Steamboat Springs, CO – A grip failed on Steamboat ski resort’s Priest Creek chairlift on Monday, allowing a chair carrying two passengers to slide backwards along the cable.
The chair on the 40-year-old double chairlift did not slip far enough to collide with the chair behind it, and no injuries were reported. The lift was immediately shut down and evacuated following the incident.
An inspector with the Colorado Passenger Tramway Safety Board determined that the slippage resulted from a worn out grip on the chairlift, which parallels the more modern Sundown Express detachable quad to access the 10,384-foot Sunshine Peak at Steamboat. As a result, it is only called into service during busy periods at the resort.Resort officials indicate that they will inspect all grips before again using the Priest Creek chairlift, which isn’t expected to occur before spring.