Malfunction causes gondola evacuation at Winter Park

Officials called for a rope evacuation at the popular Winter Park Ski Resort today after a component of the gondola failed.

Winter Park confirmed the rocker arm connecting two sections of tower one cracked and bent Saturday. Videos online showed guests in cable cars using ropes to reach the ground. No injuries were reported.

Winter Park says about 174 people were on the gondola and needed to be evacuated. By 4:30 p.m., a resort spokesperson said the evacuations were almost complete.

"Winter Park Ski Patrol are an incredible group," Derek Petrie, who was at Winter Park during the incident, told CBS News Colorado. "They worked quickly and with a calm professionalism to get dozens of people down the mountain. Heroes!"

The gondola offers a ride up to an elevation of 10,700 feet offering views of the Continental Divide and the Fraser Valley. About 67 miles from Denver, Winter Park sees nearly 1 million visitors a year. The resort is a popular ski vacation destination for families.

It is not yet known how long repairs to the gondola will take.