[VIDEO] Guests Rescued From Chairlift at Camelback Mountain, PA, After Being Stuck for 3 Hours

It is something that every rider has seen at some stage on the news, social media, or in person: someone being rescued off of a ski lift. No skier or snowboarder ever wants this to happen to them, so, understandably, people will react strongly when it does. On Tuesday, December 17, this happened when guests had to be rescued from the Black Bear Express Chair at Camelback Mountain, Pennsylvania.

Dustin Jones posted a video on Facebook of him being hoisted off a chairlift after being on the lift for three hours. There were no reports of any injuries at the resort or the cause of the incident at Black Back 6.

“I would avoid Camelback Mountain if you can,” Dustin Jones on wrote on “Snowboard the East” Facebook Group. “Yesterday my friend and I got stuck on the bubble lift for over three hours. We had to be rescued via rope. Only went to Camelback bc blue was closed. Guess I should have just stayed home. .” 

The Black Bear 6, a Doppelmayr-manufactured six-person high-speed detachable bubble chairlift with an hourly capacity of 3,000, was installed at Camelback Mountain in 2022. It replaced the Sullivan Express, which operated from 1995 to 2022. The Sullivan Express was decommissioned following a March 2022 incident in which a chair detached, causing serious injuries to three passengers.

“At Camelback Resort, the safety of our guests is always our top priority. When a mechanical issue occurred with Black Bear 6, our team acted promptly and professionally to safely evacuate all guests. We are proud of our staff’s swift response and commitment to ensuring everyone’s well-being. Repairs to the lift have been delayed due to a hold-up in the delivery of replacement parts, but we are working diligently to resolve the issue and minimize disruptions. We appreciate the patience and understanding of our guests during this time,” Marissa Boyd, Director of Marketing at Camelback Mountain, wrote in an email. 

Today’s incident prompted Camelback Mountain to close yesterday. It is scheduled to reopen today, December 19.

• Related: Father and 2 Kids Seriously Injured as Chairlift Detaches and Falls at Camelback Mountain Resort, PA