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How to get on and off the various ski lifts
Using a ski lift to get up and down the mountain is an essential part of skiing. It can be as thrilling as the ride down on snow. There are various different types of lifts found in ski resorts, some are more modern and simple to use, others are just a tad trickier. Knowing how to use each of these lifts is important to ensure your safety and enjoyment of the sport. It’s also a simple way to feel more confident using them. There is no reason you should avoid the best powder on the mountain just because you're not quite sure how to use the lift that gets you there. I’ve used the majority of the lifts explained below and have done the research on best practices so that you don’t have to.
This post has been written for skier best practices but where I can, I have added some tips for snowboarders. After all, if you're on a ski season you'll more than likely give the dark side a go, and if you don't think so, you should.
Skip to the good part
Before I tell you how to get on and off the lifts safely, I think that it's important to have a good understanding of lift etiquette. After all, a polite and friendly experience is always a safer one and it may just buy you a few friends to chat with on your way up.
Ski lift etiquette
Slow down
When you’re confident at skiing fast, it’s tempting to put the brakes on at the last minute, especially when your instructor has just shown you how to parallel stop for the first time and has told you to practice. However one erratic move by another skier and you’re both toast. To slow down safely, add a few more turns as you approach the lift, and transition into a wedge to slow right down as you get closer to people.
Wait outside
Nothing clogs the lifeline like friends waiting for friends in the middle of the lift line. It is good manners to wait outside of the line and once you see your crew coming, together enter the line in pairs or lined up behind the others in the queue.
If you're with younger kids, its really important to tell them what you would like them to do when they reach the lift, you don't want them going up without you knowing they even got to the bottom safely!
Watch your skis
Nobody likes it when they feel someone else on the back of their skis or snowboard. Give those around you plenty of room. Be respectful of their gear and you wont get dirty looks. Oh and this goes for your poles too. It's a good idea to gather your poles in one hand before you join the line and hold them still, they can be used gently in the snow to stop you from sliding too far forward in the line too.
Be fair, let others have their turn
We’ve all been in a queue with people who charge ahead, refusing to alternate. Don’t let this be you. Keep your cool, you’ll get to the top in a better more productive mood if you just wait your turn.
With turn taking in mind. Please fill the chair. Do not wait to be seated next to your best pal. There is a queue of eager skiers waiting behind you, the polite thing to do is to go where there is a space. If you are super keen to get the runs in, there is usually a singles lane which can get you to the front much quicker than the main lanes. If you are nervous about getting on the lift and would like to sit next to a friend stand to the side, let the lift operator know and be kind to those who are ready to go up before you.
Decorum.
The lift line is an exciting place to be, I get it you’re about to try a new slope, maybe beat your previous timing or meet a great friend at the top. This is not an excuse for pushing, shoving, shouting, audibly dropping f-bombs, or any other bombs around small children. School friendly language and behavior is required in lift lines for the respect of others around you coming from all walks of life. Save your big debates, your rowdy comradery for après when there aren't children, anxious, injured or otherwise people around you.
Get your ticket ready
There is nothing more infuriating than seeing someone get to the scanner and them not know where their ticket is or that they've forgotten it, or not taken it off their parents yet. Make sure it's in the correct side pocket for the scanner and is isolated from anything else that you want to keep in your pockets.
Know what you’re about to do.
On the entrance or exit to some lifts you may encounter a surface tow or some other exotic conveyance. if you don’t know how to get on, you’re more likely to fail. This slows everyone down and makes you feel bad.
Ask questions politely
The lift operators are there to help and in the majority of ski resorts they will know the basic English to answer any questions you may have about what to do when getting on or off the lift.
If you need the lift slowed down, ask. It is always better to ask before you are taking your turn to get on- put up a hand and try to get the lefties attention before its your go.
Likewise if you have young children who know how to use the lift but need help being pulled into the back of the chair, ask the lifty. No matter what you need, ask.
Easy with the bar
The bar is there for your safety on a chairlift. Some will come down automatically, some may go up automatically before you exit. It is important to find this out so that you know what you need to do. It is usually on a sign at the bottom of the lift and sometimes again on the chairlift poles. If you need to manually lower the bar, do so slowly and gently, ensuring everyone’s head is out of the way and the other passengers are ready for the bar to go down. The same goes for lifting up the bar as you approach the landing.
Conversation
While sitting on the chairlift with a stranger in total silence is totally acceptable. It is also lovely to start a small conversation with questions such as; How's your day going? Where is the good snow? What slopes have you hit today? Any recommendations for a good picnic/lunch spot?
