Red Lodge, Montana — The legal dispute between a man killed on a chairlift during a heavy wind day and the ski resort has reached a conclusion.
KTVQ reports that the two parties have reached a “mutual resolution” regarding a lawsuit filed against Red Lodge Mountain. As part of the announcement, Red Lodge detailed safety upgrades made. The terms of the resolution were not disclosed.
The two sides also took the opportunity to clarify the events that led to the guest’s death. It was widely believed that Jeff Zinne fell to his death due to a heavy gust of wind. However, an investigation discovered that heavy winds led to a derailment of the haul rope on the Triple Chair. The equipment that held the haul rope collapsed on Jeff, leading to serious injuries before he fell to his death.
An official statement from Heenan & Cook Injury Accident Lawyers and Red Lodge Mountain is below.
“Red Lodge Mountain and Meghan Zinne have reached a mutual resolution of claims arising from the tragic events of 2025.
Together, the parties wish to clarify the circumstances surrounding this incident, as there has been significant public confusion.
While early reports suggested that Jeff was “blown off” or “fell from” a chairlift during a wind event, the findings of the investigation establish a different and agreed-upon sequence of events.
The investigation concluded that a severe wind event caused a derailment of the chairlift line, leading to a mechanical failure of equipment holding the chairlift rope, which collapsed and struck Jeff Zinne with great force.
Jeff sustained severe injuries as a result of this impact before ultimately falling to the ground.
Red Lodge Mountain and the Zinne family move forward with mutual respect and a shared commitment to honoring Jeff’s memory and improving safety at Red Lodge Mountain.
Since the tragic events of 2025, Red Lodge Mountain has taken steps to reinforce certain lift towers and to add additional anemometers along the chairlift involved in these events.
All parties recognize the profound loss suffered and the lasting impact of this tragedy. It is their hope that this resolution allows space for healing and a focus on the future, while never forgetting what was lost.
Out of respect for Jeff’s memory and for all those affected, no further details will be shared at this time.“
Future Lift Replacement
Outside of lift safety enhancements, it appears that Red Lodge is also planning to upgrade its infrastructure. This offseason, the Yellowstone Club is replacing a few of its chairlifts. One of these old chairlifts is heading to Red Lodge. This would likely replace the Triple Chair.
If installed, it would mark the fourth high-speed chairlift at Red Lodge. The most recent installation was the Stache Express, another used chairlift that came from Alta Ski Area.
Image/Video Credits: Red Lodge Mountain, Ben Eminger, Yellowstone Club Mountain Operations
