Industry News
[*UPDATED: 8:00 a.m. PST*]
A skier died Monday following a fall from the Triple Chair lift at Red Lodge Mountain, triggering serious concerns about lift safety at the popular south-central Montana ski area. The 37-year-old man from Billings was airlifted to a hospital in Billings after falling from the chairlift late Monday morning and later died from his injuries, according to the Carbon County Sheriff’s Office.
The incident occurred during high winds, which had already prompted a temporary lift hold earlier in the day. Around 11:15 a.m., Red Lodge Mountain Patrol received a report of a fall on the Triple Chair. According to LiftBlog, patrol was on scene within minutes. The skier was first taken to the base area by ski patrol, then transported by ambulance to a local hospital, and ultimately flown to a regional medical center in Billings due to the severity of the injuries.
In a statement posted to Instagram, Red Lodge Mountain wrote:
“To our Red Lodge Mountain Community,
Yesterday was an unfortunate day at Red Lodge Mountain as a guest was injured as the result of a chair lift incident. Our thoughts and prayers are with the guest and his friends and family, and all guests and employees impacted by this incident.
We place a top priority on the safety of all of our lifts and lift operations, and perform daily, weekly, monthly, and annual safety measures to better ensure the safe operation of our lifts. The Triple Chair will remain closed this morning as we continue to investigate the incident and will reopen only when we can ensure the continued safe operation of the lift.
Today we will operate the Stache Express and Palisades as well as the Magic Carpet and Sun Kid conveyor lifts for a reduced daily lift ticket price. Today’s lift tickets are only available at the ticket window.”
As reported by KTVQ News, wind gusts in the area reached over 55 miles per hour Monday morning. Though all lifts were initially placed on wind hold at 8:45 a.m., the Triple Chair and two other lifts resumed operation by 9:30 a.m. A resort spokesperson told reporters the incident may have been wind-related, though a full investigation is ongoing.
Passengers stranded on the lift after the fall were evacuated by ski patrol using rope techniques. Witnesses reported swaying chairs and lengthy delays during the evacuation. According to LiftBlog, The Triple Chair, built in 1983 by CTEC, is more than 5,000 feet long and has no restraint bars due to its age.
On Thursday, March 13, news outlets confirmed the identity of the skier as Jeffrey Zinne of Billings. He leaves behind a wife and two-year-old child. The cause of the incident has been confirmed as a chairlift malfunction, which is first fatal lift malfunction in the United States since January 2023, when a lift de-roped at Park City, as reported by LiftBlog.
The Triple Chair will remain closed until the investigation is complete and safety can be guaranteed, the resort wrote. A GoFundMe page has been started to help Zinne’s family with post-mortem costs moving forward.
