Nearly 70 skiers were rescued Wednesday after becoming trapped for hours in stalled gondola cabins at Gore Mountain, following a mechanical malfunction that forced the lift system to shut down, as reported by The New York Post.

Officials said the incident occurred when the gondola’s tower wheel assembly moved out of alignment, triggering a safety sensor that immediately stopped the lift.

As a result, 67 people were left suspended several feet above the ground inside 20 enclosed gondola cabins at the popular upstate New York ski resort.

Photos from the scene showed state park rangers and resort staff climbing lift towers, moving along cables between cabins, and carefully lowering each stranded skier to the snowy ground using ropes and body harnesses. The rescue operation lasted approximately five hours, according to authorities.

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Despite subfreezing temperatures on the slopes roughly 90 miles north of Albany, officials said the enclosed gondola cabins remained warm due to sunlight. No injuries were reported.

Kevin Bolan, a 64-year-old physician assistant and longtime skier, described the experience as unsettling in comments to the Associated Press.

“It was sobering and something that I’ll probably carry with me for the rest of my life,” Bolan said. “You think nothing of getting on a lift or getting on a gondola, and now you’re going to think twice.”

Bolan added that the experience changed how he plans for future ski trips.

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“You’re going to make sure you go to the bathroom and maybe have a power bar with you and make sure you’re prepared, just like if you were going into the woods on a hike,” he said.

The ski area is operated by the New York State Olympic Regional Development Authority, which oversees several winter sports facilities across the state.

In a statement, the authority said the malfunction activated built-in safety systems designed to halt operations immediately.

“Our trained mountain operations team carried out the evacuation, and guests were supported throughout the process,” the authority said.

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“Safety remains our top priority, and our teams are fully trained and experienced in managing situations like this.”

Officials did not specify what caused the wheel assembly to shift out of alignment or whether additional inspections were ordered following the incident.

The authority confirmed that the gondola lift reopened on Thursday after crews completed checks and ensured the system was safe to resume operations.

Gore Mountain, located in North Creek in the Adirondacks, is one of New York’s largest ski resorts and typically sees heavy traffic during peak winter months.

While gondola stoppages are rare, the incident served as a reminder of the complexity of lift systems and the importance of emergency preparedness.

Resort officials emphasized that evacuation procedures are regularly practiced and that staff are trained to respond quickly in the event of mechanical failures.

The successful rescue of all 67 passengers without injuries was cited as evidence that those protocols functioned as intended.

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