Chairlift Plummets to Ground at Montana Ski Area

Originally posted on Powder | By Ian Greenwood | Last updated Dec 16, 2024 4:59 PM ET

A chair fell from Montana Snowbowl's LaVelle lift on Sunday, December 15, 2024.

Images shared online show the chair sitting in the snow next to LaVelle's lower terminal.

In a statement shared Sunday, Montana Snowbowl wrote that an incident involving LaVelle required a temporary halt in lift service. No one was injured, the statement reads, and after the ski area's maintenance department inspected LaVelle and determined it was safe, the chairlift continued to operate for the rest of the afternoon.

"Otherwise, we had a great early-season ski day at the Bowl today. We were able to open up Paradise, Second Thought, and Spartan Headwall with some help from our snowmakers and our new snowmaking equipment!" the statement reads.

Montana Snowbowl is closed today and will reopen on Friday, December 20th. It opened for skiing and riding on Friday, December 13th. LaVelle is the ski area's upper mountain lift, providing access to the popular East and West Bowls.

The latest LaVelle accident isn't the lift's first decoupling. In 2020, a lift was caught in a terminal guide and fell to the ground. The chairlift fall seriously damaged the haul cable, meaning dozens of LaVelle's passengers had to be evacuated.

Another more recent chairlift accident also occurred at Montana Snowbowl. In March 2023, the Snow Park lift collided with a tower and broke apart while ferrying a father and his four-year-old son. The child fell off the chairlift. Then, the father lowered himself to the ground to help.

Afterward, the Forest Service issued a stop order on the Snow Park lift and mandated Montana Snowbowl to update its procedures for chairlift operations and maintenance. They also required that the ski area revamp its staff training.

Montana Snowbowl operates on the Lolo National Forest under a Ski Area Term Special Use Permit. The Forest Service can end or suspend this operating permit if issues arise. Ahead of the 2023-2024 ski season, the Forest Service asked that Montana Snowbowl undergo a slightly more thorough chairlift inspection than usual—in part because of previous chairlift issues. In December 2023, Montana Snowbowl announced that it had been approved for opening by the Forest Service, and the ski season proceeded like any other.

Montana Snowbowl is one of a small handful of ski areas frequented by Missoula, Montana, residents including Lost Trail and Discovery Ski Area. Of these ski areas, Montana Snowbowl is the closest to town. It's known for having excellent bloody Mary's, steep bowls, and a laid-back, locals oriented vibe.

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This article first appeared on Powder and was syndicated with permission.

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