Photo: Mountain High Ski Patrol
Mountain High ski patrollers are asking for help after Southern California’s Bridge fire took two of its buildings and critical rescue equipment. According to a GoFundMe campaign set up by the ski patrollers themselves, they’re attempting to raise $25,000 to rebuild one of the patrol shacks. They’re also asking ski patrol units from other resorts to donate a toboggan and lift evacuation bag.
“It is almost unreal to see. The most recent fire destroyed two of our bump shacks at our West resort,” they wrote on social media last week. “The most devastating was REX. Our main bump shack. Where many memories have been made. Where candidates became ski patrollers. And where friends became family. We’ve lost all of our toboggans, lift evac bags, and much, much more.”
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The massive wildfire began on September 8 and at one point, lift cams streamed the blaze reaching Mountain High’s chairs. It was discovered the next morning that employees had turned on snow-making machines throughout the ski area, which played a role in helping firefighters save much of the small resort.
Meanwhile, the blaze has reportedly burned nearly 55,000 acres through Los Angeles and San Bernardino Counties since it began earlier this month and is now 91 percent contained, according to CAL Fire. More than 1,000 personnel have contributed to fighting the fire, which has now destroyed more than 80 business and residential structures.
