Industry News
Yet another lift failure has struck this month, when a chairlift at La Norma resort in Savoie, France, stopped spinning. A power failure left a total of 107 skiers stranded for more than three hours, with some reporting sitting in the freezing cold for up to four hours. The guests were rescued in a dramatic operation involving two helicopters and 40 trained responders.
The incident began on the afternoon of December 24 when the chairlift abruptly stopped. As rescuers worked to assess the situation, stranded skiers documented their predicament, capturing scenes of dangling skis and frost-bitten faces as temperatures plummeted below freezing. Despite the lengthy ordeal, the evacuation was carried out without any injuries, although several individuals were treated for mild hypothermia.
Rescuers descended to the lift seats on ropes, rappelling down with passengers one by one. According to Romain Charlois, head of the slopes at La Norma, such evacuations are exceedingly rare but are well-rehearsed by resort staff. “Our teams are thoroughly trained for situations like this,” Charlois said, emphasizing the precision required for such operations.
Preliminary investigations suggest that adverse weather conditions in the days leading up to the incident contributed to the power outage. Resort officials are conducting further inquiries to prevent future occurrences.
La Norma is a family-friendly ski resort celebrated for its accessibility and charm. With 65 kilometers (about 40 miles) of pistes and 14 lifts, the resort caters to skiers of all levels. Its forested runs and compact village atmosphere make it a favorite for families seeking an intimate alpine experience. Though smaller than neighboring mega-resorts like Val Thorens or Les Arcs, La Norma’s lower altitude (1,350 to 2,750 meters) and sheltered slopes often result in excellent snow conditions, especially in winter months. The resort is also part of the expansive Eskimo ski pass network, connecting visitors to over 300 kilometers of runs across six resorts.
The lift failure at La Norma is just one of many lift failures and malfunctions across the globe in recent weeks. On the same day in Superdevoluy, France, 240 skiers were stuck when the lift failed, while 174 skiers had to be rescued in Winter Park, Colorado, last week. In addition, several accidents happened with skiers falling from lifts or chairs colliding. There appears to be no connection between the incidents as lifts concerned come from all major manufacturers (Leitner-Poma, Garaventa/Doppelmayr, and Riblet) from varying construction years.
- Related: [VIDEO] OVER 150 People Evacuated from Winter Park, CO, Gondola, After Operational Malfunction
PHOTOS
The loss of power to the lifts is quite common, especially for more remote resorts that get a lot of snow in a short time , (overnight).
Lack of maintenance causes chairs to fall off the cable, roll backwards, or jump out of the tower sheaves
Thoughts from retired patroller