County
Summit
Year Built
1963–1975
Architect
Local Builders
National Register?
No
Status
Still Endangered
Status Explanation
There has been no major change since the 2024 listing. No more A-frames have been lost, and the Park City Museum is still giving historic preservation ribbons to ski-era buildings. Still, the A-frames are not protected because none have been added to the Park City Historic Sites Inventory. At least one A-frame demolition application was still pending as of the 2024 listing. The 2024 confirmation that Park City will host the 2034 Winter Olympics has increased pressure to develop the remaining ski-era buildings. After the 2002 Olympics, Park City lost 40% of its ski-era buildings, and the upcoming Games pose a similar risk. The Park City General Plan update mentions Olympic preparations but does not include specific policies to protect ski-era buildings.
About the Threat
Park City's ski-era A-frames and similar buildings are under growing development pressure, and there are no formal protections in place. The main facts from the 2024 listing remain the same: of about 185 ski-era buildings in Park City, more than 70 have been lost in the past 20 years, representing about 38%. Only two original A-frames, with roofs that form a full triangle to the ground, are left. A third was expanded and no longer looks like an A-frame. Seventeen other buildings with modified, gambrel, or gothic-arched roofs still exist.
The biggest change since the 2024 listing is that Utah has been officially chosen to host the 2034 Winter Olympics. Park City Mountain, Deer Valley Resort, and Utah Olympic Park will all be host venues. The 2002 Olympics set a clear example: the increase in investment and development at that time led to a sharp loss of ski-era buildings. Dalton Gackle of the Park City Museum estimates that the 2002 Games resulted in the loss of 40% of these structures. Now that the 2034 Games are confirmed and new projects are already underway, there is less and less time to protect what remains.
The Sundance Film Festival will leave Park City and move to Boulder, Colorado, starting in 2027. This will take away one source of economic activity in downtown, but it probably will not ease development pressure, since the Olympics are already bringing in new investment.
Access
The remaining A-frames are private homes that you can see from public streets, but they are not open for visits. The Park City Museum features ski-era buildings in its historic ribbon program and helps educate people about the wider group of ski-era buildings.
History
The remaining A-frames are private homes that you can see from public streets, but they are not open for visits. The Park City Museum features ski-era buildings in its historic ribbon program and helps educate people about the wider group of ski-era buildings.
What can be done? What was learned?
The most urgent steps right now are to focus on the Park City General Plan update and the Historic Sites Inventory. The General Plan will set the rules for development and preservation for the next ten years. Community members should review and understand the steps for surveying ski-era buildings, determine what makes them important, and develop a process for adding them to the Historic Sites Inventory with demolition protections.
Putting ski-era buildings, including the last A-frames, on the Park City Historic Sites Inventory is the most important way to protect them locally. This requires a formal application to the Historic Preservation Board and final approval from the City Council. The Park City Museum can help community members start and support this process.
The Park City Museum's ribbon program does not offer legal protection, but it helps people recognize ski-era buildings as important parts of history. Taking part in this program helps change how the community thinks about what is considered historic in Park City.
Getting ready for the 2034 Olympics brings both challenges and chances. Decisions about infrastructure and land use made now will affect Park City for many years. Preservation supporters should get involved in Olympic planning to make sure ski-era buildings are seen as valuable, not as problems.
What is the timeline?
The Park City General Plan will guide land-use, development, and preservation policies for the next 10 years, offering a key opportunity to include ski-era preservation in long-term planning. Preparations for the 2034 Olympics are already affecting decisions about infrastructure and land use. The Park City Historic Preservation Board meets monthly and should be watched for discussions about ski-era buildings. Park City Council meetings are also good places to express support for adding ski-era buildings to the Historic Sites Inventory.
What has been the public discussion?
The 2024 Most Endangered listing got attention in the Park Record and among local preservation supporters. Dalton Gackle from the Park City Museum has been the main public advocate for ski-era preservation and has been quoted in several publications, including the Salt Lake Tribune. The Tribune's September 2024 article examined Park City's preservation issues and noted that the 2002 Olympics led to the loss of 40% of ski-era buildings, raising concerns about what could happen during the 2034 Games. The Park City Historic Preservation Board is aware of the issue Board Member Gackle talked about at the Historic Home Tour, which included ski-era buildings, at the June 2025 meeting. As of May 2026, the city has not started any formal policy to add ski-era buildings to the Historic Sites Inventory.
Links to more information and articles.
Park City Historic Preservation Board: https://www.parkcity.org/government/boards-commissions/historic-preservation-board
Park City Historic Sites Inventory: https://www.parkcity.org/departments/planning/historic-preservation
Park City Museum — historic ribbon program: https://www.parkcityhistory.org
Park Record, May 2024 — Preservation Utah Most Endangered listing coverage: https://www.parkrecord.com/2024/05/06/summit-county-dwellings-among-states-most-endangered-buildings-list-according-to-preservation-utah/
Salt Lake Tribune, September 2024 — "Park City is prepping for its next era. Will the town keep its historic charm?": https://www.sltrib.com/news/2024/09/02/park-city-is-prepping-its-next-era/
Park Record, May 2025 — Olympic mentions in Park City planning documents: https://www.parkrecord.com/2025/05/15/winter-olympic-mentions-sprinkled-into-park-city-document-for-the-future/
Park City General Plan update: https://www.engageparkcity.org