Group Stuck Overnight In Aerial Tram Car

Above, a tram car of the Jackson Hole Aerial Tramway. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

After having been on the Jackson Hole Aerial Tramway in Jackson, Wyoming in 2019, I can only imagine how miserable it must have been for 21 people stuck overnight in a similar tram car at Sandia Peak Tramway this weekend near Albuquerque.

According to KOAT:

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Twenty-one Sandia Peak Tram and Ten 3 employees spent their New Year’s Eve and most of New Year’s Day trapped inside a Tram car.

Sandia Peak Tramway general manager Michael Donovan told KOAT the group was on the Tram’s last trip down Friday when operators had to stop the tram because of “severe icing due to the moisture and cold temperature that affected the emergency cable.”

“That cable actually dropped down within the system, and it was not safe to operate. So, we had to cease operations due to the high winds and the icing and unfortunately stranded,” he said.

Donovan said the group did have water, food and space blankets aboard the Tram.

Rescue crews were able to rescue most of the group Saturday afternoon, but had to cease operations around 1 p.m because of weather in the area. But by 4 p.m. everyone was off the Tram and safe on the base.

Nothing like starting the new year on a high note.

While it was good the stranded passengers had food, water and blankets, what about toilet needs? Wonder how that was dealt with?

To read more, go here.