MAGIC CARPET GONDOLA (HERON/CTEC) - The West's first gondola was built in 1953 by famed lift engineer Bob Heron.
It was built as an access to the ski area from the train and highway below. The gondola was the only way
to access the area once upon a time. Built during the Korean war and subsequent metal shortage the lift
was constructed of recycled mining equiptment. Heron refabicated the mining transport to construct the
Magic Carpet gondola. The original 12 gondola cars held six passengers each and were built by a truck
manufacturer in Denver.
In 1983 the gondola was reconstructed by CTEC of Salt Lake City. In the rebuild they reused the original towers
but replaced all the line gear, drive and return components. It was a challenge to get all the modern equiptment
into the original housing structures. Toady the gondola is no longer a manditory means of access, but when running
is a classic way to travel to the base.