NORTH CREEK, NY (December 7, 2025) — Nine New York State Forest Rangers joined forces with Gore Mountain ski patrol and staff from the New York State Olympic Regional Development Authority for specialized gondola evacuation training on Nov. 20.
Held at Gore Mountain in the Town of Johnsburg, Warren County, the session focused on high-angle rope rescue techniques needed to evacuate passengers from a stalled gondola lift.
Teams practiced climbing lift towers, traversing along the cable, and belaying from the cable directly into the top of a gondola cab. Once inside, rescuers then lowered occupants safely to the ground.
The training serves dual purposes: preparing for a possible real-world gondola evacuation while sharpening rope rescue skills and strengthening multiagency coordination, officials said.
The drill mirrors real rescues elsewhere. On Dec. 21, 2024, Winter Park Resort in Colorado evacuated 174–182 skiers from its 10-passenger gondola after a cracked structural component triggered an automatic stop. Patrol teams spent five hours rappelling into cabins and lowering each rider safely to the ground with no injuries.
ABC News: Over 170 skiers and snowboarders rescued after gondola malfunction in Colorado (video)
Similar rope-rescue techniques and multiagency coordination are now standard at major U.S. ski areas to handle the infrequent but high-stakes gondola malfunctions.
This article was drafted with the aid of Grok, an AI tool by xAI, under the direction and editing of Robert Cox to ensure accuracy and adherence to journalistic standards.