Investigation Leads to Upgrades at This Montana Ski Area

A new investigative report is helping a popular Montana ski area prepare for the upcoming season near Red Lodge.  Those upgrades come after a tragic accident early this spring in March 2025 leading to the death of a guest on the mountain.

Montana Wind to Blame in Ski Lift Tragedy

The accident involved the triple chair lift at Red Lodge Mountain with reports at the time of the initial investigation by several independent agencies concluding that "the damage to the lift was caused by an unexpectedly strong wind gust, causing an unusually aggressive derailment" which led to the accident.

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Investigation Leads to Upgrades at This Montana Ski Area

The lift was immediately shutdown for the season with updates from the ski area website in March stating that an "active, independent investigation conducted by professional lift inspectors and other agencies is ongoing."

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Another update was issued in April for the mountain, with better news for those hoping to hit the slopes in the 2025/26 season:

The Red Lodge Mountain team along with the lift manufacturer and a lift engineering firm have begun the process to repair the Triple Chair, with an estimated completion by early Fall.  Upon completion of the repairs to the Triple Chair, the lift will be tested and evaluated by inspectors and regulatory agencies as part of our standard operating procedure.

What to Expect for the Upcoming Ski Season at Red Lodge Mountain

As the Montana ski season begins approaching in the next weeks, Red Lodge Mountain announced this month that after a "rigorous and thorough investigation" they hope to have the triple chair open to skiing beginning late November.  The investigation led to not just repairs to the lift, but also:

• lift towers have been reinforced to further reduce deflection – the effect of wind on the towers and subsequently the haul rope
• anemometers are being installed at various elevations along the lift line to offer additional real-time recording of the wind speed on the Triple Chair
• the Triple Chair underwent a thorough third-party inspection this off-season to ensure it meets all required Montana operating standards

The ski area is now awaiting on required load testing to be completed and for final approval by the U.S. Forest Service.  Once finished, Red Lodge Mountain stated that the triple chair will reopen for the 2025/26 season to "provide resort guests with access to the terrain it serves."