On Sunday, January 27, 2019 a chair lift stopped running at Stowe Mountain Resort in Vermont, prompting the evacuation of roughly 160 skiers and snowboarders. The Lookout Double lift stopped operating because of an interruption in the electrical system. It was confirmed by Resort Spokesman Jeff Wise that an auxiliary engine was also not working. Ski patrol started evacuating the lift using rope to rappel people down.
There were skiers/snowboarders stranded for hours. Keri Crafts, a resident of Burlington and her two daughters were halfway up when the lift stopped. She reported that her and her daughters sat there for about 2 ½ hours. The conditions were freezing and windy. Keri also reported that at one point, she saw people start to jump from chairs to the ground.
According to State Inspector Stephen Monahan, the lift was built in 1979. This is the first year in nearly a decade that Stowe Mountain Resort has had a lift evacuation. There will be a maintenance inspection for proper operation and safety. The resort expects to have the lift repaired and operating by the first weekend in February.