A recent ski lift malfunction at General’s Mountain ski resort in Xinjiang Province, China, was caught on video, and the footage is straight out of a nightmare.
The malfunction occurred when a lift cable abruptly stopped, resulting in a frightening scene where riders were catapulted up and down, with their chairs swinging wildly side-to-side at heights of nearly 40 feet. Skiers were seen desperately clinging to their chairs.
One skier described the experience as akin to being on a rollercoaster but fraught with real danger. “The chair was swinging in all directions, I almost got flung off,” they reported. Despite the terrifying ordeal, it’s a relief to note that all skiers were safely evacuated before the lift was shut down for a two-day repair period. The malfunction was attributed to the extreme cold weather conditions.
This December has seen record-breaking cold temperatures across China, with Northern regions grappling with a historic deep freeze. Beijing’s weather observatory reported over 300 hours of sub-zero temperatures in less than two weeks, marking it as the coldest December since 1951. This extreme weather has not only impacted ski resorts but also led to significant disruptions in transportation, including a subway collision in heavy snow that injured over 500 commuters.
Meanwhile, in a stark contrast to China’s frigid conditions, European ski resorts are experiencing delays due to unseasonably warm weather. In the French Alps, heavy rainfall forced closures of slopes until just days before Christmas, highlighting the diverse and challenging weather conditions facing ski enthusiasts globally.
As we witness these extreme weather events, it’s a reminder of the unpredictability and power of nature, and the importance of safety and preparedness in all skiing adventures.