Two Weeks After Stranding 48 People, Cannon Mountain Tram Reopens
FRANCONIA, N.H. (AP) — New Hampshire's Cannon Mountain Aerial Tramway is reopening after a mechanical problem on Valentine's Day led to 48 people being rescued when two trams got stuck 40 feet off the ground in subzero temperatures.
The tramway cars, which can carry 70 passengers to the mountain's scenic summit, reopened Saturday after repairs to fix a shaft and the housing that had become fused together.
Related: Couple With Baby Rappelled To Safety From Cannon Mountain Tram
When one tram jolted to a stop Feb. 14, stalling a second tram, rescue crews helped rappel the 48 passengers to the slope below.
Cannon Mountain marketing director Greg Keeler said skiers were still able to reach the summit during the past two weeks via chairlifts. But the tramway attracts nonskiers to the peak of the 4,200-foot mountain for panoramic views of the White Mountains and Franconia Notch.
"Congestion really hasn't been a problem," Keeler said of operating for two weeks without the tram during the ski season. "It's a great thing that people love about Cannon, but we were able to get people where they needed to go without it."
Keeler said the tram was operated all day Friday to test it "and everything looks good." He said state inspectors on Friday also signed off on its operation.
A tramway has operated on Cannon Mountain since 1938.
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