A tragic incident unfolded on the slopes of Red Lodge Mountain in Montana, when a mechanical failure on a chairlift led to the death of a father, leaving his wife and young son in mourning. Jeff Zinne, 37, was snowboarding alone on Monday afternoon when he fell from the three-person lift on the peak’s Triple Lift line due to an unexplained mechanical issue.
Zinne was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital following the fall, but unfortunately succumbed to his injuries. The exact distance of his fall and the specific mechanical issues that led to the accident remain unclear.
On the day of the accident, wind speeds had reached over 50 mph, leading to the closure of some lift lines. A representative from Red Lodge Mountain stated that an investigation into the accident was underway, but declined to provide further comment.
The accident resulted in a large-scale evacuation of the lift, which was immediately stopped, leaving over 100 people stranded in the air. Ski patrol units had to employ a rope system to safely lower each individual to the ground.
The Triple Chairlift, which has been operational since 1983, was reportedly up to safety code with daily inspections, according to the resort. The lift will remain closed until the issue that led to the accident is thoroughly assessed.
Zinne is survived by his 2-year-old son and his wife, Meghan, with whom he co-owned a local shipping business. A GoFundMe page set up for his family describes Zinne as a man with a “passion for life, infectious laughter, and kind-hearted nature” who always put others first.
According to the National Ski Areas Association, fatal accidents on ski lifts are relatively rare. From 1956 to 2024, there have been only 35 fatal incidents, 16 of which were caused by mechanical issues. The last fatal incident prior to Zinne’s tragic fall occurred in 2020 at Colorado’s Vail resort, where a man was asphyxiated by a piece of his clothing that became stuck in the lift.