BUILDING THE VIEW FROM THE TOP
BY JACKIE GOLD
BANFF CRAG & CANYON STAFF
One of the first pioneers to ascend the entirety of Sulphur
Mountain was a meteorologist who worked for Banff National
Park, whose name was Norman Sanson. Sanson, who was also
a museum curator, made the trek up the mountain on snowshoes
so that he could record the weather for Banff and the surrounding
area.
Over the next 30 years Sanson would make the hike up to the
top of the mountain over one thousand times, with one
of his last trips up the three‑mile trail at the ripe
old age of 84.
By the summer of 1903 a trail was built from the Upper Hot
Springs to a stone observatory that had been constructed at
the summit ridge. The observatory still stands on the northwest
peak of the mountain. The trail quickly became a
popular spot amongst park visitors, where they could climb
to the summit and look down upon the Bow River Valley and Banff.
In the summer of 1940 a tea house was opened to the public. Built
by John Jaeggi, a Swiss immigrant who moved to Banff in
1924, the teahouse was the first of many tourist attractions
that would grace Sulphur Mountain. Jaeggi, who owned
and operated the teahouse, had had all the building materials
supplied and even the water to make the tea
hauled up the long trail by horseback.
His hard work paid off, however, and as a result hikers were
able to enjoy the view as well as a light meal at the summit
of Sulphur Mountain. After awhile Jaeggi decided to build
a halfway station. There people could have a drink of
tea before heading back out on the trail. Visitors could
either hike to the halfway house or take advantage of a tractor
that Jaeggi had modified by himself.
The tractor had a small platform with a railing that
allowed passengers to stand and admire the view as the tractor
ate up the distance to the halfway station. The rest
of the trail would have to be covered by foot; however, once
they reached the summit, those looking for more substantial
fare to eat were in luck, as Jaeggi now offered lunch. Additionally
he now gave guests the option of a bed and breakfast, so that
they could be truly rested and fed before making their
descent.
Not content with his already lucrative endeavours, Jaeggi
began pondering the feasibility of an aerial lift and in 1951
and 1953 he returned to Switzerland to take a look at the lifts
they had there. After viewing a lift that he thought suitable
to his needs, Jaeggi returned home, now on the hunt for investors
that could help make his dream a reality. Though he found
a few investors Jaeggi still did not have enough funds
to make a go of the lift. As a result he returned to
Switzerland in March 1957, this time in search of financing. After
being put in touch with some influential Swiss businessmen,
Jaeggi was in business.
In July of 1957 Jaeggi gained permission the Federal government
to develop the new tourist attraction , and after considerable
debate, and construction of the Sulphur Mountain Gondola began
in late 1958.
A survey of the mountain revealed what would be the most suitable
area for construction and a swath of trees was cut out. Soon
after a temporary construction lift was built which enabled
crews to cart the necessary supplies up to build the upper
terminal as well as the towers that would be placed in between
the upper and lower terminals.
The final step of the construction was the installation
of the cables and gondolas. Every aspect of the lift from
cables to the drive, had been shipped from Switzerland,
a major undertaking to say the least. On July 18, 1959,
the gondola officially opened for the first time. Not only
was it the first bi‑cable gondola in North America, it
was also the first gondola of any kind in Canada. To
date it remains the only bi-cable gondola in Canada.
As the stream of visitors grew it became increasingly obvious
that the facilities on the summit were inadequately equipped
to deal with the crowds. While previously they had been more
than capable of handling those who made the climb to the top
of the summit, they found themselves overwhelmed with the growing
number of tourists anxious to take a peek from the top
of a mountain without having to actually climb it.
Not only were they discovering that the teahouse was becoming
overrun, but the whole mountain was too, with the fragile plant
life and wildlife taking the brunt of the blow. It was
decided to build a new complex that would blend in with the
environment, and minimize contact with the surrounding area,
while still allowing visitors to appreciate the view.
After four years of study, construction began on a new
summit complex, in October 1980. The design of the building
met the criteria of park policies and, as the designer intended,
looks like it sits on the top of a rock outcrop. In actuality
it rests on a concrete foundation that extends into the mountain. The
complex officially opened on Sept. 15, 1981. Since then the
gondola itself has been reconstructed, in 1997, and now
runs more efficiently. The ride takes a total of eight
minutes and rewards the passengers with a breathtaking view
of the surrounding area for the entire ride.
For more information on the technical aspects of the Sulphur
Mountain Gondola or for its hours of operation visit www.banffgondola.com.
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