KALISPELL, Mont. (AP) — A Montana ski resort safely evacuated 140 people from a chairlift after a mechanical problem prompted operators to stop the lift.
The Flathead Beacon reports it took two and a half hours to remove everyone from Whitefish Mountain Resort’s Chair 5 on Dec. 29.
Resort officials say they decided to evacuate the passengers because of the time the repairs would require.
“Because the repair was not expected to be timely and for the comfort and safety of our guests, we decided to evacuate the lift,” Whitefish Mountain Resort said in a statement. “There were approximately 140 passengers on the lift at the time.”
Some people were lowered from the lift with cables and harnesses. Montana resident Bill Marcial recorded the video above, in which a rescue worker is seen dangling above one of the stranded chairs. Harnesses are attached to the skiers, who are then lowered to the ground along a nearby cliff face.
Resort officials say temperatures were in the high teens and winds were blowing at about 16 kilometres per hour at the time.
“We were in constant communication with the passengers and kept them informed on the issues and evacuation process. We brought hand warmers, blankets and warm drinks,” the resort said.
The resort says that no one was injured as ski patrol workers carried out the evacuation.
According to the Flathead Beacon, the malfunctioning lift was installed in 2017 and is called the East Rim Chair in honour of the mountain ridge it runs up.