Jeffrey Zinne, 37, was riding alone in a three-person chair that carries skiers up the mountain when he fell from an unspecified height.
Jeffrey Zinne, 37, was riding alone in a three-person chair that carries skiers up the mountain when he fell from an unspecified height.
A 37-year-old man has died after falling from a chairlift that was having a mechanical problem at a Montana ski resort.
According to local authorities, Jeffrey Zinne of Billings was riding alone in a three-person chair that carries skiers up the mountain when he fell from an unspecified height.
The accident happened on March 10 just before noon at the ski resort in the Beartooth Mountains.
Zinne was taken to a Billings hospital where he was pronounced dead early Wednesday from the injuries he suffered in the fall, according to Carbon County Sheriff Josh McQuillan and Rich Hoffman with the Yellowstone County Coroner’s Office.
Red Lodge Mountain spokesperson Troy Hawks told the Associated Press that the chairlift, known as the Triple Chair, was stopped after the accident.
Hawks added that more than 100 people who were on it at the time were evacuated by ski patrollers who used ropes to lower them to the ground.
Hawks said that the lift, which was built in 1983, had a mechanical problem at the time of the incident but declined to comment further on the situation and said the circumstances were being investigated.
“Weather conditions and the victim’s actions are also being looked at,” Hawks said, adding that the chairlift will remain shut down until an engineer fully assesses it.
On the morning of the accident, some other chairlifts at Red Lodge Mountain were not operating because of high winds.
In a statement on March 11, Red Lodge Mountain said, “Yesterday was an unfortunate day at Red Lodge Mountain as a guest was injured as the result of a chair lift incident.”
“We place a top priority on the safety of all our lifts and lift operations, and perform daily, weekly, monthly, and annual safety measures to better ensure the safe operation of our lifts,” they wrote in the statement.
“The Triple Chair will remain closed this morning as we continue to investigate the incident and will reopen only when we can ensure the continued safe operation of the lift,” they added.
0:39
Video captures skier being lowered from chairlift at Vermont ski resort after malfunction
Zinne, who was snowboarding Monday at the Red Lodge Mountain prior to his accident, was married with a 2-year-old son and owned the Montana Air Cartage freight hauling company, according to a post on a GoFundMe fundraising site set up on his family’s behalf.
“Jeff was a devoted husband to his loving wife, Meghan, and a caring father to his 2-year-old son. His passion for life, infectious laughter, and kind-hearted nature touched everyone around him,” the GoFundMe organizer Esther Jensen wrote.
“He was a man who always put others first, whether it was supporting his family, being there for his friends, or bringing joy to those lucky enough to spend time with him.”
The fundraising page is raising funds for Zinne’s wife and son as they navigate this difficult time. The GoFundMe page has raised over $26,000. It has a goal of raising $30,000.
“They are facing not only the overwhelming grief of losing Jeff but also the financial burdens that come with such an unexpected tragedy. We are asking for your support during this painful time,” Jensen added.
The page also notes that all funds raised “will go directly to his wife and son to help with funeral costs and medical expenses.”
“If you cannot contribute financially, please keep Jeff’s family, friends, business, and all who were impacted by his beautiful spirit in your thoughts and prayers,” Jensen wrote.
In an update on the post, the organizer said that Zinne “spent his final moments donating his precious organs.”
“In lieu of more flowers I ask that you just take your most beloved and go for a drive to the mountains. Nye was always our favorite spot,” Zinne’s wife Meghan added.
2:33
Over 100 skiers rescued off broken chairlift in Montana in daring mid-air rescue
Fatal lift accidents at ski areas are relatively rare, according to the National Ski Areas Association. Between 1956 and 2024, 35 people died in accidents involving chairlifts and aerial ropeways. Sixteen of the deaths were linked to mechanical malfunctions, according to data collected by the group.
The latest death during that time period was in 2020, when a 46-year-old man died at Colorado’s Vail resort after his coat got entangled in part of the chairlift, making him unable to breathe.
“The coat ended up going around his head and neck area, putting his neck in a position that compromised his airway,” Eagle County Coroner Kara Bettis told the Vail Daily newspaper. She says the official cause of death was positional asphyxia.
— With files from The Associated Press
© 2025 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.