Thank you for visiting us! Eldora has made silent changes to their policies. There are no laws in Colorado to stop ski resorts from putting small children on chairlifts alone without safety bars. Please see our updated petition to address this issue.
https://www.ipetitions.com/petition/ChildSkiSafety
We are a group of passionate parents and caretakers who value outdoor adventure. We want our children to develop a love for skiing. We understand that there is inherent risk in skiing. We also understand that Eldora’s current lift policy and day-to-day practices place our children at unreasonable and unnecessary risk. We represent parents and caretakers who currently have their children in Eldora ski school, have previously had their children in Eldora ski school, or would like to have their children in Eldora ski school if the ski lift policy were changed to ensure the safety of our children.
A six-year-old girl was hospitalized after falling from the Sundance ski lift on Eldora Mountain Resort on Sunday, February 24, 2019. At the time of the fall, the girl was participating in an official ski school lesson, was unaccompanied by an adult on the lift, and was riding a lift without a safety bar. Eyewitnesses reported that they were screaming at the lift conductor to stop the lift as they saw that the child had not been loaded properly. Had the lift been stopped, her fall would have been far shorter.
We understand that currently children ages 6 and under regularly ride lifts unaccompanied by an adult with no safety bar during Eldora ski school lessons. We would like Eldora to update their lift policy to be aligned with leading Colorado ski areas, and commit to enforcing the updated policy.
We ask that Eldora Mountain Resort make the following IMMEDIATE changes (before Eldorables ski lessons resume on Thursday, February 28, 2019):
1) The current policy states: “When riding a lift all students aged 6 and under and less than 48” tall must be accompanied by an adult when available.” We would like this to be changed to: “When riding a lift all students aged 6 and under and less than 48” tall must be accompanied by an adult.” While we understand that this may slow down the pace of lessons, we believe that safety is the first priority for young children.
The current policy states: “Students over 6 years old and 48” or taller must be capable of riding the lift safely to ride with another student aged 6 and at least 48” tall. Otherwise, they must ride with an adult when available.” We would like this to be changed to: “Students over 6 years old and 48” or taller must be capable of riding the lift safely in order to ride with another student aged 6 and at least 48” tall. Otherwise, they must ride with an adult.”
2) We ask that Eldora commit to enforcing the updated policy, and immediately train all of its ski school instructors in how to do so.
3) We ask that if a responsible adult is not present, parents have the option to ride the lift with their child for no additional lift ticket fee. If the ski school is not able to keep our children safe, we would like the opportunity to do so.
5) We ask that all chairlift operators are fully trained in how to safely load and unload children.
6) We ask that Eldora management commit to an ongoing relationship with Parents for a Safe Eldora to continue communication on keeping our children safe.
We ask that Eldora Mountain Resort make the following near-term changes as quickly as possible:
1) Install safety bars on all lifts.
2) Revise Eldora policies after conducting a full review of best practices (from other ski resorts) in ski school and lift safety.
3) Re-train all lift operators in best practices for safely loading and unloading children.
We have had previously positive experiences at Eldora and love having a family-oriented ski mountain so close to home. Our goal is simply to see Eldora adopt effective procedures and practices to keep our children safe.
- Parents for a Safe Eldora
Updates
March 12, 2019
we just hit 1,000 signatures which is honestly wild. im so glad so many people agree that kids on these lifts deserve better safety standards.
Reached 1,000 supporters
March 10, 2019
March 4, 2019
watching this momentum grow is honestly overwhelming and it proves how many of us are worried about these lift policies. reading through everyone stories has been so powerful because it shows we are all seeing the same dangers on the mountain.
Reached 100 supporters
February 27, 2019
February 24, 2019
we are almost at 100 signatures which is a huge deal for getting the resorts attention. grab your phone and send the link to a few parents you know so we can hit that number by tonight.
275 Comments
We had a similar issue and story from the ski school (documented in emails) and decided the ski area did not take ski safety seriously and moved our child to a magic carpet only group. Its unfortunate that the ski area knew about these concerns and did not act.
I hate that lift! I'm an adult, and even I feel better with a bar. I avoid using it with my two young skiers. In addition to having a bar, there should always be an adult with kids 6 and under! How would they even reach the bar to put it down? This is a common sense fix.
At other resorts, it is common for the instructor to ask a queuing adult to ride with a young skier. I’ve seen multiple incidences at eldora where this did not happen and the child rode alone. As a parent, this does make me nervous.
I was present when Eldora’s current (and insufficient) policy was violated last Thursday by a ski instructor who put two 5-year-olds alone on the lift, while the children told him their parents would not approve their riding without an adult.
Had a similar experience as I watched my then, 5 year old fall off the chair right after loading during a lesson. Thankfully I was watching, yelling and other adults were yelling as the next chair stopped right before hitting my child in the head.
My son is a 4yr old Eldorable and I’m really concerned with their lift safety. Specifically the requirement that children are accompanied by a staff member on every lift.
All chair lifts in the state should have safety bars. If cities can require your backyard deck to have a railing, why can't they require a simple safety bar on something that goes upwards of 50 feet in the air?
