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Over 100 Guests Evacuated From New Hampshire Ski Lift

Originally posted on Powder | By Ian Greenwood | Last updated Feb 18, 2025 2:50 PM ET

At approximately 2 p.m. Monday, the Triple Peak chairlift at Pats Peak, New Hampshire, malfunctioned, leading to the evacuation of about 120 skiers, according to a statement shared by the ski area.

The lift experienced a deropement at tower 8, the ski area said, and the evacuation process took roughly one and a half hours. No injuries were reported.

Pats Peak ski patrollers worked with Henniker Fire and Rescue to conduct the evacuation.

"It was kind of scary for a few minutes, but when we saw all the people coming to save us, we knew that we were OK," Daniel Quilter of Charlton, Massachusetts, told WMUR.

Emily Quilter, also of Charlton, told WMUR that the rescuers were "very clear on the instructions. It was really safe."

The statement from the ski area said that "our staff is highly trained in lift evacuations."

The New Hampshire State Fire Marshal's Office and the Passenger Tramway Safety Board said in a statement that, after an investigation, it had been determined that high winds caused the malfunction, not a mechanical issue.

Speaking with WMUR, Lori Rowell, marketing director at Pats Peak, said that such incidents don't "happen very often."

Pats Peak's staff checks each lift daily before operations begin and are thorough about "making sure [they] are in the best shape possible," Rowell added.

The Pats Peak incident marks the third recent lift malfunction in New Hampshire.

Earlier this ski season, a lift detached from its cable fell to the snow at Attitash Mountain Resort, sending one man to the hospital. Then, just a few days later, at Cannon Mountain, skiers and snowboarders were evacuated from the Peabody Express Quad after another malfunction.

"Governor Ayotte is aware of recent lift incidents, and our office will continue to work with the State Fire Marshal's Office, the Passenger Tramway Safety Board, and our partners across New Hampshire's resorts to ensure skiers can safely enjoy the season," said John Corbett, spokesman for Governor Kelly Ayotte, in a statement following the Cannon Mountain lift malfunction.

High winds have impacted operations at other ski resorts throughout New England.

On Monday morning, a tree fell on and damaged a chairlift at Belleayre Mountain, New York.

Sugarloaf, Maine, experienced a resort-wide power outage for about four hours. Power was restored before 6:30 a.m. Tuesday to the ski area.

"As you can imagine, the chair lifts are not living their best lives this morning," Sugarloaf wrote in its mountain report, noting that 90-mile-per-hour wind gusts had hit the Skyline chairlift.

Berkshire East Mountain Resort, Massachusetts, announced that it would remain closed Tuesday due to a power outage caused by the high winds.

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

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