Gondola seizes; skiers evacuated

BIG SKY, Mont. – About 60 skiers and riders had to be evacuated from the gondola lift at Big Sky Resort at the start of one of the busiest weekends of the season.

A mechanical problem caused the lift to seize up about 10:30 Friday morning. Skiers and riders were left hanging 20 to 50 feet above the trail, in enclosed carriages. The resort’s public relations director, Dax Schieffer, says it took about three hours to get everyone off the lifts using a pulley-rope-harness system.