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Nearly 70 people were safely rescued from a stalled gondola at Gore Mountain in North Creek on Wednesday (February 4) after a mechanical issue halted the Northwoods Gondola mid-operation.
The incident began around 9 a.m. when the gondola experienced what officials described as a non-emergency alignment problem with one component of the lift system. The Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA), which operates the mountain, emphasized that the stoppage was not caused by a power loss but rather a mechanical issue that triggered automatic safety protocols.
New York State Police received a 911 call around 10:30 a.m. reporting stranded passengers in approximately 20 gondola cabins. The rescue operation quickly became a coordinated effort between Gore Mountain staff, Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) forest rangers, and other emergency personnel.
Governor Kathy Hochul addressed the situation during a midday press conference, calling it "a frightening situation" while praising the coordinated rescue efforts underway. High winds on the mountain added complexity to the rescue operation.
Skier Carolyn Ahearn, who was trapped in one of the gondolas, described waiting nearly two hours before rescue teams arrived. The rescue method involved forest rangers climbing gondola towers and rappelling down to reach stranded passengers. Rescuers instructed passengers to sit on the floor and move toward the door, where they were safely lowered to the ground using a pulley system.
"It was really scary because you don't know what's going through people's minds in that moment," said Skye Laudato, who witnessed the rescue from the ground.
The rescue preparation proved effective thanks to training conducted in November, when seven DEC forest rangers and Gore Mountain staff specifically practiced gondola rescue techniques ahead of the ski season.
All 67 stranded individuals were successfully rescued without injuries. Gore Mountain remained open for the day, though officials stated the gondola would return to service only after all safety and operational requirements were fully met.