Jaw-dropping video has captured the traumatic moment a 12-year-old girl fell to the ground after a momentary trip to a ski chairlift in California.
The terrifying incident happened on Saturday at Mammoth Mountain Ski Resort, when the visiting snowboarder appeared to be unsecured on the chairlift.
In a video that went viral on social media, the girl was seen grabbing the chairlift in a desperate struggle as her legs fluttered in the air, still tied to her snowboard.
Several members of the mountain staff were then seen running to help, placing padding and a safety net below in an attempt to arrest her fall.
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Ski resort staff struggle to place a safety net under a chairlift as a boy skids across the snow at Mammoth Mountain in California on January 31, 2026.
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The girl then hit the ground, tragically missing most of the safety net, according to the footage. The rescuers appeared briefly in shock before running out in alarm.
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A woman who said she is the girl’s mother commented on the post, saying that her daughter “miraculously walked away without any broken bones or major injuries”.
“As the mother of my 12-year-old daughter who fell today, I want to thank everyone who came out to help her,” she said. “The mammoth team did everything to get to her as soon as possible. It was an incredibly traumatic experience and everyone supported us.”
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A 12-year-old girl swings from a ski lift moments before falling at Mammoth Mountain Ski Resort in California on January 31, 2026.
When addressing questions about why the seat’s safety bar did not lower, the mother emphasized that it was no one’s fault. She indicated that the chair went down almost immediately after her daughter got up, leaving no time to secure it.
“As for the bar – we had no chance,” she added. “It went down right away. There was nothing that anyone did wrong. It was a series of small choices that happened quickly that led to a fluke accident.”
In the video, the girl was seen sitting next to two other people before she fell. According to her mother, the group held her as long as possible, which gave the rescuers time to respond.
Ski patrol responds after a 12-year-old girl fell from a chairlift at Mammoth Mountain Ski Resort in California on January 31, 2026.
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“As a mother I know it’s my job to protect my child,” she said. “We held it as long as we could. Long enough for people to get into position to let it get away.”
Despite the traumatic experience, she said the family will not be discouraged from skiing and “will ride again when ready.”
Original article source: 12-year-old girl hangs on a ski chairlift in California before crashing to the ground in terrifying video