Soaring up Prospect Mountain in Estes Park, an ageless relic from another era has taken on new life.

That relic is the Estes Park Aerial Tram, whisking bright red cars full of passengers upward 1,060 feet in five breathtaking minutes – just as it has nearly every summer for the past 70 years. At the summit, visitors can savor panoramic views of the Estes Valley and Continental Divide from a viewing platform and hike a short trail before descending back into town.

More than 6 million riders since its grand opening – and two years after nearly shutting down permanently – the family-friendly tramway remains a beloved Colorado landmark, melding fascinating history, mechanical ingenuity, endless vistas and genuine thrills.

Robert Heron, a pioneering innovator of ski lifts and tramways, built the Estes Park Aerial Tram in 1955. “It was America’s first scenic tram,” said Adrian Liddell, the tram’s general manager. “When it was built, there was nothing out there like it.”

During World War II, Heron designed a mobile tram for the U.S. Army’s 10th Mountain Division that helped Allied troops capture Riva Ridge in Italy in early 1945. Post-war, Heron quickly influenced Colorado’s ski industry by constructing Aspen’s first ski lift in 1946. Aptly named Lift 1, it was celebrated at the time as “the highest fastest and longest” chairlift on Earth and today is one of only two ski lifts on the National Register of Historic Places.

Heron’s Denver-based firm, Heron Engineering, subsequently introduced the first fixed-grip lifts at many ski resorts, including Colorado’s first double-chair at Berthoud Pass and the nation’s first triple and quad lifts at Boyne Mountain in Michigan. Over his career, Heron contributed to building more than 100 ski lifts and tramways.

In the early 1950s, Heron envisioned his own scenic tramway in Estes Park as both a tourist attraction and showcase for his engineering expertise, drawing inspiration from European designs.

Unlike traditional ski lifts, the Estes Park tram’s cables span directly between upper and lower terminals without towers in between. “It’s like flying, but you’re still attached to the ground on both sides,” Liddell said. “It’s a 2,630-foot free span, so there are no bumps. My predecessor described it as an inline helicopter.”

While such free-span trams are relatively rare in the U.S., they are common in Europe’s steep alpine terrain. The Estes tram system uses separate cables for cabin support and propulsion.

After Robert Heron’s passing in 1999, his son, John Heron, managed the tram until his own death in 2022. The family then put the historic attraction up for sale.

Initially, prospects seemed bleak. Locals worried about losing a beloved attraction, but fate intervened: After a summer-long closure, the tram reopened in 2024 under the ownership of Gondola Ventures, a company specializing in tramway projects.

The reopening meant much to Estes Park residents, especially Liddell, who first joined the tram crew as a 16-year-old car attendant in 2007. The summer gig turned into full-time work, and he was promoted to general manager in 2019. “I really fell in love with the machine and the mechanics of it,” he said. “I’ve always had a passion for old stuff, old machines, old cars. I’ve always liked tinkering.”

This passion makes Liddell ideal for the role. “The physical lift itself is relatively unchanged since it was built,” he explained. “I’ve got 25 buttons dials and gauges on the control panel. It was steampunk before steampunk was cool.”

The simplicity of Heron’s design eases maintenance, often allowing repairs with standard, off-the-shelf parts. “Lifts these days have gotten very complex and are difficult to work on,” said Liddell. Not so for the Estes Park Aerial Tram: “It’s not run by a computer. It’s driven by an individual in the motor room at the top of the mountain.”

Liddell and his crew troubleshoot issues with traditional mechanical skill. The tram occasionally has a stubborn personality, halting operations if problems arise. “It’s got a personality,” he noted. “You’ve got to work with it, bargain with it sometimes.”

Perry Shea, Gondola Ventures’ managing partner, praised Liddell’s maintenance expertise. “He’s a phenomenal general manager and takes pride in that work,” Shea said. “It shows because the tram is in very good condition.”

The tram’s well-maintained condition was a major selling point for Gondola Ventures when it acquired controlling interest in 2023 – but not the only one. “We focus on iconic systems,” said Shea. “We want people to experience the outdoors recreationally and reach mountaintops otherwise inaccessible.”

The Estes Park Aerial Tram matches this vision perfectly. “When you take the tram up, that 360-degree panoramic view on Prospect Mountain is unmatched,” Shea said. “We could build cable cars in many places, but this tram provides an experience and a story worth telling.”

Gondola Ventures plans to enhance that experience soon. Improvements include revamping the mountaintop Hungry Chipmunk Cafe and gift shop, adding an events space and viewing deck at the upper terminal, and upgrading the tram cars to accommodate more passengers. But the tram’s retro charm won’t vanish. “The red cabin will look the same, just a little longer and wider,” Shea said.

The company is also involved in tram projects in Australia and Hawaiʻi, recognizing potential in both urban transport and tourism. In Colorado, Gondola Ventures is balancing Estes Park improvements with constructing the Mighty Argo tram at Idaho Springs’ historic Argo Mill and Tunnel, expected to open next year. “The Argo Mill is a fun attraction, and when the cable car opens next to it, it will draw even more visitors,” Shea noted.

If the Argo tram matches Estes Park’s appeal, success seems assured. Estes Park’s tram brings out youthful delight in passengers of all ages. Liddell recalled a passenger playfully waving his toupee at an ascending car’s attendant. “He joked the whole way down,” laughed Liddell. “He said, ‘Should I wave my hair at her?’ Then he took off the best toupee I’ve ever seen and waved it like a flag!”

For Shea, creating joyful experiences is key. “When I see old black-and-white photos from the tram’s early days, smiling faces in cabins heading to Prospect Mountain, kids on their dad’s shoulders looking at the mountain views, that’s something I cherish,” he reflected. “That’s why we do this – it’s about those experiences.”