Construction underway in Colorado mountains on Argo Gondola in Idaho Springs: "Gratifying to see it come to fruition"

Idaho Springs is preparing to welcome something new; a gondola is being added. Construction is underway on the gondola that will take people from the long-standing Argo gold mine up the Colorado mountainside more than a mile.

Now after years of trials, tribulations and successes, the Argo gondola is finally starting to take shape.

 "It's very gratifying to see it come to fruition," said Bryan McFarland, a General Partner with the Mighty Argo Cable Car Company.

His nearly 10-year dream is finally starting to feel a little more real to him. It all started with an offhand comment.

"My partner, Mary Jane, had this, crazy idea. She was looking up here at the mountain and thought 'Why don't we build a gondola?'" said McFarland.

That started the ball rolling to build a world-class gondola that will go from the soon-to-be-renovated Argo Mill and Tunnel to the high point of the Virginia Canyon Mountain Park. Construction started in 2019, but it didn't last long in its initial stage.

"We had a pause in 2020. We had some financing challenges. We fixed those, two years ago in 2023," said McFarland.

On Thursday for the first time a helicopter was taking pieces of 10 gondola towers down to crews in Virginia Canyon Mountain Park so they could assemble them. There will be 16 in all.

"We got about halfway done today," said McFarland.

But then they ran into another small setback.

"The lightning shut us down. So, the helicopter's parked up on the mountain right now. Wait for the storm to clear out of here," said McFarland.

This one was at least temporary. McFarland says a weather delay like this is abnormal.

"It's actually pretty mild here. (On the) southeastern slope we don't get nearly the snow you do over the divide, (in) Loveland," said McFarland.

Soon, though, the storm cleared and the chopper and McFarland's crews were back in action. McFarland says he can't wait until this unique project is done and the community can enjoy it.

"We're working with several local craft breweries. It's going to be all Colorado. We'll have a great, great selection of food up here," said McFarland.

Opening for the gondola is scheduled for March 2026.