Sugar Mountain NC: Young Man Jumps from Lift to Avoid Freezing

[bousquet19]

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/article135568343.html?ref=yfp

All the facts aren't in, but this looks like a clear-cut case of negligence. What a decision to have to make.

Woody

 

[Jully]

Well that is disturbing and frightening. Not something I think about happening whenever I get last chair. $75,000 seems low for a lawsuit like this, but it is refreshing to see someone not suing for $75 million.

 

[cdskier]

Well that is disturbing and frightening. Not something I think about happening whenever I get last chair. $75,000 seems low for a lawsuit like this, but it is refreshing to see someone not suing for $75 million.

Every ski area should have procedures in place to ensure the line is clear when the lift is closed. I was on a lift once when they decided to close it. I happened to be one of the last people to load (together with a patroller). Since a patroller was on the last chair to load he was able to look back down the line while we were on the chair and report that it was clear behind us. He commented that otherwise patrol would need to ski the line (or at least ski to spots where they could see each section of the chair) to ensure it was clear and give lift ops the ok that it was checked. That same procedure wouldn't work everywhere, but there still has to be something used to ensure a clear line (say maybe even running the lift another full cycle after the last chair unloads). There's really no excuse for this happening and I'll be curious how the resort will defend this lawsuit.

 

[Jully]

Every ski area should have procedures in place to ensure the line is clear when the lift is closed. I was on a lift once when they decided to close it. I happened to be one of the last people to load (together with a patroller). Since a patroller was on the last chair to load he was able to look back down the line while we were on the chair and report that it was clear behind us. He commented that otherwise patrol would need to ski the line (or at least ski to spots where they could see each section of the chair) to ensure it was clear and give lift ops the ok that it was checked. That same procedure wouldn't work everywhere, but there still has to be something used to ensure a clear line (say maybe even running the lift another full cycle after the last chair unloads). There's really no excuse for this happening and I'll be curious how the resort will defend this lawsuit.

Exactly. I always trust that a resort has procedures in place. Hence why I never even think about being stranded if I get last chair.

Ragged has a big last chair sign that they put on the last chair. Wachusett, Saddleback, and SL run the chair a full cycle. It really shouldn't be hard and really just requires communication. I'm sure Sugar Mountain has procedures in place. My guess is the kid convinced the lifty at the bottom to let him on and they never radioed up top to say "instead of chair 28 being last chair there's one more kid coming on chair 45."

 

[SIKSKIER]

Most lifties put a ribbon or other marker on the chair behind the last one so the top station knows thats it.Crazy in this day and age the snowboarder wasnt able to make a cell phone call but I guess not all skiers carry them.

 

[benski]

Many lifts have chairs that fold up so they fold all the chairs every night and once that happens nobody can sit on the lift and therefore prevents this.

 

[Domeskier]

Didn't the hiker stuck on the Killington gondola get 10x's that? Cases like this, I'm fine making resorts pay. He's lucky the wolves didn't get him!

 

[Breakout12]

Every ski area should have procedures in place to ensure the line is clear when the lift is closed. I was on a lift once when they decided to close it. I happened to be one of the last people to load (together with a patroller). Since a patroller was on the last chair to load he was able to look back down the line while we were on the chair and report that it was clear behind us. He commented that otherwise patrol would need to ski the line (or at least ski to spots where they could see each section of the chair) to ensure it was clear and give lift ops the ok that it was checked. That same procedure wouldn't work everywhere, but there still has to be something used to ensure a clear line (say maybe even running the lift another full cycle after the last chair unloads). There's really no excuse for this happening and I'll be curious how the resort will defend this lawsuit.

Hmmm...maybe fly a drone above the lift?

 

[Edd]

Hmmm...maybe fly a drone above the lift?

I'd think the bottom lefties should put a marker, like a ribbon mentioned above, or a traffic cone or something and do a complete rotation back to the bottom.

 

[Jully]

Most lifties put a ribbon or other marker on the chair behind the last one so the top station knows thats it.Crazy in this day and age the snowboarder wasnt able to make a cell phone call but I guess not all skiers carry them.

My girlfriend doesn't carry one when she skis and I hate it. She's just learning and if we get separated at a larger mountain its real annoying and a little worrying to try and track her down.

 

[dlague]

Straight out of the movie! I do not get how this happens. Most places, put a marker or something to indicate the last chair.

 

[mriceyman]

Im on my phone all the time in real life so i leave it in the car when skiing.. usually im with someone else but they prolly wont have a phone either.. at least i would have company freezing our asses off


Sent from my iPhone using AlpineZone

 

[darent]

I was left on a lift at Bretton Woods, Sat there for 30 minutes,finally a skier came down a adjoining run and I yelled and he heard me, ski patrol showed up 5 minutes later and said the liftie would be right along, didn't even get a free hot chocolate or a we are sorry about that, they just shut the lift down when I was half way up.

 

[gmcunni]

$75k seems low to me, needs a better lawyer.

 

[mbedle]

75K is the minimum, the jury has the ability to award what ever they feel is justified.

 

[goldsbar]

Amazing how quickly events can turn. Hard to be more exposed to the elements than being on a lift in the middle of the night.

 

[snoseek]

I was left on a lift at Bretton Woods, Sat there for 30 minutes,finally a skier came down a adjoining run and I yelled and he heard me, ski patrol showed up 5 minutes later and said the liftie would be right along, didn't even get a free hot chocolate or a we are sorry about that, they just shut the lift down when I was half way up.

whoa just read this...I'm not usually one to complain but I would have made a beeline for the GM's office on that one

 

[Tin]

He's lucky the wolves didn't get him!

It's North Carolina, he is lucky these guys didn't.