Pursuit Glacier Park Collection is once again seeking to build a sightseeing tram up Columbia Mountain in the Swan Range.

The company proposed the idea in 2022, but it was ultimately rejected by the Forest Service.

“The Glacier View Tram is being proposed as a year-round mountain sightseeing experience designed to connect people with the landscape, including visitors who cannot safely or practically reach higher elevations on foot," the company said in a release. 

"Consisting of two 100-passenger cabins, the tram would transport guests to a station just below the summit of Columbia Mountain, ascending more than 3,000 vertical feet in roughly six minutes. Accessible trails, walking paths, viewing areas and visitor facilities at both top and bottom stations would create new ways for visitors and residents to experience the surrounding landscape and take in iconic views of Glacier National Park, the Flathead Valley and Hungry Horse Reservoir."

“We are excited to bring forward a proposal that would introduce a new and accessible way for visitors of all ages and abilities to enjoy the beautiful landscape of Glacier National Park and surrounding areas,” said David Barry, president and chief executive officer of Pursuit. “With a long history operating in some of the world’s most iconic destinations, we understand that proposing a new experience on national forest land carries a responsibility to the land, wildlife and the people who live and work here. We look forward to supporting the Forest Service’s review process as they evaluate our proposal.”

In 2022, the Forest Service said it would take an amendment of the 2018 Flathead National Forest plan. Under the 2018 plan, most of Columbia Mountain is designated as primitive non-motorized use.

Columbia Mountain is also inventoried roadless area, though the Forest Service has announced it was going to do away with that rule, which prohibits any new road building in most instances in areas that are designated as such.

Save for a few trails, Columbia Mountain has gone untouched by logging or any sort of development for decades. It was once part of a broader proposal in the 1990s as a wilderness designation for the entire Swan Range. That legislation passed Congress, but was vetoed by President Ronald Reagan.

The company is touting the economic benefits of the attraction.

"Tourism in the Flathead Valley is a key economic driver for the region; however, this important sector remains highly seasonal," said Gary Rodgers, COO, Pursuit Pacific Northwest. "If approved, the year-round experience provided by the proposed Glacier View Tram could help extend economic activity beyond the peak summer season. We also recognize that any potential benefits must be considered alongside questions about community fit, land use and environmental stewardship, and those are exactly the issues the Forest Service review process is designed to evaluate.”

The base of the tram, if constructed, would be in Hungry Horse. The company said the summit would be on the Northwest face of Columbia Mountain if constructed. The Bonneville Power Administration has high voltage power lines running from the Hungry Horse Dam along the same face.

The company said it is inviting residents to submit questions, concerns and feedback through www.glacierviewtram.com.

The Forest Service received the application this morning and would begin an immediate review, deputy Forest Supervisor Tami Mackenzie said.

Pursuit, formally Glacier Park Inc. owns many properties in the Flathead Valley, including most of the commercial ventures in West Glacier.