Propped on top of Aspen Mountain, the new Sundeck Restaurant posed several obstacles for those involved in its construction. Due to its extreme height of 11,212 feet, workers were faced with the challenge of transporting 100 tons of stone up the mountain -- with limited access roads to the peak. Additionally, the high altitude made for difficult working conditions, and the construction schedule was tight due to the pressure of opening in time for the ski season. But despite these obstacles, the restaurant went up with minimal problems, and was greatly received by ski-goers.
"It was literally on top of a mountain," said Project Manager Clark Atkinson of Shaw Construction in Grand Junction, CO, the general contractor for the job. "The conditions were rough. We dealt with winds up to 120 miles per hour."