An investigation is underway after a woman spent the night trapped in a gondola at Heavenly Ski Resort in California.ย Monica Laso, from Chile, found herself alone and suspended in the gondola cabin overnight, with no means of communication and no way to attract attention from the workers below. The incident occurred on the evening of January 26 during a ski trip with five friends from different countries.
Laso’s friends initially reported her missing after she fell behind due to exhaustion. According to Momo Shternhel, one of Laso’s friends, she was guided to the gondola by a resort worker but became stranded as it froze during her descent. Despite pounding on the windows and attempting to signal workers, Laso remained suspended for the entire night.
Rescue efforts were unsuccessful during the night, and Laso’s survival was attributed to the relatively mild conditions. She did not locate a survival kit in the gondola.
Heavenly Mountain Resort, a popular skiing destination, expressed its commitment to guest safety. Tom Fortune, VP and COO of Heavenly Mountain Resort and the Tahoe Region, stated, “The safety and well-being of our guests are our top priority.” The incident is currently under investigation.
Kim George, a spokeswoman for South Lake Tahoe Fire and Rescue remarked that this was the first time they had dealt with such an incident in over 20 years.
The gondola had recently undergone maintenance, and its reopening preceded the incident. It was closed earlier in the month for a week due to a mechanical issue.
As the investigation unfolds, questions arise about safety protocols during gondola closure and whether such an incident has occurred in the resort’s history. The El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office responded to a missing person call at 7:43 p.m. on Thursday, but it remains uncertain if the two situations are related.
