Kid Falls Off Of Chair Lift 45+ Feet

Below is the ‘About’ provided with the video. 

I was skiing when my friend gets off balance and ends up hanging from the chair. He did not have the security bar down. He hung from about Pole 8 to 21, and at 21 he fell. This was on a lift that averages 37ft above the ground, But pole 21 was the 3rd highest strech at about 45ft high, 19 being the highest. He suffered from injuries including: concussion, skull fracture, collapsed lung, and a lacerated liver.

He had to be helicoptered out to a local hospital.

63 Comments

  1. +1 Vote -1 Vote +1Cami
    says:

    where was this?! poor kid!

    Reply
  2. +3 Vote -1 Vote +1Choogmeister Flash
    says:

    What mountain?

    Reply
  3. Vote -1 Vote +1kudos
    says:

    Kudos to Unofficial for sharing this and similar posts about accidents. Viewers will pass blame but the bottom line is that people need to know that this is a risk.

    Reply
  4. +28 Vote -1 Vote +1jdubx
    says:

    how do you lose your balance sitting on your ass?

    Reply
  5. +2 Vote -1 Vote +1bobdobalina
    says:

    Ski Santa Fe is the mountain. We gotta make the news some how. I think the kid was born and raised.

    Reply
  6. +4 Vote -1 Vote +1matt
    says:

    because people think theyre “too cool” for it, or ive even almost slipped through because the chair was covered in soft powder/slippery. its a possibility and most people think theyre invincible. That could have been the worst possible way to land also. Hope he’ll be okay

    Reply
    • +8 Vote -1 Vote +1Phil
      says:

      Or because we are capable of sitting on a chair without falling off. its not that difficult. When was the last time you were watching tv and fell off the couch.

      Reply
  7. -1 Vote -1 Vote +1Buzz Killington
    says:

    WOW

    Reply
  8. +6 Vote -1 Vote +1Anonymous
    says:

    who is too cool to put the bar down now?

    Reply
  9. +24 Vote -1 Vote +1JacksonAHole
    says:

    somebody should teach that kid how to do a pullup

    Reply
  10. Vote -1 Vote +1SKI OR FORGET IT
    says:

    jesus. that blows.

    Reply
  11. +12 Vote -1 Vote +1WARider
    says:

    where are/is his skis/board??

    Reply
  12. Vote -1 Vote +1Sman
    says:

    Holy crap! Safety bar or not I’d say we’ve all taken our fair share of chairlifts rides with no bar…. That’s just crazy man. He had to be scared outta his mind. Really hope patrol got to him fast and he is ok.

    Reply
  13. Vote -1 Vote +1Dinglesnowberry
    says:

    Where was his equipment?

    Reply
  14. Vote -1 Vote +1Hugh Jorgan
    says:

    No skis or board on. Possibly messing with his gear?

    Reply
  15. Vote -1 Vote +1Afrojive
    says:

    First off all what happened to this guy’s gear? Second what caused him to slip off, icy chair, not paying attention?

    This is in Santa Fe on the Millennium chair. This run is called columbine. If he would have held on for a few more seconds, he would have fallen on a cat walk.

    Hope he pulls though ok. What a nightmare.

    Reply
  16. +3 Vote -1 Vote +1Crazy
    says:

    Is there someone else on that chair too!? They’re wearing white pants so I can barely tell, but I think there is somebody. That’s even worse they couldn’t help him back up

    Reply
    • Vote -1 Vote +1intBCpow
      says:

      Yes there is definitely someone on the chair with him! Why did they not help!!! It almost looks like a women, but either way.

      Reply
  17. +3 Vote -1 Vote +1Heavy
    says:

    Was actually just made fun of this past weekend for wanting to put the Red Dog bar down. For what ever reasons in my old age lifts scare me more than they used to…

    Reply
    • -1 Vote -1 Vote +1true
      says:

      I’m only 26 and I’m getting more spooked of lifts now, my riding has gotten better and steep slopes don’t get to me. But I hate thinking of that one wire holding everything together. That gondola ride at Squaw for some reason, no thanks. Can’t imagine places like Chamonix..

      Reply
    • +2 Vote -1 Vote +1Powdigger
      says:

      Red Dog has that effect on many people. Got stuck on that chair over the highest part in 2001 for 20min. Wow something about that chair! I put the bar down on Red Dog.

      Reply
  18. -3 Vote -1 Vote +1EchoTony
    says:

    Ouch. That’s gonna leave a mark….

    I have no issue with people who don’t use the safety bar as adults. Kids, it’s a must. Stupid folks should consider using the bar too.

    At Mammoth, there are a few lifts with out a safety bar. Chair 23 is the best… super high, steep, good times….
    http://forums.mammothmountain.com/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=15023&start=30

    Reply
    • +6 Vote -1 Vote +14 Evergreen
      says:

      None of Baker’s chairs have bars and it has tons of wet slippery snow. Baker is dangerous don’t go there.

      Reply
    • Vote -1 Vote +1Skier4life
      says:

      What! 2 thumbs down?

      You nailed it on what is important. Kids should always be taught to be responsible so they grow up to be responsible adults. Adults that can access any situation, even if they are near blackout from Jack, can calmly put the bar down for their safety, knowing full well on a regular sober day they would never use the useless safety bars.

