Woman Rescued After Spending 15 Hours Trapped Inside a Ski Lift Gondola

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A woman who was snowboarding at Heavenly Ski Resort in Lake Tahoe was reported missing by her friends after a day on the slopes, only to be found 15 hours later trapped inside a ski lift gondola in below-freezing temps.
According to the Associated Press, Monica Laso had decided to ride the gondola down the mountain because she was too tired for one more run. However, the gondola stopped only minutes after she boarded it and became suspended in the sky. Despite yelling for help, nobody could hear her cries. Ms. Laso had no cell phone and couldn’t call for help either.

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For 15 hours, Ms. Laso had to rub her hands and feet together to fight off the frigid cold. According to the National Weather Service, the overnight low temperature was 23 degrees Fahrenheit. The woman was discovered in the gondola at 8:30 am on Friday after paramedics responded to the resort. Despite being trapped inside the gondola for 15 hours, Ms. Laso was responsive and alert and declined to be transported to the hospital.
Heavenly Mountain Resort is currently investigating how the woman got trapped and is taking this matter seriously. Tom Fortune, the resort’s vice president and chief operating officer, has stated that the safety and well-being of their guests is their top priority at Heavenly Mountain Resort.