Mount Sima will reopen Thursday, though the chair lift won't be operating.

In a statement late this morning, officials said when the hill reopens for this week from Thursday to Sunday, tickets will be half-price with just the T-bar and rope tow operating.

On Saturday, Sima staff and volunteers had to evacuate the double chair lift when it wouldn't restart on either electrical or back-up diesel power after a routine stop to help a young skier onto the lift. The hill remained closed for the remainder of the weekend.

On Monday, Craig Hougen, president of the Great Northern Ski Society (which operates the hill), said officials were looking at exactly what happened, why it happened and ensuring the problem doesn't occur again before they would open the lift.

In this morning's statement, officials said the problem was with "a circuit board that failed on the main panel of the chair lift, activating an emergency shutdown sequence, preventing both the main electrical motor and diesel backup from re-starting.

"Investigations are continuing as to the cause of the circuit board failure. The chair lift will resume operation once the board is replaced and the reason for the failure is determined.”

Hougen also reiterated that safety for all Sima visitors is the hill's top priority, with staff working diligently to be open Thursday.

Updates on the chair lift operations will be posted on Sima's web site at www.mountsima.com or be available through the hill's snow line at 667-7547.

"As more information becomes available, Mount Sima will continue to share it with the public,” reads the statement.