Banff's Sulphur Mountain Gondola Breaks Down, Strands Dozens of Passengers

The Sulphur Mountain Gondola in Banff National Park broke down on Tuesday evening, stranding dozens of passengers. The gondola was carrying approximately 60 people when it stopped working at around 7:00 PM MST.

The passengers were evacuated from the gondolas by emergency crews and taken down the mountain on foot. The evacuation took several hours, and the last passengers were not off the mountain until after 10:00 PM MST.

The cause of the gondola breakdown is still under investigation. However, officials say that it appears to be a mechanical issue. The gondola has been shut down while the investigation is ongoing.

Pursuit, the tourism giant that owns the gondola along with many other attractions around the world, confirmed the problem was due to a power outage that struck the Banff, Alta., area at about 9 p.m. on Monday.

"We had several hundred guests up top and we also had guests on the gondola itself," said communications lead Mark Hendrikse on Tuesday.

"Our initial focus was to get the guests who were on the gondola down and we did within an hour."

Once all the guests were safe, he says they were able to assess the situation a bit better.

"Once we understood that it would be unlikely to bring them down, we started on making them comfortable, giving them food, beverages and whatever they needed to stay comfortable," Hendrikse said.

The Sulphur Mountain Gondola is a popular tourist attraction in Banff National Park. It provides stunning views of the surrounding mountains and glaciers. The gondola is also a popular way to access the Upper Hot Springs, which are located at the top of the mountain.

The breakdown of the gondola is a major inconvenience for tourists and locals alike. However, officials say that the gondola is safe and that it will be back in operation as soon as possible.

In the meantime, tourists and locals who want to visit Sulphur Mountain can hike to the top of the mountain. The hike is approximately 5.5 kilometers long and takes about 2 hours to complete.