Police Say Man Lied About Being Stranded on Chairlift

Following a three-week investigation into the incident, police arrested a New York man. They say he falsified a report claiming Gore Mountain left him on a ski lift overnight in sub-freezing conditions.

Earlier this month Isaac Hyde, 37, of North Creek, N.Y., reported he was left on a chairlift alone overnight on the North Quad of Gore Mountain Ski Center. Following a New York State Police investigation, he could spend up to a year in jail.

Authorities announced they will charge Hyde with “Making a Punishable False Written Statement, a class A Misdemeanor.” According to the statement, Hyde knowingly provided false information to police.

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New York State Trooper Mark Cepiel spoke with GearJunkie about the incident. The officer said “inconsistencies in his story, numerous interviews of the staff, evaluation of procedures, and other lack of physical evidence” led police to the arrest.

Cepiel explained that police found no evidence that Hyde urinated during the 17 hours he claimed he was stranded. Combined with a review of Gore Mountain’s protocols and interviews with staff, this suggests Hyde did not spend the night on the lift.

If convicted, Hyde faces up to a year in jail and a fine up to $1,000.