Industry News
Montana Snowbowl ski area faces uncertainty regarding its scheduled December 8th opening for the upcoming 2023–24 winter season. The issue concerns the ski area’s chairlifts, which the USFS recently deemed problematic. Carolyn Upton, Lolo National Forest Supervisor, has stipulated that these concerns must be addressed this fall, or she will not grant operational approval for the season, reports Joshua Murdock for The Missoulian.
This decision was reached after a summer review of Snowbowl’s lifts highlighted safety issues. Although the nature of the problems remains undisclosed, The Missoulian is actively seeking the report’s details through the Freedom of Information Act.
Snowbowl’s owner, Brad Morris, remains optimistic about the December 8th opening, emphasizing that repairs are underway. Despite these efforts, the U.S. Forest Service can suspend or revoke Snowbowl’s special-use permit if safety standards are unmet.
- Related: Brand New Lift Coming to Montana Snowbowl Will be One of Steepest Chairlifts in the Country
The safety focus is not only on the chairlifts. Following an incident last March, where a father and son fell from a malfunctioning chairlift, the Forest Service mandated a comprehensive review of the ski area’s safety protocols. This order encompassed the incident-specific response and a broader investigation into the ski area’s safety measures.
The ski area has been plagued with health and safety incidents recently. In 2020, skiers had to be evacuated from the Lavelle lift after a chair became detached from the haul rope as it went around the bullwheel, and in March 2023, a toddler was thrown from the SnowPark chairlift following a malfunction. A worker was sadly killed by a falling tree this summer, and in April of this year, a 66-year-old man was hit and killed by a drunk driver in a resort parking lot.
For more details, check out the full article at The Missoulian.
