Officials at Red Lodge Mountain said they have boosted safety features on the Triple Chair ski lift in advance of the ski season, six months after a Billings man died in a fall from the lift.
General Manager Jean Mikalus outlined the changes in an email to guests obtained by MTN News.
The lift towers on on the Triple Chair have been reinforced to reduce the deflection of wind on the towers and the haul rope, Mikalus wrote. In addition, the ski area has installed anemometers along multiple spots of the lift line to have a better sense of wind speeds at the Triple Chair.
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In March, 37-year-old Jeff Zinne of Billings died when he fell from the chair lift during a period of gusty winds. Mikalus wrote that a rare phenomenon known as a "snow devil" hit Zinne on the lift, causing a derailment of the chair and subsequent fall. A snow devil is whirling column of snow caused by high wind.
A third party inspected the chair lift during the off season to ensure it could meet all operating standards. Required load lifting was completed, and the chair lift was approved for use by the U.S. Forest Service, according to Mikalus.
Related:
Billings man dies from injuries in Red Lodge Mountain ski lift accident
Widow of Billings man killed on Red Lodge chair lift begins investigation
