Home > Winter

Man Claims He Was Left on Chairlift Overnight

gore mountain ski runGore Mountain. Photo by Ian Taylor
Support us! GearJunkie may earn a small commission from affiliate links in this article. Learn More

From March 31 to April 1, the skier said he sat stranded on the chairlift at Gore Mountain Ski Center, waiting to be discovered.

gore mountain ski run
Gore Mountain. Photo by Ian Taylor

With his feet dangling 30 feet above the Adirondack Mountainsone man looked forward to his final run of the day. But when the chairlift on the North Quad of Gore Mountain Ski Center stopped for the day, he claims he found himself helpless and alone.

It’s a situation right out of the absolutely ridiculous 2010 B-movie Frozen (trailer below). But as much as most viewers brushed off the flick as nonsense, this incident comes (allegedly) from the real world. No wolves included.


The man, as yet unidentified, told authorities he was left on the High Peaks chairlift overnight from Saturday afternoon to Sunday, according to The Post Star. According to the Gore Mountain website, the resort closes for the day at 4 p.m.

The man told police he was unable to get down until the lift reopened at 8 a.m. the following morning. He said one to two inches of snow fell overnight and temps bottomed out in the 20s.

Gore Mountain: Man Left on Ski Lift Overnight

According to the report, the man refused medical treatment and said he was unhurt. Resort officials and those from the Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA), which runs Gore Mountain, said little else except that they were aware of the incident.

“We are aware of the report and are seeking to confirm the facts,” said ORDA spokesman Jon Lundin.

First 8-Seat Lift in North America Coming to Big Sky

The Ramcharger 8 lift will whisk passengers uphill in comfort with heated seats and a blue bubble windscreen. Read more…

State police told The Post Star that law enforcement interviewed the skier twice last week and is investigating.

Authorities did not say if the man had a cell phone with him. But reports said cell service at the resort, 83 miles north of Albany, often proves spotty.

This incident marks the second bizarre chairlift mishap in March. Earlier that month, visitors caught video of a lift in Eastern Europe accelerating backwards and flinging riders from the chair.

Subscribe Now

Get adventure news and gear reviews in your inbox!

Join Our GearJunkie Newsletter

Get adventure news and gear reviews in your inbox!