Nearly 200 Skiers Rescued From Broken Colorado Ski Lift Rewarded With $10 Resort Voucher For Their Troubles
Nothing ruins a day on the slopes like spending hours dangling above the slopes — just waiting to be rescued.
That's exactly what happened to skiers at Winter Park Resort in Colorado on Saturday when a ski lift malfunctioned, leaving 174 people stranded in their gondolas. The mechanism automatically stopped just after noon when it detected a crack in a structural piece of the lift, according to resort spokesperson Jen Miller.
Ski patrolers entered the cabin of each gondola from above and lowered the resort guests — one by one — to safety using a rope equipped with a seat.
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Videos posted to social media show multiple people, including a child, rappelling down from the gondolas over the course of the five-hour ordeal.
Fortunately, no injuries were reported.
Now, you might think that Winter Park Resort would reimburse those paying customers who missed an entire day of skiing and snowboarding thanks to the lift malfunction. But you would be wrong.
According to Denver resident Joe Malangoni, the rescued passengers were given a measly $10 resort credit for their troubles.
"Appreciate the $10 voucher they gave us at the end of the unexpected rappelling," Malangoni posted on X. "You’d think after four hours they’d give you enough to cover a beer."
According to Miller, the broken piece of the tower has been removed, and a replacement part was installed on Sunday afternoon. The Colorado Tramway Safety Board will have to conduct an inspection before the lift can be re-opened to guests.
"We are working as quickly as possible while prioritizing the safety and well being of our guests and staff, and will continue to provide updates as we have them," the resort said.
Hurry up, Winter Park — almost 200 skiers have $10 burning a hole in their pockets!