UPDATE: Skier Dies after "Chairlift Incident" at Red Lodge (Second Lift Incident of the Day)

[thetrailboss]

Glad I am not skiing today! The second lift incident of the day next to the incident at Kicking Horse. Details are limited, but it sounds like this might be a fall from one of Red Lodge's Triples (that does not have a safety bar) either due to the windy conditions or perhaps due to a medical incident. Ski Patrol got him to the base. It was too windy for a helicopter so the skier was taken to the local hospital before being airlifted to Billings.

One Injured in Lift Incident at Red Lodge Mountain

A person was airlifted to a Montana hospital today following an incident on the Triple Chair at Red Lodge Mountain. “Red Lodge Mountain Patrol Dispatch received a call at 11:51am regarding an…

liftblog.com

 

[The Sneak]

Chairs without safety bars have never made sense to me. I thought I was fine with it til I had to ride that stupid double at June mountain, then some other sketchy one at Mammoth.

 

[Zand]

Chairs without safety bars have never made sense to me. I thought I was fine with it til I had to ride that stupid double at June mountain, then some other sketchy one at Mammoth.

I'm shocked to hear that California of all places still allows chairs without bars considering that state doesn't even let you wipe your own ass.

 

[4aprice]

One at the Purg in Colorado too (Kid falling off lift about 35 ft up). Too much lift news this year.

 

[thetrailboss]

One at the Purg in Colorado too (Kid falling off lift about 35 ft up). Too much lift news this year.

Whoa. I did not hear that one. And yes, there are too many lift incidents this year.

As to safety bars, when I first skied at Alta in 2010 NONE of the lifts had safety bars. That included Collins and Sugarloaf, both HSQs. Riding on a relatively new high speed lift without a safety bar was pretty weird. I normally put it down if I ride solo.

 

[abc]

I grew up riding lifts without bars. So I don’t even think about it. If my chair mates wants it down, it comes down. But if I’m riding solo, I often don’t bother bringing it down.

But occasionally, when it’s windy, boy, that reminds me to bring it down. And on chairs without bars, I wrap my arms around the side/center pole just in case.

 

[4aprice]

Whoa. I did not hear that one. And yes, there are too many lift incidents this year.

As to safety bars, when I first skied at Alta in 2010 NONE of the lifts had safety bars. That included Collins and Sugarloaf, both HSQs. Riding on a relatively new high speed lift without a safety bar was pretty weird. I normally put it down if I ride solo.

I never minded back in the days of the Riblet fixed grip center pole doubles, but now I always put the bar down especially the High Speeds. The American Flyer (bubble) at Copper scares the crap out of me because there is nothing to grab if that thing screeches to a halt.

 

[SkiingInABlueDream]

I'm ok with single and double chairs not having a bar. It wouldn't be my preference, but I'm ok with it because there's always something to wrap your arm around. Triple or larger, I would not want to be in any of middle seats.

I'm reminded of an old chair at I rode at Whitefish in 2019 which has since been replaced. The chairs were wide enough for 3 but didn't have bars. They labelled it as a double which I appreciated because that chair was pretty high up at one spot. I always wondered if it was originally a triple but got reclassified either because somebody fell, or someone just had good sense.

 

[BenedictGomez]

I'm shocked to hear that California of all places still allows chairs without bars considering that state doesn't even let you wipe your own ass.

 

[Smellytele]

Last month I was riding on that no bar triple in the middle. No wind though. Middle seats are sketchy on anything bigger than a double without a bar in the wind

 

[thetrailboss]

Update: this 37 year-old died. LiftBlog says he was “thrown” from the chair on the upper part of the line.

One Dead in Lift Incident at Red Lodge Mountain

A person was airlifted to a Montana hospital on today following an incident on the Triple Chair at Red Lodge Mountain. “Red Lodge Mountain Patrol Dispatch received a call at 11:51am regarding…

liftblog.com

 

[abc]

"ski areas like Red Lodge are also typically inspected by their insurance company."

Feeling righteous suing for a large damage from Red Lodge's insurance company?

 

[jaytrem]

Whoa. I did not hear that one. And yes, there are too many lift incidents this year.

As to safety bars, when I first skied at Alta in 2010 NONE of the lifts had safety bars. That included Collins and Sugarloaf, both HSQs. Riding on a relatively new high speed lift without a safety bar was pretty weird. I normally put it down if I ride solo.

Mt. Holly in Michigan was still running a HSQ with no safety bar as of last season. Their brand new one does have them. Might be a matter of time for the old one.

 

[thetrailboss]

"ski areas like Red Lodge are also typically inspected by their insurance company."

Feeling righteous suing for a large damage from Red Lodge's insurance company?

Well, I think his point was that Montana no longer has a state lift inspection entity (which is batshit crazy IMHO) but someone inspects the lifts. And there are a lot of very interesting and old lifts in Montana. Montana Snow Bowl has recurrent lift issues.

 

[abc]

Well, I think his point was that Montana no longer has a state lift inspection entity (which is batshit crazy IMHO) but someone inspects the lifts. And there are a lot of very interesting and old lifts in Montana. Montana Snow Bowl has recurrent lift issues.

I hear ya.

But in a state like Montana, which has no state lift inspection program, the insurance company would do best by hiring a 3rd party to inspect the lifts. After all, it's the insurance company's money that's on the line.

 

[thetrailboss]

Fatal fall on Red Lodge chair lift sparks call to strengthen safety laws

A tragic chair lift accident at Red Lodge Mountain on Monday has raised significant safety concerns following the death of Jeff Zinne, who fell from the triple chair lift.

www.ktvq.com

 

[thetrailboss]

Billings man dies from injuries in Red Lodge Mountain ski lift accident

A Billings man has died from injuries he suffered after falling from a ski lift at Red Lodge Mountain.

www.ktvq.com