BERNALILLO COUNTY, NM. (THECOUNT) — Multiple people are currently stranded on the Sandia Peak Tramway in Bernalillo County, New Mexico, following icy conditions late Friday night. According to General Manager Michael Donovan, moisture and winds caused icing to occur on the tramline, causing two tram cars to become stuck near Tower 2 around 10 p.m. Friday, according to KRQE.
Donovan says between the two cars, there’s a mix of about 21 people, consisting of employees from the Tram, as well as the Ten 3 restaurant at the peak. In the meantime, the tram cars are supplied with provisions like food and water, as well as emergency heating blankets.
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One of the riders posted photos from the tram car around 8:00 a.m. Saturday morning saying a rescue would be “happening soon.” They hope to perform evacuations by early afternoon.
Search and rescue crews with the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office are currently on the ground at the tram. Helicopter crews will also head in as weather clears. According to Donovan, so far, everyone inside the tram cars is safe and they’ve been performing routine health checks.
Back in August 2020, riders were stuck in each tram car due to a mechanical issue. They were stuck for nearly four hours. In the 1970s, more than 30 people were rescued after a car became stuck for more than 24 hours.
Geo quick facts: Bernalillo County is the most populous county in the U.S. state of New Mexico. As of the 2020 census, the population was 676,444. The county seat, Albuquerque, is the most populous city in New Mexico. Bernalillo County is the central county of the Albuquerque, NM Metropolitan Statistical Area – Wikipedia.