Iron Mountain

Category: Abandoned Ski Areas

User Rating

Note: Because of sprawling and extensive nature of this lost ski area, I've elected to only put a the bare essential information on this location. This ski area has it's own dedicated and separate communitywalk page because of it's size and breadth. The link to it is above.

**Summer 2009**
Trails: Because of the harsh High Sierra Mountain environment, new growth on the trails has been EXRTREMELY SLOW to non-existent (the ski area last operated in 1995). It seriously could pass as an open ski area, which kind of takes away from the whole mystique of it being an ABANDONED ski area.
Lifts: The mountain had 5 working lifts in its heyday (in a very odd layout), and all are now in various stages of removal. Lift #1 (Timber Lift) still stands in its entirety, complete with all chairs still attached. Lift #2 (Little Rabbit Lift) has no chairs, but the towers and cable are still (mostly) attached. Lift #3 (Wildcat Lift) was in a separate area from the rest of the mountain and appeared to be intact from a distance (minus chairs). Lift #4 (Eagle's Nest Lift) Had a few towers near the top removed, but the summit drive bullwheel still stood along with a few more towers farther down the EXTREMELY STEEP liftline). Lift #5 (Bruin Lift) had its summit drive and towers still standing, but the cable was gone and the chairs were piled up on the ground near the summit. In addition to these, several other lifts sit in pieces in the parking lot. They were purchased in the 1990s but never installed, or re-sold. All standing and sitting lifts appear to be Riblets, though a few could have been "frankelifts."
Facilities: This was quite a built-up resort, complete with an on-site Inn. The main lodge, aforementioned Inn, rental building, maintenance shack, and other various resort buildings ALL still stand in great disrepair, with almost all of them being accessible via broken windows or just wide open doors. Despite what you'd think, much of the interiors of these buildings did NOT have a dated look; many appeared to be updated during the 1990's. Plain white sheetrock walls and ceilings abound, though one room (rental shop obviously) was filled with a TON of early 90s rear-entry rental boots. Certain areas (much of the Inn, and some bedrooms high up on the third floor of the lodge) did appear to be a bit more dated.
Accessibility: All of this excitement is completely open and un-posted. It's right at the intersection of route 88 and the Mormon Emigrant Trail (entrances are on the Mormon side). As mentioned earlier, there's been little to no new growth on any of the trails so its easy to explore this sprawling resort, but just beware of insects as bees completely OWN this place at certain times of the year!