How to Use a Ski Lift
Learn to Ski
If you’ve never gone skiing or snowboarding or haven’t for a long time, you may have some concerns about using the ski chair lift at the ski hill or mountain that you are going to.
I’ve taught many ski lessons and about every other lesson, someone will ask right away if using the chair lift is hard. So I know that most of my students are probably wondering it but just might not want to ask. I reassure them that we teach them how to use it and we’ll go up as a class and it will be simple and easy to use. The great thing is that for everyone that pays attention when I explain it, they have no problem.
I guess we could call this “liftophobia” since everything needs to have a name today, right? I’ll explain some steps to safely use a chair lift and hopefully ease your mind and make it easier for you when you get to the ski resort.
Kinds of Ski Lifts
Since skiing and snowsports have been around a while and since installing lifts is a time consuming and expensive project for resorts, you’ll find a variety of lifts out there. The great thing is that they’ve become easier to use as time has gone by.
There are aerial lifts and surface lifts:
Aerial Lifts – these are lifts that use a cable and are hung from poles that ascend up from the ground. Examples are tramways (trams), gondolas, chair lifts and detachable chair lifts.
Surface Lifts – these are lifts that remain on the ground and pull skiers. Examples are the rope tow, t-bar, poma lift and magic carpet.
This article will discuss the regular chair lifts and detachable chair lifts.
The name, detachable chair lift might sound pretty scary but they’re actually not hard to use. These are often called “high speed chair lifts” and they detach and get on a separate track and the top and bottom which goes slower (much slower), making it really easy to get on and get off – so they’re probably easier to use than normal chair lifts. Most people would say that.
Ski Lift Chair Procedure
First, you will need to get in line. Look at how the lines are set up. There may be a line for singles, double, triples, etc. or there may be one line or a series of single lines. If you’re not sure how the lines (queues) are set up, then either watch and see what people are doing or else ask someone.
The idea of a ski lift is to keep it moving so that people can get in more skiing and not just wait in line all day. So there are two lines or places to be when you get to the front of the line. Sometimes there’s a gate that you walk through or sometimes there are lines on the ground with flags or cones near them but there are two spots to be aware of. One place is before the lift, where everyone lines up and the next place is where you stop and wait for the chair.
When you get to the first line, wait for the next chair to pass in front of you and then follow that chair that the people in front of you are getting on until you get to the second line.
Once you are at the second line, hold your poles together in one hand and turn your head over your shoulder and watch for the chair. Which way you turn will depend on the chair lift. You want to turn towards the bar. Some chairs have the bars on the outside and some will have the bar in the middle. I prefer the outside and most newer lifts are like this.
When the chair taps the back of your legs, sit down. Keep your skis sliding on the ground and the chair will lift up.
Pull down the safety bar if there is one. It’s good to announce that you’re doing this if you are in a high speed lift so that people know what’s happening and don’t get hit by the bar.
Now is the time to make some conversation with the people you’re riding up with. Talk about the weather, the snow or how some kid just biffed it on a jump.
At the last lift tower before you get off, lift up the safety bar. Again, announce that you’re going to do this (“bar up!”).
As you prepare to get off the chair, still keep your poles together. You don’t need them. You also don’t want them in between someone else’s skis and you don’t want other people’s poles between your skis. So poles in one hand, keep your ski tips up so that they land on the snow and start sliding. I like to scoot forward in my chair just a little.
To get off the chair, do not stand straight up. You’re going to be going down a decent slope (which is short) so if you stand straight up, in relation to how your skis will be angled, you would actually be leaning backward. So get about halfway up in a squat and have your hands forward like you’re Superman flying. You can push yourself away from the chair as you get off and then you’re just going to slide and come to a stop.
Once you’re off and down the short slope, get out of the way so that the people behind you have somewhere to go.
If you do fall, then try to get up (if you can) and get out of the way as soon as you can. If you are hurt, then tell the lift attendant immediately. Look at them and say something.
It’s important to be safe when using the chair life. Be smart and courteous of others.
More Notes About Using a Ski Lift
- You cannot have your skis off. You need to wear both of them on your feet as you use the lift.
- Remember to keep your poles together before, during and as you get off.
- Know where the lift goes before you use it. Consult a map or look at signage.
- It’s best to make any adjustments to your clothing and gear once you are off of the lift. It’s really easy to drop poles when trying to adjust your hat. The pole could hit someone or land in a place where it’s hard to recover.
- If you do drop a pole or ski as you are getting on the lift, don’t try to get it. Just leave it. They will either stop the lift and get it for you, send it up with the next person or you will need to get it once you get back down.
- The lift may stop while you are riding it. Don’t panic. They didn’t forget to pay the electric bill or anything. They’re stopping the lift for safety reasons – for example, someone fell down while getting off or on.
- Having good ski pants on is helpful when riding a lift – versus wearing jeans – because the seat may be cold (yeah, it’s usually cold) or covered with snow or water. A cotton material like jeans will just soak it up and make you cold.
Conclusion
Have fun out there and use your head while using the ski lift. If you have trouble, don’t worry about it. Everyone messes up a little when they start to use it. By the end of the day, you’ll be a pro at using the lift!
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