Few lifts in the world are as iconic as the Snowbird Tram with its 125 passenger red and blue cabins rising from Little Cottonwood Canyon to Hidden Peak.  When it opened in 1971, the tram was one of the longest, largest and most powerful aerial tramways in the world and remains so today.  In his 168-page book dedicated to this machine, Walt McConnell said of the tram, “It was loaded with innovative features and immediately became the symbol of Snowbird.”  A timeless style combined with recent upgrades mean the tram is sure to remain an icon of the Wasatch for years to come.

Decades after the founding of nearby Alta, Ted Johnson envisioned a carefully-designed, 40-acre resort village with modern American design anchored by a tramway.  After a trip over from Vail, Dick Bass agreed to join team Snowbird and provide financial backing.  Ted quietly began buying mining claims in Little Cottonwood Canyon while still working at Alta.  In Ted’s mind, a tram was the only lift to build and the route to Hidden Peak was clear.  “The awesome massiveness of the tramway and its terminal buildings-to-be set the stage for the bold architectural statements of all of Snowbird,” he declared.    He went public with the Snowbird development in 1966, forming Snowbird Design Group.

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