Image Credit: 9News

Vail, Colorado — Last week marked a somber milestone for Colorado’s ski industry & Vail Mountain.

Last week was the 50th anniversary of the Vail gondola accident. On March 26, 1976, a disengaged wire led two cabins to crash 125 feet to the ground. This resulted in four deaths and eight injuries. The rest of the passenger cabins, some of which had derailed, were left hanging in the air. The ski patrollers pulled off a legendary rescue, saving 176 people from the dangling cabins.

To tell the story of this tragedy, 9News premiered a new video series last week that interviews three individuals who survived the incident. After the Fall tells the story of those whose story hasn’t really been told publicly until now.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Vail Resorts issued the following statement to 9News regarding the tragedy:

“The 1976 tragedy remains a solemn moment in Vail Mountain’s history, and our thoughts are with all of those who were affected. This event resulted in updates to the 1965 Passenger Tramway Safety Act that have had a lasting impact on the safe operation of tramways across Colorado and the broader ski industry. Vail Mountain is committed to safety, and today is a leader in lift maintenance and safety standards across the industry.”

For more information on the Vail gondola tragedy, check out 9News reporting on the matter here.

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Image/Video Credits: 9News

Born and raised in New Hampshire, Ian Wood became passionate about the ski industry while learning to ski at Mt. Sunapee. In high school, he became a ski patroller at Proctor Ski Area. He travelled out...