WWYD? Someone falling off of chairlift

[Karen_skier2.0]

The thread on the Georgia chairlift prompted a discussion of what would you do in the same situation. As I looked for more information, I turned to youtube and found these compilations of people falling off of chairlifts.

What would you do in this situation if it was someone on your lift or if you were someone of the ground?

Warning: Most look like the attempts to minimize injury was successful, but there are a few where no one was there in time.

 

[Mike King]

Those are very disturbing.

 

[scott43]

Well, rule 1, don't put myself in more danger. Like lifesaving on water..I'll try to help if I can..but I ain't falling off too..and I'm not "catching" anyone over 40lbs...sorry..I'm no hero... I got mouths to feed...

 

[pchewn]

I agree with @scott43 , The 1st rule of giving assistance is to protect yourself. No need to add a 2nd victim. That said, if I'm riding with my grandson, I'm taking more risk to to save him than if I'm riding with a stranger. I've seen a couple of people fall from chairlifts. It's rarely fatal but sure, you can get quite hurt. Fall off early and often rather than once over the highest hardest-packed flat snow....

Back in our youth, we would sometimes take an "early exit" from the chair on purpose at a nice spot. I guess we were "practicing" falling off in a graceful manner.

 

[Tricia]

Back in our youth, we would sometimes take an "early exit" from the chair on purpose at a nice spot. I guess we were "practicing" falling off in a graceful manner.

Some kids (high school age) jumped from the chairlift at Crystal Mountain Michigan, near the top on a powder day. The jump created such a bounce that the woman getting off at the top broke her hip. I remember this well because I was stuck on the chair while they were tending to her. Ski Patrol was eager to find the kids who jumped. Not sure what happened to them.

*This was an older fixed grip chair with the post in the middle.
Knowing what I know about pullies and cables, an old chair like that can derail with a significant bounce.
Fortunately this incident didn't derail it. Unfortunately a woman broke her hip.

 

[martyg]

Some kids (high school age) jumped from the chairlift at Crystal Mountain Michigan, near the top on a powder day. The jump created such a bounce that the woman getting off at the top broke her hip. I remember this well because I was stuck on the chair while they were tending to her. Ski Patrol was eager to find the kids who jumped. Not sure what happened to them.

*This was an older fixed grip chair with the post in the middle.
Knowing what I know about pullies and cables, an old chair like that can derail with a significant bounce.
Fortunately this incident didn't derail it. Unfortunately a woman broke her hip.

I’d love to see those a-holes and their parents prosecuted. It seems like every other time that I ski I am getting in someone’s face for doing something stupid.

I have a background in Military SAR and have developed zero tolerance for people who do stupid things on or off the slope.

 

[oldschoolskier]

Darwin is always looking to remove bad genes from the gene pool .

Most falls are preventable by following the rules and not horsing around. Those that do are likely to experience a fall or cause someone else to fall.

 

[noncrazycanuck]

heard from a buddy that a kid fell off the Stoke chair at Revy on Sunday.
then the mother jumped after her kid.
he said it was a fairly big drop but luckily the snow was reasonably soft so neither got hurt badly.
sometimes you just react

 

[PTskier]

Stay in the chair if you can. Hypothermia in the stalled chair is the least risky option. If the brakes or cable clamp failed and the chair is running away backwards, you gott'a find the softest place to jump into and go for it.

At Sunshine Village I was surprised to see rescue ropes on many of the lift towers. They were in a bag with the seat device sticking out. Throw the rope over the cable, get the skier onto the seat thing, lower away. If the chair is too high, what then? Someone climbs the tower, comes along the cable with climbing gear, then what? Put the person into a seat device and lower them? I haven't seen a chairlift evacuation in many years. I'm sure there is a way to evacuate the Peak-to-Peak gondola at Whistler (1400' above ground), and I'm sure they practice, but how? Helicopter if weather lets them fly? If the weather is bad, then what? Or is there a way to drag the gondola cars back into the station even if everything else is broken down?

I've seen the "jumping sheet" laid out at some ski areas. Those were abandoned by fire departments years ago as too risky for both the victim and the rescuers. If you have to jump into one, drop your skis or snowboard, then drop into the center of the jumping sheet butt first.

 

[Carolinacub]

Stay in the chair if you can. Hypothermia in the stalled chair is the least risky option. If the brakes or cable clamp failed and the chair is running away backwards, you gott'a find the softest place to jump into and go for it.

At Sunshine Village I was surprised to see rescue ropes on many of the lift towers. They were in a bag with the seat device sticking out. Throw the rope over the cable, get the skier onto the seat thing, lower away. If the chair is too high, what then? Someone climbs the tower, comes along the cable with climbing gear, then what? Put the person into a seat device and lower them? I haven't seen a chairlift evacuation in many years. I'm sure there is a way to evacuate the Peak-to-Peak gondola at Whistler (1400' above ground), and I'm sure they practice, but how? Helicopter if weather lets them fly? If the weather is bad, then what? Or is there a way to drag the gondola cars back into the station even if everything else is broken down?

I've seen the "jumping sheet" laid out at some ski areas. Those were abandoned by fire departments years ago as too risky for both the victim and the rescuers. If you have to jump into one, drop your skis or snowboard, then drop into the center of the jumping sheet butt first.

Interesting to hear that the evac kits were on the towers. we keep some of ours at the top of the mountain and some at the base. I can see the rational for spacing them around the mountain BIMHO it makes more sense to take the gear to the location.

 

[scott43]

Stay in the chair if you can. Hypothermia in the stalled chair is the least risky option. If the brakes or cable clamp failed and the chair is running away backwards, you gott'a find the softest place to jump into and go for it.

At Sunshine Village I was surprised to see rescue ropes on many of the lift towers. They were in a bag with the seat device sticking out. Throw the rope over the cable, get the skier onto the seat thing, lower away. If the chair is too high, what then? Someone climbs the tower, comes along the cable with climbing gear, then what? Put the person into a seat device and lower them? I haven't seen a chairlift evacuation in many years. I'm sure there is a way to evacuate the Peak-to-Peak gondola at Whistler (1400' above ground), and I'm sure they practice, but how? Helicopter if weather lets them fly? If the weather is bad, then what? Or is there a way to drag the gondola cars back into the station even if everything else is broken down?

I've seen the "jumping sheet" laid out at some ski areas. Those were abandoned by fire departments years ago as too risky for both the victim and the rescuers. If you have to jump into one, drop your skis or snowboard, then drop into the center of the jumping sheet butt first.

This is a great vid..

 

[Karen_skier2.0]

Dang! If he never gets to heli ski, at least he can say he got a great ride!

 

[Andy Mink]

Interesting they took them UP the hill instead of down. I would have thought down to the parking lot/lodge area since their board or skis didn't go for the ride.

 

[James]

Back in our youth, we would sometimes take an "early exit" from the chair on purpose at a nice spot. I guess we were "practicing" falling off in a graceful manner.

Make sure the bar doesn't fall. A 14 yr old girl was killed that way at Powder Ridge in CT. The friend slid off and apparently the bar then came down catching her helmet and she was hanged. After school night skiing.

http://articles.courant.com/2001-04-03/news/0104030702_1_ski-patrol-lift-powder-ridge-ski-area