Mt. Hood Meadows evacuated scores of skiers from a chairlift Wednesday after a power problem prompted the resort to shut down the lift.

A Meadows spokesman said “power fluctuations” on the resort’s Blue chairlift prompted the resort to switch to auxiliary power, which wasn’t enough to power the already-occupied lift. Meadows then decided the safest way to move forward was to evacuate the lift.

Check out this video 👇🏻 Dozens of skiers and boarders rescued from chair lift after it stopped working in snowy/icy conditions Evacuation of more than 150 people took about two hrs & 20 min (Video courtesy of Mike Garcia) Posted by Mike Benner - KGW on Wednesday, December 12, 2018

The lift was at near capacity, with more than 150 people on board, said spokesman Dave Tragethon. It took 2 hours and 20 minutes from the time the lift was shut down and it was determined Meadows would evacuate the lift until the last passenger was safely evacuated.

No one was hurt, Tragethon said.

Tragethon said that in such situations, workers lower stranded skiers to the ground by belaying them, or lowering them using harnesses and rope. In order to do so, workers shoot the harness over the chairlift line, climb up the chairlift using its stanchions and watch the skiers put their harnesses on. Workers down below then belay — or lower — the skiers to the ground.

The evacuation came on Meadows' first true powder day of the season. Tragethon said two inches of rain fell Tuesday night before 10 inches of new snow accumulated.

The resort was running Blue instead of its Mt. Hood Express chairlift on Wednesday morning because of ice on Mt. Hood Express, he said. Mt. Hood Express is a faster chairlift that fits up to four skiers or snowboarders on each chair, as opposed to Blue’s two.

Tragethon said it’s routine for the resort to use auxiliary power during storms in which workers expect there could be power interruptions. He credited skiers, ski patrollers and Meadows workers for Wednesday’s safe evacuation.

Mt. Hood Express opened early Wednesday afternoon. Blue remained closed.

KOIN-TV first reported about the stranded skiers.

— Jim Ryan

jryan@oregonian.com; 503-221-8005; @Jimryan015