In light of recent problems with ski area chairlifts around New Hampshire, including a stalled chairlift that required suspended riders to be lowered to the ground at Pats Peak this week, the Monitor gathered information about how they are inspected by the state.

New Hampshire ski areas have more than 75 aerial ski lifts of various types, from two-person chairs dating back decades to newer six-person high-speed detachable lifts to the Cannon Mountain gondola. This doesn’t include tows and “magic carpets” that carry skiers uphill while staying on the ground.

Inspection of aerial and ground lifts at ski areas is done by the Tramway, Amusement Rides & Ski Lifts section of the New Hampshire Department of Safety. It also inspects everything from roller coasters and rope challenge courses to inflatable devices such as commercial “bouncy houses.”

How many inspectors
are there?

New Hampshire has two full-time inspectors and one part-time inspector.

What’s the schedule
for inspections?

All of the ski lifts in New Hampshire are inspected before they carry passengers for the winter season. They also conduct another inspection prior to the summer season.

In addition, all aerial lifts are subject to a 110% loaded acceptance test when they are originally commissioned (meaning they run carrying weights equivalent to 110% of their stated maximum). After that, they are tested with a 110% load every seven years, when all of the lift’s functions are tested and inspected.

It typically takes two days to conduct a seven-year test on a detachable lift. Fixed grip lift inspections are usually completed in one day.

What’s the budget for chairlift inspections? Is it separate from
other inspections?

The budgeting for the bureau is all-inclusive; there are not separate budgets for the different types of lifts.

Is a trio of incidents in two weeks — a chair fell at Attitash, injuring a skier, and lifts failed at Cannon Mountain and Pats Peak, stranding scores of skiers who had to be lowered by ropes — indicative that anything has changed this season?

No common denominator has been identified for these three incidents.

Is there common guidance for ski areas to close down lifts under high winds or is that decision left to their discretion?

The decision to operate is left up to the ski area operators. Modern lifts use wind speed and direction equipment that is connected to the control circuits so that at a certain threshold the lift is slowed or stopped automatically. These systems rely on the operators to program the thresholds based on their observations, so the system is improving any time there is added input.

When a ski lift is shut for any reason does it need to be re-inspected before it opens?

In a situation like (Pats Peak), where there was a rope evacuation, the lift will be re-inspected prior to carrying passengers. Our inspector has inspected the lift and it is cleared to operate at their discretion. (The Peak Triple has reopened.)