$100K Reward: Ski Lift Arsonist Sought in Chairlift Blaze

Last December, a fire broke out at a ski lift tower at Kimberley Alpine Resort in southeastern British Columbia. Now, its owners have issued a substantial award for information that leads to the capture of the person(s) responsible.

The Dec. 18, 2021 fire started at 3 a.m. and destroyed the shack at the top of the resort’s main lift. An investigation by Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and local fire officials later revealed that an arsonist started the blaze.

On Feb. 10, Kimberley Alpine Resort (KAR) sought to bolster investigation efforts with a cash reward to find the culprit. Now, 100,000 Canadian dollars ($78,641) is on the table.

The resort’s parent company, Resorts of the Canadian Rockies (RCR), said in a release that it “appreciates the RCMP’s efforts in this investigation and are assisting and supporting them in any way we can, including offering this $100,000 reward.”

It added that “KAR/RCR has been communicating with the RCMP about offering the reward since the day the fire was determined to be arson.”

Ski Lift Fire, Reward Information

The blaze at the upper tower on the ski lift, called the Northstar Quad Chair, didn’t injure anyone. The RCR statement primarily addressed the resort’s customers.

“As soon as the seriousness of the incident became clear, our thoughts immediately turned to all the families, children, and other keen skiers and riders who we love and who would be losing access to the mountain via the Northstar Quad chair,” it said.

The company mentioned repair work but didn’t give further details. The resort has continued to operate despite the setback, recently thanking its patrol staff on Helly Hansen’s International Ski Patrol Day via social media.

The CA$100,000 reward will go to anyone who provides information “that leads to the location, arrest, and conviction of suspects involved in the destruction of the lift control building on December 18th, 2021,” RCR said.

The statement’s language makes it unclear whether authorities have already identified suspects. When GearJunkie asked RCR for confirmation regarding the potential suspects, the company recommended contacting Kimberley RCMP. So far, RCMP has issued no comment.

For more information on the terms and conditions of the Northstar Quad Chair reward, contact reward@skikimberley.com.

Anyone with information should submit it directly to the Kimberley Royal Canadian Mounted Police, not to the resort. The RCMP number in Kimberley is 250-427-4811.

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