Utah Mining Tour

2024 Mining History Association

All-Day Field Trip: Park City
Historic Mining Sites and Structures

Leaders, Friends of Ski Mountain Mining History

Park City, Utah

June 6, 2024

PHOTO GALLERY 1

CLICK ON A PHOTO TO DISPLAY A LARGER IMAGE

As Park City transitioned from a mining town to a World-renowned ski mecca, the canyons and hillsides still contained the remnants of the once booming mining industry. Recognizing the need to preserve the fragile remains of mine buildings and headframes, local citizens formed the Friends of Ski Mountain Mining History. The Friends have successfully rescued, preserved, and interpreted many treasures of mining history, which can be seen by wintertime skiers and summertime hikers and mountain bikers. The MHAers were fortunate to be able to visit several of the most important sites and structures with some of the Friends who were actually involved in the preservation projects.

SILVER KING COALITION MINE AND MILL

(Above) Our tour hosts from the Friends of Ski Mountain Mining History, Sally Elliott and Don Roll, are checking last minute arrangements as the tour group assembled for visits to the Silver King Coalition Mine, Spiro Tunnel, Ontario Mine, and the Daly West Headframe. Click here for Sally's "Park City Mining History" conference booklet.

(Right) Getting to the Silver King required taking the Town Lift up the mountain. This was a tour “first” for avid MHAers. The historic tram towers from the Silver King can be seen parallelling the chair lift.

The line for the chair lift stretches across the plaza that once held the historic ore house and base station of the tramway, ca1901. Click here for a view of the tramway station which was destroyed by fire in 1951. Use return arrow to rejoin the tour.

The modern ski chalets and homes on the sides of the canyon offer spectacular views. They are a far cry from the primitive miners’ cabins during the early years.

On the way up the mountain, we got a good view of a few of the ski runs that make Park City famous.

The restored water tank for the Silver King sits high above the mine site.

(Left) After the spectacular ride on the chair lift, the next challenge was getting off!

(Above) The Silver King Coalition Mine complex sits at the junction of two ski lifts. The tallest part of the buildings contains the shaft and headframe. The heavy snows on the 2023-2024 winter season took a toll on parts of the complex. The Friends of Ski Mountain Mining History are raising funds to repair the damage.

The MHAers gather in front of the mine buildings. Click here for a Sanborn Map of the Silver King Coalition Mine and Mill complex. Use the return arrow to rejoin the tour.

Interpretive signs show historic photographs of the Silver King Mine and Mill during their heyday. The signs are located high up on their supports so they are visible above the winter snow by skiers changing lifts. Click on the links to view closeups of the signs. Use the return arrow to rejoin the tour.

A view of the headframe sitting above the Silver King Shaft.

Our guide explains the many functions of the Silver King complex of buildings.

The hoist utilized flat wire rope rather than the more conventional round wire cable.

MHAers admire the flat wire rope as it ascends to the top of the headframe.

You can learn more about the Silver King Coalition Mine at the websites below:

https://parkcityhistory.org/mining

https://parkcityhistory.org/mining/silver-king-mine

https://www.loc.gov/item/ut0090