Five-Hour Operation at Winter Park Resort Tests Emergency Response Capabilities
A routine day on the slopes transformed into an intense rescue mission at Colorado‘s Winter Park Resort when a structural failure left 174 skiers and snowboarders suspended in mid-air, requiring a complex rope evacuation operation that stretched into the evening hours of Saturday, December 21.
Swift detection prevents potential crisis
“Ski patrol has trained extensively for this. It’s a very rare thing to have to evacuate a lift at all,” explained resort spokesperson Jen Miller in a statement to The Colorado Sun. The incident began just after noon when the lift’s automated safety system detected a crack in a critical structural component, triggering an immediate shutdown.
Beginning at approximately 1 p.m., ski patrol teams executed a carefully choreographed rescue plan: Winter Park’s experienced patrol members accessed each gondola cabin from above, first securing and lowering guests’ equipment before carefully evacuating each passenger using specialized rope systems equipped with safety seats. The operation concluded successfully at 6 p.m. with no reported injuries.
Social media documents dramatic scene
The incident captured widespread attention as stranded passengers and onlookers shared dramatic footage across social media platforms, documenting the stationary gondola cabins against the mountain backdrop as rescue teams worked methodically to bring each guest to safety.
Comprehensive safety response
“We are working with the Colorado Passenger Tramway Safety Board, the manufacturer, and all of the authorities. The gondola did what it was designed to do and once the malfunction happened, it stopped,” Miller explained to reporters.
The resort initiated repairs on Sunday, focusing on replacing the damaged component. Before reopening, the lift will undergo thorough inspections by:
- State regulators from the Colorado Tramway Safety Board
- Representatives from lift manufacturer Leitner Poma
- Resort safety teams
The incident, while challenging, demonstrated the effectiveness of Winter Park’s emergency response protocols and the crucial importance of automated safety systems in modern ski resort operations.