Scott Hayes | [email protected]
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
When the Banff Gondola experienced a power outage due to an electrical storm two weeks ago, it was not unheard of.
"We encountered a very similar situation a few years back," said Todd Noble, general manager of the Jasper SkyTram. "It sounds very similar to what Banff experienced where the lift system itself was compromised."
On Aug. 7, a passing electrical storm knocked out the power to the Banff Gondola. As many as 500 people were stuck overnight at the Above Banff interpretive centre at the summit of Sulphur Mountain.
Passengers stuck in the gondolas were assisted first that evening. Some visitors hiked the 5.5-hour trail down to the bottom, while Parks Canada helicopters were able to ferry all the remaining people at the top before noon the following day.
Noble said the Jasper SkyTram has generators to mitigate for electrical issues, but even that doesn't solve every problem.
A few years ago, a late-June storm caused a pair of power spikes, which knocked out a primary circuit board for the highest and longest guided aerial tramway in Canada.
The operation has both a full backup generator that powers the lower station and the machinery as well as a backup generator for the upper station at the top. Neither of these were useful since the circuit board was down.
Staff couldn't get the tram cars running again, so they activated the evacuation plan.
Fifty people spent the night at the top of Whistlers Mountain before helicopters came in from Hinton to get them back to ground level.
If the system itself is compromised, the SkyTram has an evacuation system, which is used to complete the run so tram cars can get to one of either end points.
"The evac system is there to complete the run to allow people to disembark," Noble said. "It's just to clear the line."
That's why the SkyTram has a protocol for passing weather systems.
"You shut the line down and you ground out the lift and you wait," Noble said.
The SkyTram also has a lightning detection system that it monitors to prepare itself in advance. They preemptively shut down the tram cars as staff deem necessary in such situations.
"There's only so much you can do in terms of preparing for all the what-ifs but we have a very similar approach in that regard,” Noble said. “It's just a matter of doing the best you can."
Noble also suggested that people fully read the SkyTram pass. It has an advisory of the possibilities of extreme or variable weather that can happen during people's visits up and down Whistlers Mountain.
