Billings snowboarder's fatal chairlift fall blamed on 'agressive derailment'

Breckenridge Ski Resort, Vail Resorts sued over skier’s fatal chairlift fall

The wife of a skier who died after falling from a chairlift at Breckenridge Ski Resort is suing the company along with owner Vail Resorts, claiming negligence caused the man’s death. Veteran skier John Perucco, 60, was at Breckenridge with a friend on March 17, 2023, when he boarded the Zendo chairlift shortly after it opened, according to a complaint filed in Summit County District Court on Friday. Perucco, an Illinois resident, had 46 years of…

Hospitality industry hurting by half-open Red Lodge Mountain

The Red Lodge hospitality industry is feeling the effects of a half-open Red Lodge Mountain, following the death of 37-year-old snowboarder Jeff Zinne, who fell from the Triple Chair due to erratic winds last week that caused a chair malfunction. The mountain confirmed Tuesday that the winds knocked the cable off the tower, although the chair never was removed from the cable.Zinne's death has left a lasting impact on the entire community. "It's …

Red Lodge Mountain sheds more light on cause of fatal chairlift fall

Caught in swirling, powerful winds, a cable rope on the chairlift separated from the sheaves at the top of the tower, causing the rope and chair to drop and leading to the death of Billings snowboarder at Red Lodge Mountain last week, according to officials at the mountain.Mountain officials released new details Tuesday about the March 10 accident that killed 37-year-old Jeff Zinne, which was initially classified as an "unusually aggressive dera…

Red Lodge Mountain: Wind gust caused 'unusually aggressive derailment' that led to skier's death

RED LODGE - Officials at Red Lodge Mountain ski resort said Saturday the fatal chairlift accident was caused by an unexpectedly strong wind gust that resulted in an "unusually aggressive derailment."The finding followed an initial inspection of the chairlift by an independent professional lift inspector, the company said in a press release.Jeff Zinne, 37 of Billings, was injured Monday, March 10 when he was riding the Triple Chair at the resort …

Billings snowboarder's fatal chairlift fall blamed on 'aggressive derailment'

The website Lift Blog said the chair had deroped, which means the cable carrying the chairs — also called a haul rope — disengages from the wheels atop the towers.

Billings snowboarder's fatal chairlift fall blamed on 'agressive derailment'

The website Lift Blog said the chair had deroped, which means the cable carrying the chairs — also called a haul rope — disengages from the wheels atop the towers.