Skiers stuck on lift at Whitefish Mountain
Chair 5 on Whitefish Mountain Resort is pictured Thursday morning, shortly before the lift was opened to the public. (Mackenzie Reiss/Daily Inter Lake)
More than 100 skiers were stranded after a lift malfunctioned at Whitefish Mountain Resort Saturday afternoon.
No injuries were reported.
According to a statement from Whitefish Mountain Resort, at about 12:15 p.m., the East Rim/Chair 5 lift was stopped due to an issue will the chairlift’s bullwheel liner.
Lift maintenance teams responded immediately to repair the lift and get the passengers unloaded as temperatures hovered in the high teens and winds were measured at 10 miles per hour. The first passenger was on the ground at about 1 p.m. and the last passengers were evacuated by 3:37 p.m.
Ski Patrol responded immediately to communicate to passengers and get in position for a possible lift evacuation, according to the Resort. It said the decision was made to evacuate about 140 passengers from the lift because the repair was not expected to be timely.
Ski patrol members brought hand warmers, blankets and warm drinks for those stuck on the lift.