What’s worse than being stuck in a long lift line? The 67 guests stranded for over 5 hours on Gore Mountain’s Northwoods Gondola might have the answer.
On Wednesday, February 4, a “non-emergency mechanical alignment issue” halted the gondola, leaving guests stranded and forcing mountain operations and ski patrol teams to execute an evacuation. Stuck from around 9 a.m until around 2 p.m., guests in 15 cabins were lowered to safety using ropes and harnesses in a tricky operation, which highlights the vital, often overlooked role of ski patrollers at resorts.
In a statement, Gore Mountain confirmed a successful rescue: “Our trained mountain operations and ski patrol teams carried out the evacuation, and guests were supported throughout the process. There were no reported injuries.”
Located in the Adirondack Mountains of upstate New York, Gore Mountain is New York’s largest resort. The resort, which has been in operation since 1934, features 14 lifts and 108 trails spread across seven mountain areas. The resort spans 43 miles, 453 acres, and 2,357 vertical feet for skiers and snowboarders to ride.
In an update shared online Thursday, the resort said, “The Northwoods Gondola will be open this morning. Thank you to our mountain operations crews for their hard work and to our guests for your patience and understanding as we worked to safely resume operations on the gondola.”
Though 67 guests lost their day on the slopes, the safety of each person remains the number one priority. Whenever a situation arises such as this, it’s a reminder of the complicated nature of operations at a ski resort. So next time you are frustrated by a long lift line, take a deep breath, and remember the mountain operations team for keeping you safe and the lifts spinning.