You'll be amazed at how quickly the conversation can turn incredibly interesting if you just take the effort to say hi how's it going.
To read more about the chairlift phenomenon, click here
Hold on tightly
Hold on, not to the bar or the chair or the person next to you, but your stuff. Dropping a pole under a chairlift is not fun and usually means you'll have to ski without one until you can get back to the ski hire shop to get a new one since most resorts have a no skiing under lifts policy and breaking this rule could mean loss of pass even if the powder down there looks better than anywhere else on the mountain. Also, it's not safe, a dropped pole could kill someone and a dropped glove could mean numbness in your fingers which can lead to other nerve problem s on your finger tips. Not worth it. Keep your gloves on, your poles in one hand and your phone in your pocket. Whoever is calling you can wait the few minutes until you reach the top, after all, you can't do anything to help while sat on a lift. Having just one wireless earbud in your ear is a way to safely answer calls on lifts without causing trouble.
Exit strategy
If you can, find out who is going which direction at the top. If you're riding with anxious or learners, hang back and let them get off first. when you think it’s time to raise the bar, let them know that it’s coming up. This gives everyone time to get clear of the footrests and prepare to slide.
While all of that may have sounded a tad like a rant or as if I were your concerned mother or primary school teacher, I do believe all of them are important and will definitely allow you to have more fun while you're at it.
Now that you know how to behave on and around lifts, let's take a look at how you get on and off and safely ride up on the various different lifts.
A guide to getting on and off the lifts
The Chairlift.
Chairlifts are the most common mountain transportation in ski resorts. They are aerial lifts meaning you are suspended in the air. Most of them require you to be wearing skis or snowboard for entry and exit, and the majority will only allow you to travel up unless in case of minor injury when other options are not possible.
There are varying sizes of chairlifts ranging from 1 person (also known as the pizza box chair) to 8man chairs which are faster, more modern and usually take you up higher than the two person chairs. The good thing is, each of these steps on how to use them apply to all sizes and variations of chairlift.
The pizza box chairlift
The pizza box chairlift is an aerial lift mainly found in Japan and South America. It is a single person lift and it isn't the modern kind. These lifts are slow. They usually take you to the more difficult or steeper slopes. They are often shut in high winds and heck are they a cool experience.
They run at the side of the run similar to button lifts but you sit down on the little pizza box shaped chair and ride just like a regular chair lift. Since these lifts are a little older, they can swing round at the entrance pretty fast, so look over your shoulder, make sure you have your poles in the correct hand, and use the other to guide your seat to the back of your legs and sit down. When getting off, the exit can sometimes be narrow and/or steep, so be ready to glide off and come to a prompt stop.
The button/ POMA lift
Button lifts are a surface lift usually found at the side of a practice slope or terrain park. This often means that they are used by beginners and novice skiers. It's important to be patient when waiting to get on these lifts as rushing learners can also lead to accidents.
The button lift is a pole with a button on the end of it that goes in-between your legs. Do not make the mistake of sitting down on it, this will just lead to you falling on your butt and embarrassing yourself. Instead, bend your ankles and knees as you would when skiing straight, with your skis in parallel and allow it to pull you up the hill.
While waiting to get on the lift it is a good idea to take your hands out of the pole straps and hold your poles in one hand just as you would on any ski lift. Also make sure you have your gloves on as the pole can be very cold, the weather can change and it is not a good idea to fidget or fuss with gear while riding this lift. Still is safe.
When it is time to get off the lift at the top, feel your skis reach the flat landing area, the forces pulling you up will lessen and you need to pull the pole out from between your legs with the hand holding it and ski to the side of the lift. Rest assured it will spring back up to the wire above and will not swing back at you.
The T bar
The T bar is a surface lift very similar to the button lift and is usually favored by snowboarders compared to button lifts. It runs at the side of the slope, and due to its design it is often a steep slope. Don't worry though, once you're riding it, it won't feel as steep as it looks.
Skiers have two options when riding this lift. You can either ride alone, an option I recommend if you are learning with others who are not the same height as you. This is also a great option for kids who are more likely to fidget or not balance as easily on their skis. Or, you can pair up, ideally with someone of a similar height, each person sits on either side of the bar.
Just like the button lift, you do NOT sit down on a T bar, simply let the force glue you up the slope. A little tip I like to share with my students is to try to keep your skis flat and point them in the direction you want them to go.
