan.ingraham@denvergazettedev.gazette.comhttps://gazettedev.gazette.com/content/tncms/avatars/0/41/725/041725b8-b694-11ec-a830-f7ddbdb2b1a2.fc0f5608a6f1144f64f080f771bd904d.png)Several towers of the Mighty Argo Cable Car scenic gondola, as seen Thursday, July 10, 2025, stand atop the summit of Virginia Canyon Mountain Park in Idaho Springs. (JonathanIngrahamDigital Strategist for Denver Gazettejonathan.ingraham@denvergazettedev.gazette.comhttps://gazettedev.gazette.com/content/tncms/avatars/0/41/725/041725b8-b694-11ec-a830-f7ddbdb2b1a2.fc0f5608a6f1144f64f080f771bd904d.png)
