DISASTER ON THE SLOPES

Snowboarder Who Fell From Malfunctioning Montana Chairlift Dies

The fatal tumble followed a mechanical failure on the Red Lodge Mountain lift.

A 37-year-old snowboarder died two days after falling from a malfunctioning chairlift at Red Lodge Mountain, Montana. Jeffrey Zinne of Billings, who was riding alone on a three-person chairlift, died Wednesday after succumbing to his injuries at a hospital, the Associated Press reported. The lift in question, the Triple Chair, malfunctioned Monday, halting operations and necessitating a dramatic rescue of more than 100 stranded skiers and snowboarders by ski patrollers. Red Lodge Mountain spokesperson Troy Hawks confirmed the lift had a mechanical issue but remained tight-lipped about the details, only noting that an investigation is underway. The chairlift, dating back to 1983, will stay closed until a full engineering assessment is completed. High winds, clocking in at around 50 mph, blasted the Beartooth Mountains on the morning of the accident, the National Weather Service reported, causing other lifts to be closed.

The Beast used specially trained AI to summarize the original source material cited in this article. It was selected, edited, and fact-checked by Daily Beast staff in compliance with our Code of Ethics.