Nearly 70 People Rescued From Ski Mountain Gondolas
Nearly 70 people were rescued from gondola cabins at Gore Mountain in North Creek, New York, after a mechanical issue forced the ski lift to shut down, leaving skiers stranded up to 70 feet above the ground for hours, authorities said.
Staff at the ski area, along with state park rangers, climbed lift towers and used ropes and harnesses to safely lower the skiers on Wednesday, the AP reports. The operation took nearly five hours, and no injuries were reported.
About 67 skiers in 20 gondola cabins were evacuated. Those trapped described feeling anxious and worried about basic needs like using the restroom. Temperatures were below freezing, but the cabins stayed warm thanks to the sun and closed doors.
Kevin Bolan, a 64-year-old physician assistant from Newcomb, New York, who was stuck in a cabin for almost five hours, said the experience was “sobering” and would make him think twice before boarding a gondola in the future. He praised the professionalism of the rangers and ski staff, saying the evacuation went very smoothly.
Jim Chorman, a skier at Gore Mountain, told WTEN that those stuck on the gondola were among the first to ride that morning.
The New York State Olympic Regional Development Authority, which operates the mountain, said the gondola’s tower wheel assembly moved out of alignment, triggering a safety sensor that immediately stopped the lift. Officials noted that park rangers and ski patrol had trained for such evacuations in November, practicing climbs along towers and cables.
The gondola lift was back in operation on Thursday.
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