The Lone Peak Tram at Big Sky Resort, Montana, keeps getting better. The tram is an engineering marvel positioned to serve as a gateway to experience one of North America’s most spectacular summits on Lone Mountain. Last season the tram was re-introduced after it underwent a complete replacement of the original jig-back gondola built in 1995. This state-of-the-art aerial tram technology is now routed to carry more passengers spaciously up 2,142 vertical feet in just under five minutes.
Now, the bottom terminal is set to be an architectural marvel: a sweeping glass dome that encapsulates nature’s artistry. This remarkable structure, composed of over 400 panels of one-inch-thick glass, creates a protective canopy over the terminal’s base, where visitors begin their journey to Lone Peak. The semi-enclosed dome protects the tram cabins from the elements when not in use, keeping them pristine for years to come.
The dome’s design draws inspiration from the intricate beauty of snowflakes and the artistry of natural elements. Each piece of glass is meticulously shaped and placed to form a fluid, faceted surface that mimics the elegance of snowdrifts and ice crystals. The interplay of light, shadows, and reflections on the glass panels evokes snow and ice’s dynamic and ever-changing nature. As snowflakes vary in form and beauty, so does this structure shift in perception based on viewing angles and environmental conditions, turning every glance into a unique visual experience.
“It’s going to be a very unique structure in itself. There’s not going to be another one like it anywhere,” said Patrick Doolin, project lead for Jackson Contractor Group, whose team is working on the lower terminal enclosure this summer.
Following snow clearing and scaffolding installation earlier this summer, the team began pre-assembling the steel structures on the ground. Pre-assembly was necessary due to the structure’s complexity and intricacy and the number of pieces that comprise each triangular module. By July, the pre-assembly was complete, and the steel pieces were ready to be erected around the terminal with the help of a crane. With the structural steelwork complete, the canopy is ready for over 400 glass panels to be installed.
Construction should be completed for the 2024-25 season.
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