Dead gondola..

[scott43]

That sucks..

Hundreds trapped overnight on Canada mountain after lightning disables gondola

About 300 people were stranded after power failure disabled the 40-car ride that scales Sulphur mountain in Banff national park

www.theguardian.com

 

[Bad Bob]

Better on top than on the way.
That would make for a memorable tram ride.

 

[scott43]

I mean I would have walked down.. and yeah way better than stuck on the lift.

 

[BLiP]

Pay for a gondola ride up and get a free helicopter ride down. Not bad! Other than being stranded at the top overnight.

I know nothing about Sulphur Mountain, but I'm surprised they don't have an access road for emergency vehicles, supplies, etc. if there is a restaurant and shop at the top.

 

[Jwrags]

I mean I would have walked down.. and yeah way better than stuck on the lift.

But you have small children for the bears to snack on while you get away

 

[François Pugh]

But you have small children for the bears to snack on while you get away

Note to self: bring small children on hikes in BC.

 

[scott43]

Note to self: bring small children on hikes in BC.

I have two that just need some light seasoning..

 

[dbostedo]

I have two that just need some light seasoning..

Canadian bears require seasoned kids? Geez... picky bears.

 

[Jilly]

Note to self: bring small children on hikes in BC.

What kind of Canuck are you? Sulphur is in Banff, Alberta. But the bears do wander between the 2 provinces...

 

[Tony S]

What is with Canadian gondolas lately?

 

[François Pugh]

What kind of Canuck are you? Sulphur is in Banff, Alberta. But the bears do wander between the 2 provinces...

BC =back country. Haven't you been keeping up with trademark infringement lawsuits?

 

[scott43]

Canadian bears require seasoned kids? Geez... picky bears.

Well I wanna make sure he gets them both even if he's a bit full after the first...

 

[scott43]

What is with Canadian gondolas lately?

This was somewhat anomalous. Lightning strike. But I understand the sentiment and you're not wrong. Bermuda triangle???

 

[scott43]

Update.... So folks were stuck in the gondola cabins but they were extricated immediately. It was not possible to bring down the people in the summit station until morning so they had to stay or hike out. Some folks did in fact huck it down the path.

 

[François Pugh]

Well I wanna make sure he gets them both even if he's a bit full after the first...

Spray them with bear spray; bears love capsaicin.

 

[James]

Canada = Sugarbush
On the lift front

 

[cantunamunch]

. Some folks did in fact huck it down the path.

I looked at videos of that trail. It doesn't seem like much when the sun is out and NP running a sled or ATV up it. I expect they do.

That said, I can easily see why someone wouldn't want to do it at night in the rain in a T-shirt.

Aside from the exposure there's a very real chance of winding up in one of the drainage gullies by stepping over the wrong rock.

 

[scott43]

I looked at videos of that trail. It doesn't seem like much when the sun is out and NP running a sled or ATV up it. I expect they do.

That said, I can easily see why someone wouldn't want to do it at night in the rain in a T-shirt.

Aside from the exposure there's a very real chance of winding up in one of the drainage gullies by stepping over the wrong rock.

And to be fair many folks simply aren't physically able. No shame and completely understand.

 

[Mel]

The trail is steep and narrow in parts with switchbacks, and most of the people who took the gondola up (and were planning to take it down) wouldn’t be prepared or dressed to hike down it in good weather, let alone bad weather. There would have been a lot of twisted or broken ankles if they tried.

I’ve been at SSV in Banff in the summer when they had to shut down the gondola because of a lightning strike until they could inspect the electrical systems. Since gondola towers are tall metal objects and we get plenty of thunderstorms in the summer, it’s not surprising that it happens. Probably more surprising that it doesn’t happen more often.

It only made the news since it’s a big tourist attraction and that’s the only way up & down. When the SSV gondola shut down, they got people off and then had a few buses and other vehicles that they shuttled hikers up and down the 5km access road (which is the ski out in winter) or people just hiked the extra 5km. Never even made the local news!

 

[Jilly]

The trail is steep and narrow in parts with switchbacks, and most of the people who took the gondola up (and were planning to take it down) wouldn’t be prepared or dressed to hike down it in good weather, let alone bad weather. There would have been a lot of twisted or broken ankles if they tried.

Especially that Bride and Groom. Not the way they plan on spending their wedding night!!

Also there was only enough battery power to get the people off the gondola. They couldn't run it any longer.