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Park City Mountain working to open Pioneer lift after offseason malfunction

Alleging a failure to properly train and supervise employees, the family is seeking damages from Park City Mountain owner Vail Resorts through a jury trial.
Grace Doerfler
/
KPCW
Park City Mountain

A mechanical issue was found in Park City Mountain’s Pioneer lift during a preseason inspection, limiting its opening this winter.

The Pioneer lift, which services terrain on the Mountain Village side of the resort, hasn’t opened this season.

Park City Mountain spokesperson Emily McDonald told KPCW Jan. 22 a mechanical issue was discovered with the old fixed-grip lift during an offseason inspection.

McDonald said the resort’s lift maintenance team regularly performs rigorous preseason inspections on all lifts.

She said Park City Mountain is working to fix the issue to open Pioneer “as soon as safely possible.”

KPCW asked Park City Mountain for information after details emerged from Utah’s Passenger Ropeway Safety Committee, which is charged with ensuring the safety of the state’s chairlifts, gondolas and funiculars. The committee discussed failures with the Pioneer lift during its December meeting, according to a recording.

One committee member said the lift suffered from a tower fault, and the haul rope moved about four feet from its normal position, causing several chairs to become entangled.

Park City Mountain skiers and riders are able to access Pioneer’s terrain from the Thaynes lift.

As of Thursday, Park City Mountain had 38 of its 41 lifts open. Neighboring Deer Valley Resort had 23 of its 24 lifts open.