Although the storage building dates back to Park City’s mining days, Sally Elliott with the Friends of Ski Mountain Mining History said it wasn’t on the nonprofit organization’s list of structures to save.
“It had, probably, very little relationship to mining. It was not a very instructive building,” Elliott said. “It was just there.”
The building was close to Bonanza lift, but it is not the iconic Silver King headframe skiers and riders see from the maze.
The storage building was used after the mine had closed, and Elliott said a new garage door was installed at some point. That’s where it collapsed.
“It was a heavy, heavy snow load,” Elliott said. “And it was the snow load that collapsed it.”
Not only was the building not on the Friends’ priority list, Elliott says her organization had recommended Park City Municipal tear it down about five years ago.
Any work on it now will likely happen after the snow melts. Park City spokesperson Clayton Scrivner said in a statement the city will collaborate with mining history advocates and owners to determine the best path forward.