One Dead, One Injured After Chairlift accident at Mt. Hood Skibowl

One person is dead and another critically injured after a maintenance basket fell from a chairlift at Mt. Hood Skibowl on Wednesday morning, according to the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office.

Shortly before 9:30 a.m. on April 30, 2026, a 911 caller reported that a maintenance basket had fallen from the upper-bowl chairlift into rugged terrain at Ski Bowl East. Two employees were inside the basket at the time of the fall and suffered traumatic injuries. One was reported to be unconscious.

A third person on scene began administering CPR before emergency responders arrived.

Multi-Agency Response

Clackamas County Sheriff's Office Deputies, Hoodland Fire, Clackamas Fire, American Medical Response, Sheriff's Office Search and Rescue volunteers, and U.S. Forest Service law enforcement responded to the incident. A command post was established at the base of Ski Bowl East.

Medics reached the patients shortly after 10:00 a.m. in the rugged terrain where the basket had fallen. One person was conscious and breathing. The second patient did not have a pulse.

Despite lifesaving efforts at the scene, that person was pronounced dead. The Clackamas County Medical Examiner's Office responded to recover the deceased.

The injured patient was transported by Life Flight air ambulance to a local hospital for treatment. The extent of their injuries and current condition have not been disclosed.

Investigation Underway

The incident is being investigated as a workplace death, and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has been notified. OSHA typically investigates workplace fatalities to determine if safety violations contributed to the incident.

The Sheriff's Office stated that no additional information is available at this time. The name of the deceased will be released after family members have been notified.

Mt. Hood Skibowl has not issued a public statement about the incident or whether it will affect operations. The ski area typically operates through early May, weather permitting.

Maintenance work on chairlifts often involves workers ascending in specialized baskets or platforms to inspect, repair, or service lift components. The cause of the basket's fall remains under investigation.

This is a developing story.