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Thank you for visiting us! Eldora has made silent changes to their policies. There are no laws in Colorado to stop ski resorts from putting small children on chairlifts alone without safety bars. Please see our updated petition to address this issue.
https://www.ipetitions.com/petition/ChildSkiSafety
We are a group of passionate parents and caretakers who value outdoor adventure. We want our children to develop a love for skiing. We understand that there is inherent risk in skiing. We also understand that Eldora’s current lift policy and day-to-day practices place our children at unreasonable and unnecessary risk. We represent parents and caretakers who currently have their children in Eldora ski school, have previously had their children in Eldora ski school, or would like to have their children in Eldora ski school if the ski lift policy were changed to ensure the safety of our children.
A six-year-old girl was hospitalized after falling from the Sundance ski lift on Eldora Mountain Resort on Sunday, February 24, 2019. At the time of the fall, the girl was participating in an official ski school lesson, was unaccompanied by an adult on the lift, and was riding a lift without a safety bar. Eyewitnesses reported that they were screaming at the lift conductor to stop the lift as they saw that the child had not been loaded properly. Had the lift been stopped, her fall would have been far shorter.
We understand that currently children ages 6 and under regularly ride lifts unaccompanied by an adult with no safety bar during Eldora ski school lessons. We would like Eldora to update their lift policy to be aligned with leading Colorado ski areas, and commit to enforcing the updated policy.
We ask that Eldora Mountain Resort make the following IMMEDIATE changes (before Eldorables ski lessons resume on Thursday, February 28, 2019):
1) The current policy states: “When riding a lift all students aged 6 and under and less than 48” tall must be accompanied by an adult when available.” We would like this to be changed to: “When riding a lift all students aged 6 and under and less than 48” tall must be accompanied by an adult.” While we understand that this may slow down the pace of lessons, we believe that safety is the first priority for young children.
The current policy states: “Students over 6 years old and 48” or taller must be capable of riding the lift safely to ride with another student aged 6 and at least 48” tall. Otherwise, they must ride with an adult when available.” We would like this to be changed to: “Students over 6 years old and 48” or taller must be capable of riding the lift safely in order to ride with another student aged 6 and at least 48” tall. Otherwise, they must ride with an adult.”
2) We ask that Eldora commit to enforcing the updated policy, and immediately train all of its ski school instructors in how to do so.
3) We ask that if a responsible adult is not present, parents have the option to ride the lift with their child for no additional lift ticket fee. If the ski school is not able to keep our children safe, we would like the opportunity to do so.
5) We ask that all chairlift operators are fully trained in how to safely load and unload children.
6) We ask that Eldora management commit to an ongoing relationship with Parents for a Safe Eldora to continue communication on keeping our children safe.
We ask that Eldora Mountain Resort make the following near-term changes as quickly as possible:
1) Install safety bars on all lifts.
2) Revise Eldora policies after conducting a full review of best practices (from other ski resorts) in ski school and lift safety.
3) Re-train all lift operators in best practices for safely loading and unloading children.
We have had previously positive experiences at Eldora and love having a family-oriented ski mountain so close to home. Our goal is simply to see Eldora adopt effective procedures and practices to keep our children safe.
- Parents for a Safe Eldora
Updates
March 12, 2019
we just hit 1,000 signatures which is honestly wild. im so glad so many people agree that kids on these lifts deserve better safety standards.
Reached 1,000 supporters
March 10, 2019
March 4, 2019
watching this momentum grow is honestly overwhelming and it proves how many of us are worried about these lift policies. reading through everyone stories has been so powerful because it shows we are all seeing the same dangers on the mountain.
Reached 100 supporters
February 27, 2019
February 24, 2019
we are almost at 100 signatures which is a huge deal for getting the resorts attention. grab your phone and send the link to a few parents you know so we can hit that number by tonight.
275 Comments
Eldora shouldn’t be able to hide behind ski law & waivers when they are negligent like this. Our lawmakers need to carve out exclusions to that law for instances like this when kids are allowed on chairlifts with no safety bars.
We had a similar issue and story from the ski school (documented in emails) and decided the ski area did not take ski safety seriously and moved our child to a magic carpet only group. Its unfortunate that the ski area knew about these concerns and did not act.
I hate that lift! I'm an adult, and even I feel better with a bar. I avoid using it with my two young skiers. In addition to having a bar, there should always be an adult with kids 6 and under! How would they even reach the bar to put it down? This is a common sense fix.
At other resorts, it is common for the instructor to ask a queuing adult to ride with a young skier. I’ve seen multiple incidences at eldora where this did not happen and the child rode alone. As a parent, this does make me nervous.
I was present when Eldora’s current (and insufficient) policy was violated last Thursday by a ski instructor who put two 5-year-olds alone on the lift, while the children told him their parents would not approve their riding without an adult.
Had a similar experience as I watched my then, 5 year old fall off the chair right after loading during a lesson. Thankfully I was watching, yelling and other adults were yelling as the next chair stopped right before hitting my child in the head.
My son is a 4yr old Eldorable and I’m really concerned with their lift safety. Specifically the requirement that children are accompanied by a staff member on every lift.
All chair lifts in the state should have safety bars. If cities can require your backyard deck to have a railing, why can't they require a simple safety bar on something that goes upwards of 50 feet in the air?
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Eldora shouldn’t be able to hide behind ski law & waivers when they are negligent like this. Our lawmakers need to carve out exclusions to that law for instances like this when kids are allowed on chairlifts with no safety bars.