Nightmare at Red Pine: Skier Left Dangling From Park City Gondola
Popular Stories
New Year’s Eve is usually reserved for champagne toasts and fireworks, but for one skier at Park City Mountain, the final day of 2025 delivered a much more harrowing experience. Shortly after 1 p.m. on December 31st, a routine boarding attempt at the Red Pine Gondola in Canyons Village spiraled into a vertical nightmare.
A Boarding Mishap
According to eyewitness reports, the incident began when the guest attempted to board a cabin as the doors were closing. In an effort to make the car, she reportedly placed her foot in the doorway. Instead of the sensors triggering a reopen, the doors clamped firmly onto her ski boot.
The gondola continued out of the terminal, the woman was pulled along and left suspended by her leg. She was carried roughly 15 feet into the air and dragged nearly 50 feet before the lift was brought to an emergency halt.
Sign Up for the TGR Gravity Check Newsletter Now
The Rescue Effort
Park City Mountain employees rushed to the scene with a ladder. The rescue crew was able to unbuckle the trapped boot from the gondola doors, lowering her back to solid ground.
Resort spokesperson John Kanaly confirmed that the individual was unharmed during the ordeal. The gondola resumed operations within ten minutes, and the resort stated this was a boarding error not a mechanical failure.
Respect the Machinery
This incident serves as a "hair-raising" reminder that the machinery making our days possible deserves as much respect as the terrain. We’re glad this skier walked away, but this is a lesson to follow lift access procedure.
