Experts: Area ski lifts safe despite recent incidents nationwide

There is renewed concern about the safety of ski lifts. This, after a number of close calls at resorts across the country.

On three different occasions, a ski lift rider has become caught on the lift, hanging in the air. Ski industry experts said in all of the cases, the culprit was a backpack.

In Utah, two different young children found themselves hanging from a ski lift at the Sundance Mountain Resort.

“I don’t see a correlation between the two incidents,” said Clint Ashmed who shot video of one of the incidents at the resorts. “I really don’t, other than the lack of education on behalf of the skier or the boarder.”

The U.S. Ski Industry said there are roughly 3,500 ski lifts in the U.S. Fifteen people have been killed falling from them in the last four decades. The industry said lifts are “exceptionally safe and secure.”

“We have polices in place that ensure the safety of our guests,” said David Stoddard, co-owner of Kelly Canyon Ski Resort outside of Ririe.

Situations like those seen in Colorado and Utah are rare. The U.S. Ski Industry says ski lifts are five times safer than riding an elevator. Stoddard says there is one thing that is a sure way to keep from becoming caught on a ski lift.

“Any loose clothing or scarves or backpacks or those types of things are to be removed before a person gets on a lift,” he said.

Kelly Canyon Ski Resort has signs posted at all five of its lifts to remind powder hounds about the loose clothing rule. Ski lift safety goes beyond removing items that could get caught, though.

“There is a strict regiment of inspection related to every lift,” said Stoddard.

That regiment consists of the resort’s insurance company completing an inspection a couple times a year. Additionally, any lift on Forest Service land is inspected by a Forest Service engineer every year. Kelly Canyon staff also inspect the lifts often throughout the ski season.

“We have our own staff that are very capable of understanding the lift,” Stoddard said. “They run daily, weekly and monthly inspections of what is taking place with the lifts.”

Stoddard said safety really lies in the hands of skiers and snowboarders and most accidents are the result of human error.

The website safebee.com says 86% of ski lifts injuries or accidents are caused by a mistake made by the rider. The site offers up several tips for staying safe. You can find those by clicking here.