      And of course we have the stupid people. They just need to be reminded they need their hands held when doing anything in their lives. Until the day their luck runs out and they die as a result of their stupidity. Funny how that’s just the way life works.

      In all I feel bad for the kid, one of my worst nightmares, and I hope he recovers fully from his injuries.

      (Lesson learned Kid? More like a lesson to us all.)

      Reply
  19. Vote -1 Vote +1anonymous coward
    says:

    Dudes, this is in New Mexico! UN has an obsession with NM recently lol

    Reply
  20. +3 Vote -1 Vote +1CCC
    says:

    It’s not a safety bar. It’s a footrest.

    Reply
  21. +2 Vote -1 Vote +1710
    says:

    I will set out on a quest to make bars more conveiient and comfortable for all!

    Reply
  22. Vote -1 Vote +1ShredZgnar
    says:

    I never use the safety bar when its there and the chairs its on are safe and steady… on the other hand skibowls double chairs (all of them) have no safety bar and can get to swinging especially if solo. If your on a swinger better hold on tight when you pass the lift towers with a good swing you can actually chair bonk several towers. Upper bowl would have some nasty drops. I could definitely see this happening to someone even trying to play it safe.
    Ok so CCC has a point when the front foot is sore and the back foot is lazy the safety bar makes a good footrest.

    Reply
  23. Vote -1 Vote +1Jerry
    says:

    FYI to guy who wrote this up and for all you, for legal reasons its called the “courtesy” bar not that safety or security bar..

    Reply
    • Vote -1 Vote +1johnnygaper
      says:

      aaaactually… it is called a safety bar, depending on what mountain you are at. I know because I saw the sign on the mountain today that says “raise safety bar”. I saw this because I’m part of the minority on this website that actually skis.

      Reply
  24. +2 Vote -1 Vote +1Ski Bum
    says:

    Like we tell the kids, “Sit back, hold on, no fooling around”. The safety bar should always be down after saying, “bar down”. The exception is with toddlers.
    This looks odd because the rider has no skis or board. Doubtful it’s staged, like with a dummy or something, but if it’s real, that must of hurt!!!!!

    Reply
  25. -4 Vote -1 Vote +1Yobrobra
    says:

    My tattoo says dude your tattoo says weak.

    Reply
  26. -1 Vote -1 Vote +1donybrook
    says:

    A discussion on unofficial without the haters and idiotic comments. Lets keep it up

    Reply
    • Vote -1 Vote +1Ski Bum
      says:

      I think you spoke to soon. Read below. It gets back to the normal hating and idiotic comments. I was hopeful for a while too. Alas…

      Reply
  27. Vote -1 Vote +1Drag Knucks
    says:

    For snowboarders the “footrest” bar is often torture, unless you have at least two seats to yourself…

    Reply
    • +1 Vote -1 Vote +1Esteban
      says:

      What other accommodations can we make for you clowns? Need your own specific snowboard chairs so you have plenty of room and can use the bar and footrest? How bout your own ski (?) area?
      Get a grip, cod boy. Learn how to use the lift or just stay away

      Reply
  28. +1 Vote -1 Vote +1Rip Van Winkle
    says:

    Someone didn’t get the Presidential Fitness Award…. zero pullups.

    Reply
  29. Vote -1 Vote +1Drewcious
    says:

    This was up at Santa Fe in NM. I live an hour away from this mountain and ride it many times a year. I know exactly where this kid fell. A VERY rocky glade going up to the highest peak and there hasnt been much snow this year there. Hes lucky he didnt die because of those conditions but that still sucks.

    Reply
  30. +1 Vote -1 Vote +1holonsnow
    says:

    also theyre called comfort bars…..not safety

    Reply
  31. Vote -1 Vote +1Tom A. Hawking
    says:

    If you put the bar down you are a gaper. If you don’t know what happened to his gear you are a gaper. If you think riding a chairlift is somehow risky or dangerous then you are just a complete moron. If you are reading this right now and thinking “well I put the bar down but I’m not a gaper” … newsflash: you are a gaper. go back to the baaaaay!

    Reply
  32. +1 Vote -1 Vote +1Ski Bum
    says:

    Here’s the story from the local paper:

    “Basically, the kid is home and he is fine,” Cody Sheppard, the ski patrol director at Ski Santa Fe, told the Santa Fe New Mexican. “It was kind of a dramatic deal. I guess he was attempting to throw a snowball to the chair in front of him, where some friends were, and when he threw the snowball, the momentum just carried him out of the chair. He did hang on for a while, but then he had to drop.”

    Sheppard did not identify the teen but said he was airlifted via helicopter to a local hospital.

    The footage was uploaded by a YouTube user named TriipyHD, who stated that among injuries sustained were a “concussion, skull fracture, collapsed lung, and a lacerated liver.”

    Sheppard, however, said none of the injuries required surgery.

    “They kept him for observation for a couple of days, and then he was released,” the patrol director said. “I’d probably shatter. There is something about being young and flexible, I guess, and just lucky the way you land.”

    Reply
  33. Vote -1 Vote +1DOUG
    says:

    HE WAS HAVING A SNOWBALL FIGHT WITH FRIENDS AND HAD AN ACCIDENT! GOES TO SAY DON’T EFF AROUND ON THE CHAIRLIFT. I LIVE HERE IN SANTA FE AND THAT IS THE WORD.

    Reply

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