Nearly 200 skiers evacuated from Gunstock ski lift

A mechanical failure in the new lift at Gunstock Mountain Ski Area had safety officials scrambling yesterday afternoon to evacuate nearly 200 people stranded aloft.

"We had the top lift attendant report late in the morning that a mechanical failure had occurred in the return station and chairs were beginning to stack up against each other," reported Greg Goddard, Gunstock's General Manager, yesterday afternoon. "When we saw that we couldn't solve the problem in a short period of time we began evacuating."

According to Goddard the rescue effort began shortly after noon, with an estimated 180 to 200 people stuck on the lift. By 3:20, all riders had been brought to safety and escorted to the bottom of the mountain where a medical triage had been set up to examine riders to ensure they were okay.

"No injuries were reported," Goddard said. "Mostly, people gathered at the triage area to warm their feet and hands."

Temperatures at the time of the evacuation were hovering around 12 degrees farenheit, Goddard noted, but the wind wasn't blowing particularly hard and the sun was out. "We ran teams up and down the line talking to people in the chairs to make sure no one was having any undue distress," Goddard explained, "and we threw blankets up to the people when we could."

The toughest part of the evacuation took place around the steepest part of the mountain. "That took the longest," Goddard recalled. "It was more difficult getting to the people and they were among the last to be rescued."

The lift that failed is one that was installed last year, first opening for use this ski season. It remains under warranty.

"We notified the manufacturer (Doppelmayr-CTEC) immediately and they already have technicians on the way," Goddard said. "They believe they have everything they need to repair the problem and should have it fixed by tomorrow."

In the meantime, Goddard indicated that the resort would still be open, with other lifts running without incident. As for those people who'd been stranded, Goddard promised they'd be receiving a letter of apology and compensation for another day of skiing.

"This is my 23rd year and this is only the second time I've witnessed an evacuation," Goddard said. "We practice this on a regular basis, and today proved that the practice pays off."

"I can't say enough about the safety services crew and how well they performed," Goddard continued. "It was an incredible effort on the part of everyone."