4-year-old girl falls from Utah ski chairlift

[faceplant]

4-year-old girl falls from Utah ski chairlift
SALT LAKE CITY -Authorities in Utah say a 4-year-old girl has been hospitalized after falling 30 feet to 40 feet from a chairlift at a ski area.
Unified Fire Authority Capt. Clint Smith says the girl fell Saturday afternoon at the Alta Ski Area.
The girl was found facedown and not breathing but members of a ski patrol revived her with CPR.
Smith says the girl has been taken to Primary Children's Medical Center in Salt Lake City. Authorities say she is in serious condition.


even if they did have chairlift bars out west a kid this little might still of fell by going under it-
but where was the parent?

 

[SkiDork]

any update on her condition?

 

[marcski]

Oh my that's horrible. I hope and pray she recovers fully.

 

[billski]

We don't know most of the facts, but my first question is, why is this kid on such a high lift? Aren't most lifts that high off the ground necessary only to access steeper terrain? I would think a 4YO belongs on a pretty tame trail with a slow, low to the ground lift.
Unless of course it's like Squaw, where you have to go up to mid mt. to find the greens.

 

[wa-loaf]

That's terrible. My hands are on my kids jacket the whole time we are on the lift. Hope she recovers.

 

[snoseek]

Terrible. Was probably riding Albion which serves gentle terrain yet a normal height and pretty long. Too soon to jump to any conclusions I thnik

 

[drjeff]

We don't know most of the facts, but my first question is, why is this kid on such a high lift? Aren't most lifts that high off the ground necessary only to access steeper terrain? I would think a 4YO belongs on a pretty tame trail with a slow, low to the ground lift.
Unless of course it's like Squaw, where you have to go up to mid mt. to find the greens.

Probably on the Sunnyside high speed triple at Alta. Serves a good deal of their beginner terrain and also provides access to their Sugarloaf and Supreme lifts.

Of note, I let my 4 year old daughter ride the beginner triple at Mount Snow quite a lot once I had ridden it with her many times and felt that she understood what to do/not to do on the lift

 

[deadheadskier]

We don't know most of the facts, but my first question is, why is this kid on such a high lift? Aren't most lifts that high off the ground necessary only to access steeper terrain? I would think a 4YO belongs on a pretty tame trail with a slow, low to the ground lift.
Unless of course it's like Squaw, where you have to go up to mid mt. to find the greens.

I don't think there is a direct correlation between lift height and terrain serviced at all.


prayers to the girl and her family for a full and swift recovery.

 

[Flan]

Safety bars might have helped. It's a mixed bag at Alta, like many Utah resorts. I'm 47 and when we were out there in 2005 I felt it a little disconcerting that many lifts had no safety bars. I don't know the particulars in this case, but I find the bars useful (if nothing more than mentally comforting). A 4 year old could easily slip under the bars, but having had an issue with a child on a lift (it's a long story), any safety device is a welcome sight. I'm sure it's a huge monetary pain to retro-fit lift with safety bars, but I sure would appreciate the safety bars when I'm on a lift. Hope she recovers OK. BTW she was on the Sunnyside lift.

 

[redalienx11]

spoke briefly to my buddy on alta patrol about the incident. he couldn't disclose too much information, and didn't really want to talk about it yet. He did say it was on Sunnyside, and in deep snow (thankfully).

The Alta ski patrol rocks- CPR isn't a guarantee by any means. these guys/gals are heroes.

Thought to the fam and girl

 

[SkiDork]

does he have any updates on her condition?

 

[4aprice]

That's terrible. My hands are on my kids jacket the whole time we are on the lift. Hope she recovers.

I always used to use my ski poles as a extra safety bar when my kids were small.

Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ

 

[redalienx11]

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC 4 News) - A 4-year old who fell from an Alta Ski Resort chairlift is now out of the hospital.

Unified fire says the girl, who fell saturday night, is now in good condition. Witnesses saw the girl fall 30 to 35 five feet from the Sunnyside lift and called for help.

Ski patrol found the girl not breathing, but were able to revive her. She was flown to primary children's hospital.

Good news
original story here >
http://www.abc4.com/content/news/sl...s-out-of-hospital/Prt8QN0uWkWw190EVHiJxA.cspx

 

[NJSkiBabe]

This is very sad that it happened. I pray for this girl and her family.

Was this child on the lift alone? If she was - that is a huge mistake for her parents and the chair lift operator. If she was alone - she should have been partnered up with an adult that could have made sure she was seated on the lift correctly and stayed there. Bar or no bar - if you stay seated correctly - you shouldn't have problems staying on the lift.

 

[bosrocker51]

I hope she recovers fully. My thought go to her and her family.

When I was at Squaw and Kirkwood I DID NOT like that some chairs had no safety bars. How much does it add to the purchase and operating cost to have safety bars? It's very unnerving to not have that bar between me and a 30 ft drop.