Skip to content

Chairlift malfunction still under investigation

A delayed arrival of an electrical engineer has left the state of Mt. Sima's chairlift, and whether it will open this weekend, up in the air.

A delayed arrival of an electrical engineer has left the state of Mt. Sima’s chairlift, and whether it will open this weekend, up in the air.

The specialist, recommended by the chairlift’s electronics manufacturer, sent up from California this week to find the problem, was supposed to arrive last week but only arrived on Wednesday having encountered logistical problems and holdups with Canadian customs.

“He was supposed to arrive (last) Friday, but that didn’t happen because the parts weren’t going to get here until Tuesday - they were coming from somewhere else,” said Craig Hougen, president of the Great Northern Ski Society, which oversees Sima’s operations.

“So he changed his reservations to Tuesday, but when he got to customs in Vancouver, coming from the US, they held him up and he missed his flight.

“He was (at Sima) yesterday and today, and they’re working through the electronics. He’s troubleshooting the electronics.”

Sima’s lone chairlift was most recently shutdown on January 8 when operators noticed fluctuations in speed. It was shutdown for the same reason over the Christmas break.

Its third shutdown this season, the chairlift broke down on Sima’s season opener in December. Unable to start the backup motor, Sima was forced to conduct its first chairlift evacuation in its 17-year history.

“They have eliminated some things they thought it might be, but they haven’t gone through the full list of things they’re looking for,” said Hougen on Thursday.

The resort will be open this weekend with its T-bar and rope-tow operating. With the chairlift status still touch-and-go, for up to date information Hougen recommends calling Sima’s Snow Line, which is updated daily, at (867) 667-7547.

Contact Tom Patrick at tomp@yukon-news.com