Aerial Mining Trams and Ski Lifts lecture given by Mark Danninger

Park City Museum will host a lecture called Aerial Mining Trams and Ski Lifts given by Mark Danninger on Wednesday, November 13th, 2024, from 5-6 p.m. held at the Park City Museum Education and Collections Center located at 2079 Sidewinder Drive.  More information can be found at www.parkcityhistory.org.

Aerial mining tram development in the late 19th century dramatically improved ore and mining supplies haulage in rugged and remote mining districts across the western U.S. and Canada.  The Park City mining district was one of many mining areas that benefited from this new technology with three operational systems by the mid-1920’s.  Several decades after aerial mining trams were a common sight in mountainous mining districts, the technology was adapted to the growing sport of recreational skiing in many of the same mining communities.  The development and use of aerial mining trams and the adaptation and significant influence this had on the ski industry we know of today will be explored.

Mark Danninger is a Mining Engineer who graduated from Montana Tech in Butte, Montana with 30 years’ experience in the mining and chemical processing sectors.  He is currently a semi-retired consultant and a student of historic mining and railroading who also enjoys skiing and snowboarding.