Construction is moving ahead high in the Colorado mountains as Idaho Springs’ long-anticipated Argo Gondola starts 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, whose nearly decade-long dream of a gondola is now becoming a reality.

The idea took root almost by accident. “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?’” McFarland recalled.

The Argo Gondola will carry riders more than a mile up the mountainside, linking the historic Argo Mill and Tunnel with the scenic high point of Virginia Canyon Mountain Park.

While initial construction started back in 2019, progress stalled in 2020 when the team ran into financing problems. “We had a pause in 2020. We had some financing challenges. We fixed those, two years ago in 2023,” McFarland said.

This week, for the first time, a helicopter delivered pieces of 10 gondola towers to crews waiting in the park — part of what will eventually be 16 towers in total.

“We got about halfway done today,” said McFarland, before an afternoon storm forced a temporary pause. “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.”

He added that weather delays like this are unusual for the site. “It’s actually pretty mild here. (On the) southeastern slope we don’t get nearly the snow you do over the divide, (in) Loveland,” he said.

Once the storm passed, the helicopter was back at work. McFarland says he’s looking forward to seeing the community enjoy the new gondola experience when it’s ready.

“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,” McFarland said.

The gondola is scheduled to open to visitors in March 2026.

The Argo Gondola is poised to become a major new attraction for Idaho Springs, blending the area’s historic gold mining heritage with modern outdoor recreation.

Local officials hope the gondola will boost year-round tourism and connect the revitalized Argo Mill to expanded trails and overlooks at Virginia Canyon Mountain Park. The project is also expected to support local businesses, including the craft breweries and food vendors McFarland mentioned.

For visitors, the gondola promises stunning Rocky Mountain views and a new way to experience Colorado’s mining history, all just a short drive from Denver.

If construction stays on track, Idaho Springs will soon add a unique lift to its lineup of outdoor adventures — proving that even century-old mining towns can dream big and build new.

Originally reported by Michael Abeyta in CBS News.