Idaho Springs Businesses Hope New Cable Car Boosts Tourism After Slow Winter

The Mighty Argo Cable Car is set to open this month, offering a 10-minute ride to the top of the city's public lands.

Apr. 12, 2026 at 9:35pm

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A highly stylized, geometric illustration depicting the sweeping, towering form of the new Mighty Argo Cable Car in Idaho Springs, with the surrounding landscape rendered in bold, airbrushed gradients of color, capturing the grand scale and romantic spirit of this new attraction.The new Mighty Argo Cable Car in Idaho Springs promises to bring visitors back to the city's public lands and boost the local tourism economy after a difficult winter.Idaho Springs Today

Local business owners in Idaho Springs say construction along Interstate 70 and a warm winter have hurt tourism numbers, but a new attraction called the Mighty Argo Cable Car aims to bring visitors back to the area. The gondola will offer a 10-minute ride to the top, where people can eat, drink, listen to live music, and access hiking and biking trails. The cable car project is a partnership between the city and local business leaders, designed to revitalize the local economy.

Why it matters

Idaho Springs has struggled with a lack of visitors due to the I-70 construction and warm winter weather, which has significantly impacted local businesses. The new cable car is seen as a way to draw tourists back to the area and boost the local economy.

The details

The Mighty Argo Cable Car is set to open to the public at the end of this month. The gondola will offer a 10-minute ride to the top of the city's 500 acres of public lands, where visitors will find a place to eat, drink, watch live music, and access some of the city's best biking and hiking trails. The cable car project is a partnership between the city of Idaho Springs and local business leaders, including Mary Jane Loevlie, the founder of the project.

  • The Mighty Argo Cable Car is set to open to the public at the end of this month (April 2026).
  • The cable car project has been in development for several months, with local business owners coming up with the idea over a glass of wine one night.

The players

Mary Jane Loevlie

The founder of the Mighty Argo Cable Car project.

Sadie Schultz

An Idaho Springs native who has owned the Spice and Tea Exchange on Miner Street for 10 years.

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What they’re saying

“My neighbor and I were sitting drinking wine one night, looking at the Mighty Argo, realizing that the city owned 500 acres of public lands up here, and they were talking about building trails. So I immediately go, 'Oh, I wonder if we could build a gondola up there.'”

— Mary Jane Loevlie, Founder of the Mighty Argo Cable Car project

“It really has seen a significant reduction of traffic on I-70. Then you compound that with lack of snow, and so we're not seeing a lot of that weekend ski traffic coming down the mountain.”

— Sadie Schultz, Owner of the Spice and Tea Exchange

What’s next

The Mighty Argo Cable Car is set to open to the public at the end of April 2026, providing a new attraction to draw visitors to Idaho Springs and boost the local economy.

The takeaway

The new Mighty Argo Cable Car project represents a creative partnership between the city of Idaho Springs and local business leaders to revitalize the local tourism industry after a difficult winter season marked by construction and warm weather. By providing a unique attraction and access to the city's public lands, the cable car aims to bring visitors back to Idaho Springs and support the local economy.