UPDATED - Occupied Gondola Cabin Crashes To The Ground, Prompts Closure At Kicking Horse Mountain Resort

A gondola cabin has crashed to the ground at Kicking Horse Mountain Resort, leading to the immediate closure of the popular ski destination. The incident occurred on Monday morning, triggering an investigation into the cause of the malfunction.

According to information released by the resort, the incident took place at approximately 9:20 a.m. at the base terminal of the Golden Eagle Express gondola. Photos and witness reports show the cabin resting on its side near the gondola's base, indicating it fell a relatively short distance.

In a statement the resort said “At 9:20 am, an incident occurred involving a cabin at the base terminal of Golden Eagle Express gondola. Our patrol team and first responders were rapidly dispatched on scene.

“Our trained maintenance team will be working to unload the passengers as per standard operating procedures. A full inspection has been initiated to determinate and analyze root causes. Teams from the manufacturer and relevant authorities have been called in to further assist. No lifts will be open to the public today, the resort will be closed for the remainder of the day. Please note Golden Eagle Express gondola will remain closed until further notice.

"An update will be provided later today with regards to regular operations.”

"An incident occurred involving a cabin at the base terminal of Golden Eagle Express gondola," stated a notice posted by Kicking Horse Mountain Resort. "Our patrol team and first responders were rapidly dispatched on scene."

A revised statement says:

"At 9:20 am, an incident occurred involving a cabin at the base terminal of the Golden Eagle Express gondola. Based on preliminary findings, a lift hanger broke while this carrier was leaving the bottom station causing it to fall approximately one meter to the ground. Our patrol team and first responders were rapidly dispatched on scene. Although there were 8 (eight) passengers in the cabin, fortunately no one was seriously injured during the incident.

"Our trained mountain safety teams have now safely finished unloading the passengers from the lift as per standard operating procedures, involving a full manual evacuation using rope rescue and helicopter rescue. “Our sincere apologies go out to every one of our guests who have had to go through this experience today, and we thank them all for their patience and understanding” said Richard Oszust, Area Manager.

"A full inspection of the Golden Eagle Express gondola is now underway, supported by the manufacturer’s specialists along with relevant authorities to determine root causes & further steps.

"Please note Golden Eagle Express gondola will remain closed until further notice.
Kicking Horse Mountain Resort plans to operate tomorrow March 11, with the Catamount and Pioneer Chairlifts and the Jelly Bean Magic Carpet. Reduced lift tickets will be in effect. All outlets and services will be available for regularly scheduled hours of operation excluding the Eagle’s Eye Restaurant and Heaven’s Door Yurt. Terrain above the Pioneer Chair will be closed as there will not be mountain safety response and avalanche control available."

A video provided by Scott Wilson seems to show a broken support arm attached to the cable, pointing to the likely cause oif the incident.

According to the resort the Golden Eagle Express Gondola is an 8-Passenger Omega III Gondola cabin with a length of length 3,413 metres (11, 266 feet)  and a ride time of 12 minutes.

The resort’s only gondola is the main access to the mountain, and is the only way to get to the summit. The only other lifts at the resort's base are quad and doublechairs that serve the lower slopes, leaving the entire upper two-thirds of the mountain, including five alpine bowls and hike-to terrain, inaccessible.

Resorts of the Canadian Rockies, the company that owns Kicking Horse Mountain Resort, has not yet released further details. Officials have stated that they are prioritizing a thorough investigation to ensure the safety of resort operations.