Missoula, MT — A fatal accident at Red Lodge Mountain has brought to light significant safety issues surrounding ski lifts, following the death of Jeff Zinne, who fell from the Triple Chair lift on Monday. The incident, which has captured national attention, is drawing criticism and raising questions about oversight in ski resort safety protocols.
According to resort officials, Zinne was unseated from the lift due to erratic winds. He was quickly flown by emergency helicopter to St. Vincent’s hospital, but tragically succumbed to his injuries on Wednesday morning. The Yellowstone County Coroner’s office confirmed that Zinne died as a result of accidental blunt force trauma.
The incident has sparked a wave of concern, including from Peter Landsman, a prominent Wyoming-based ski blogger. Landsman, who runs Lift Blog, a blog dedicated to ski lift safety and incidents across the country, said the death was a rare occurrence.
“I heard about it pretty quickly after it happened,” Landsman said in an interview on Wednesday afternoon. “The last time someone died in the United States due to a lift malfunction was in 2016. Thousands of people ride chair lifts every single day, so incidents like this are incredibly rare.”
Though details surrounding the accident remain sparse, Red Lodge Mountain officials confirmed that 135 passengers were evacuated from the Triple Chair following Zinne’s fall. While initial reports suggest that high winds may have played a role in the incident, there is also the possibility that a lift malfunction contributed to the tragedy.
Landsman remarked on the potential complications in this case, noting that, “Whatever happened with the lift necessitated the rope evacuation of the other passengers. What complicates the situation is the windy conditions, and it’s possible that there was also a malfunction involved, but we don’t have all the details yet.”
The fatal accident at Red Lodge Mountain is not the first to bring attention to ski lift safety at the resort. Billings attorney Tanis Holm, who represented clients injured in a separate lift accident at the same resort in 2020, expressed her condolences following Zinne’s death.
“It’s certainly something in the legal profession that we really work to prevent,” Holm said. “As a human, though, it just is awful.”
Holm’s previous case involving Red Lodge Mountain highlighted significant concerns about the oversight of Montana’s ski resorts. “What surprises me in Montana is that each resort self-regulates itself,” Holm explained. “There isn’t a whole lot of guidance or oversight from any government officials.” This lack of formal oversight, she added, can sometimes result in gaps in safety standards.
The tragic event has prompted calls for more stringent regulation of ski resorts in Montana, as well as across the country. While ski lift accidents are rare, the need for consistent and thorough safety practices has never been more evident. Experts argue that greater governmental oversight and accountability could help prevent future incidents and protect the safety of those who rely on ski lifts each year.
As investigations into the accident continue, Red Lodge Mountain and safety experts alike will be watching closely to understand what went wrong and what can be done to improve safety measures moving forward.