If you are riding this lift with someone else, make sure you decide who is going to get off first before you reach the top. The first person will simply let go and ski off to their side. The second person will stay on the lift until the other person has exited (only a second or two more) and will pull the T bar out and around in front of them as they ski to the side. A little tip to help stop skis crossing each other is to lean your shoulder into your lift partner, you'll find your skis will be more stable this way.
Generally T-bars, unlike button lifts, for skiers, are associated with intermediate skiers and above. I think this is because of the usual terrain that they take you up to is a blue or red run, and riding the lift with another person does add an additional complication. Although it is very much possible for a beginner skier to use this lift.
Rope tows and magic carpets
A number of other simple-to-use lift systems exist - rope tows are based around a waist-height moving cable which may have hand holds or seats attached. Magic carpets allow a beginner or child to stand on a moving travellator-style belt which is easy to get on or off as necessary!
If you are taking the magic carpet, even though it may seem slow, safe and easy it is not a chance to tighten boots, fiddle with your pockets or try turning around to the person behind you. Nor is it ok to fiddle with the snow either side of the belt or throw snowballs. Do not lean on your poles because if the belt has to stop suddenly you could hurt yourself and potentially someone else if you loose balance. It is equally important to stand still, look ahead and keep strong. Enjoy the view around you!
The nutcracker rope tow
Nutcracker rope tows are typically used at some of the New Zealand club fields and some of the smaller commercial ski fields. They basically consist of a moving rope that passes through a series of pulleys, and skiers and snowboarders fix themselves to the rope with a metal contraption that is connected to a harness around the hips. The metal clamp is nutcracker shaped, hence the name “nutcracker” – it has nothing to do with the difficulty of riding the nutcracker rope tow (boys stop worrying!).
Nutcracker rope tows are a very primitive form of ski lift transport at some of the NZ ski fields, but they have associated benefits. They can be as fast as a high speed detachable chair, can travel up very steep terrain, and can operate in high winds and various snow conditions. The best advantage is that they’re associated with cheaper lift tickets.
Generally nutcracker rope tows are recommended for intermediate riders and above, and even if you’re a super expert skier, if you haven’t used a nutcracker before you’ll need some patience and determination. It may be completely demoralizing when you’re a first-timer, but once you’ve got the knack it can be incredibly entertaining watching other nutcracker virgins (don’t laugh aloud though). Most people get the hang of it within half a day, but this may depend on the speed and pitch of the rope tow at the particular NZ ski field.
I cannot wait to have a go myself while exploring more of New Zealand's local club fields this season!
Read more about nutcracker lifts here https://www.powderhounds.com/newzealand/nutcracker-ropetows.aspx
The gondola and other capsule lifts. These are aerial lifts.
Gondolas, bubble lifts, cable cars, open capsule lifts are all lifts that usually take you up up to the peak. Gondolas are similar in operating style to chairlifts, in that they operate on a cable which circulates in one direction. They are enclosed cabins which seat anything from four to thirty people - the smaller ones have seats (and you store your skis or board in racks attached to the outside) and the larger ones are basically standing spaces, and you keep your equipment with you. Unlike chairlifts that an last 4 mins to 10 mins, gondolas and the like are usually longer.
Cable cars and funiculars
Cable cars generally comprise two cabins which operate on a pulley system - i.e. one goes up when the other comes down. Again they can be affected by adverse wind conditions, and you often have to wait a few minutes for one to arrive. However they can carry a large number of passengers at one time - the Vanoise Express mentioned above can hold over 200 people on its 1.9km journey between the two lift stations, hanging around 340m above the valley floor.
Funiculars, or mountain railways, are generally the fastest means of transport. They run on rails - often underground - and comprise a number of carriages.
To use these lifts you will need to remove your skis or snowboard and as usually hold your poles in one hand. You will walk into the lift line with your skis or board off and step into the gondola. Make sure that when you step in, you walk quickly and walk all the way to the far side of the gondola before you sit down to make sure everyone can fit in behind you.
Some gondolas require you to put your skis on the outside of the bubble. The liftty can help you do this if need be. Kids skis are sometimes too small and can be taken inside the gondola with them.
Although most of this information here is general common sense, I hope reading about the ins and outs of the different lifts has helped you feel more confident for when you go to use them and as always, if you're ever in doubt, ask your instructor or the lifty to help you.
If here are other lifts you want to know more about, or another element of mountain life that you're struggling to grasp, please let us know in the comments below!
As always, have fun out there!
TheSkiNomad
