Gondola Cabin Falls at Kicking Horse Mountain Resort, Investigation Underway
A gondola cabin at Kicking Horse Mountain Resort in Golden, B.C. fell to the ground on March 10, 2025, leading to an emergency response and a temporary resort shutdown.
Incident Details
The accident occurred at 9:20 AM MT on the Golden Eagle Express Gondola, one of the resort’s main ski lifts. According to witness Scott Wilson, the cabin fell about three meters just after it was loaded with passengers.
Technical Safety B.C., the regulatory body overseeing ski lift safety, confirmed that only minor injuries were reported. However, officials have launched an investigation to determine the cause of the malfunction.
Rescue and Response
Resort patrol teams and emergency responders quickly arrived at the scene. Bystanders called 911, and ski resort staff worked to evacuate trapped passengers from the fallen gondola.
Eyewitness reports indicated that the gondola doors opened during the fall, but occupants remained inside until help arrived. Skiers stranded in other gondolas were later rescued, with some requiring rope extractions and helicopter evacuations from higher elevations.
Resort Closure and Investigation
Following the incident, Kicking Horse Mountain Resort closed all operations for the remainder of the day. The Golden Eagle Express gondola remains closed until further notice as teams conduct a full safety inspection.
Resorts of the Canadian Rockies (RCR), the company that owns Kicking Horse, also operates Fernie, Kimberley, and Nakiska ski resorts. This is not the first gondola-related accident under its management—Mont-Sainte-Anne in Quebec experienced a similar gondola fall in 2023, later attributed to human error.
Ongoing Safety Review
Technical Safety B.C. is collaborating with the resort’s management, gondola manufacturer, and other industry experts to assess the cause of the accident. The organization ensures the safe installation and operation of ski lifts across British Columbia.
In a statement, Technical Safety B.C. emphasized that a full investigation is underway, and more information will be released once findings are confirmed.
Impact on Skiers and Resort Operations
The accident happened on a busy morning, as fresh snowfall had attracted a large number of skiers. Many had taken time off work to hit the slopes, only to face unexpected disruptions.
The Kicking Horse website states that each gondola cabin can carry up to eight people over a 3,400-meter ride that lasts approximately 12 minutes. Resort officials have not disclosed the number of passengers in the affected cabin at the time of the fall.
The ski resort has yet to announce when normal operations will resume. Skiers and visitors are advised to check Kicking Horse Mountain Resort’s website for further updates.
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