Mount Sima's chairlift should reopen next Thursday.

Craig Hougen, president of the Great Northern Ski Society (which oversees the hill's operations), said the problem has been identified. Testing the repairs began Wednesday and will

continue through to next week.

"I got word late (Wednesday) that they found the problem. Yesterday, they did a temporary fix to kind of prove the problem, and everything ran as it should,”

Hougen said, adding that consultants Superior Tramways of Seattle confirmed the problem and solution.

"The worst thing to do is try and find a fault that's kind of illusive, where you think you've got the problem solved and things are running. But in this case, when it's so clearly and simply the issue, it's a great relief, because the solution is simple and we're fixed.

"It's absolutely, clearly, 100 per cent identified as the issue.”

Sima opened the T-bar and rope tow lifts yesterday for the first time since last Saturday, and will be opened through to Sunday – with tickets at half-price.

"Because we have half the facility running, so to speak, we're offering tickets at half price until the chair resumes,” Hougen said.

"I think people that want to ski are going to ski. We've had a little bit of snow, and there's no reason for us not to open. We still have two lifts and our younger skiers still have the bunny hill.”

On Dec. 4, Mount Sima's opening day for the 2010/2011 season, skiers and snowboarders had to be evacuated the chairlift – for the first time in the hill's 17-year history.

Quite a damper, particularly after a record snowfall last month prompted Sima's earliest ever opening.

The chairlift failed to restart when stopped briefly at 2:28 p.m. to help a young skier get on, a routine situation at the hill.

Investigations revealed that a fault occurred in the electrical cable connecting two control panels, resulting in two circuit boards to fail, which then automatically engaged all safety systems tied into the lift.

"However, we still didn't start it until we identified the electrical (problem) that caused the burning of the cards,” Hougen said.

One of those safety systems also prevented the backup diesel motor to start.

Without power to the control panel, Sima's technical staff had no way of determining which safety systems were working.

At 2:43 p.m., Sima's outdoor operations manager Jodie McCutcheon decided to evacuate the lift.

Hougen said Sima doesn't know why the failure happened at that moment.

"We can speculate that when the lift stopped for the young skier to get on, it caused some kind of vibration though the system and a wire shorted,” he said, adding of Wednesday's revelation:

"As soon as they identified the problem, they re-routed the wire around the short, all the lights came on the panel, the generator started immediately and we ran the chair.

"It was basically a short in the system, so we're going to replace a cable, and the chances of that happening are extremely remote. You never say never, but extremely remote.”

A replacement electrical cable and additional spare circuit boards have been ordered and will be installed and tested prior to opening next Thursday.

All safety systems, electrical systems and mechanical systems, including the diesel backup, will also be thoroughly tested prior to opening, Hougen said.

"Even if we could open this weekend, we won't open until all these new initiatives are complete.

We've learned from the experience; we know now we need to have some kind of safety equipment on the chairs. So even if we could start this weekend, we wouldn't start, until the additional safety equipment is installed.”

The incident has also led to improved safety procedures, which include guest communications, evacuation procedures and facilities, training and equipment improvements, Hougen added.

Guest communications during incident:

• Improved communications with all guests at Sima, including those on the lift and those on the ground, as to what has occurred and what to expect as the emergency plan is executed.

Evacuation procedures:

• During evacuation, all hill operations to be shut down, including T-Bar/Rope Tow, to ensure the safety of on-hill guests and allow all resources to be focused on the incident;

• Ensure adequate night lighting for evacuation procedures;

• Initiate head counts on the lift at the time of evacuation to manage numbers and ensure all are accounted for; and

• All evacuated skiers that choose to ski out must use buddy system.

Facilities, training and equipment improvements:

• Enhanced training and practice including the use of rope throwing devices to get the rope over the cable more easily; and

• Each chair lift will have an emergency kit attached to the bottom, containing blankets, hot shots and glow sticks.

The above changes will be in place prior to opening the chair lift on Thursday, Hougen noted.

"When we open next Thursday again with the chair, we will be even better prepared to handle any eventuality.

"We've learned from the evacuation last weekend; we've improved 40 or 50 different procedures or processes, and are even better prepared for any eventuality in the future.

"We've instituted a whole series of improvements in our process and procedure and communications.”

Sima started work 6 a.m. Sunday morning, Hougen pointed out.

"Rigorous repairs and rigorous testing will be complete prior to opening (the chair lift) next Thursday,” he said.

"We're doing everything with absolute haste, in terms of ordering parts.

"All that equipment has been ordered by airfreight as well. That all will be installed prior to operation.”

Added Hougen: "What we want to do now is look forward. We've got a great snow year, we've got the whole winter to look forward to, so we're excited for the future.”