Best chairlift conversations you've experienced

[Tricia]

The best one I've ever had was on the Pali lift with some guy named Terry. It led to my meeting you face to face.

Well I’m glad that happened and also I wonder why you didn’t run away. His helmet was ..... unique and could have influenced your decision to meet me in person.

 

[Tricia]

He could ski, he had a season pass, and he had 4WD (I got my Civic stuck in the snow that morning). I expected it to be a fun fling for the season, but after 3.5 years, a house, a van, and a dog, it might be a little more serious than that.

Maybe just a tad more

 

[Bad Bob]

A Basin riding with Warren Withrall a year after HOW THE RACERS SKI came out. It was like getting 15 minutes with The Master.

Another went on for days at Alyeska in deep winter. Riding up the lower half there was the sound of water dripping very slowly. Was driving our whole group nuts, where was the water? Turned out to be a raven playing with us and winning. Think that bird had read Johnathan Livingston Seagull, it would fly down the lift line throwing barrel rolls. Very cool bird.

 

[coskigirl]

Another was while riding a chair at WP with my daughter and a Texan obliterates himself right below us and as he lays there lets out a bellow. "SHOOT DANG, I DARN FELL DOWN."

 

[CYJ]

Not a conversation I was involved in, but witnessed/overheard:

Standing in line for Chair 2 at Alpental, a couple of bro brahs in front of me are downing some beer. One of them mentions he's starting to feel buzzed, another responds with "Doesn't matter, I'm still gonna shred harder than everyone here". None of his buddies laughed and from what I could tell the guy definitely sounded more serious than joking.

A run or two later I'm going up the same lift and spot the exact same bros cliffed out and hiking back. Thing is, this is the 'cliff' right below the patrol shack at the top of Chair 2 where I'd see about one person dropping per lift ride up that day. Talk about an ego check.

 

[fatbob]

At Alta riding a chair with some local looking 20-30something guy.

I comment on his Las Lenas sticker we get talking

He says - "how about I show you some stashes?" (it was a windblown day so best skiing not necessarily obvious)

Me - "How do you know I'm not just some gaper tourist who'll slow you up?"

Him - "Gaper tourists don't ski beat up fat skis like that" (points at my pink OG Faction 13s)

Me - Ok then


Thanks bro it was a blast

 

[SkiMore]

My friend and I were taking the gondola to the top of Whistler one morning with an older gentleman. We got to talking and he had already had 2 top to bottom runs. Super gregarious, happy and high energy. In the conversation, he revealed bits and pieces about his life. He had emigrated from Germany to Canada, had been in an orphanage as a child, built his own business in the eastern part of Canada, and retired at 61. We wished each other a great day of skiing as we got off the gondola.

Afterwards my friend and I were chatting and remembered that he said during the conversation that he retired 25 years ago. Wait, that means he is 86 years old.

Inspiring!

 

[scott43]

Heard a dissertation on US healthcare once.. Was a slow chair...

 

[jmills115]

Heard a dissertation on US healthcare once.. Was a slow chair...

Alta?
I heard one at Alta as the third riding Sunnyside to start the day. I wanted to jump but turned my music on

 

[rustypouch]

Penultimate day of the season this spring, at Sunshine. I'm hot lapping Divide. Couple people in colourful outfits are doing the same, and they can *ski*.

Eventually we end up on the same chair.

I made a comment about how good their skiing was. They said the same about mine, and asked if I'd like to do a few laps.

And that's how I ended up meeting Dave Irwin.

 

[eok]

Was on a lift & began chatting with the person next to me. Learning I was a local, she asked about how long we've been locals & our verdict on living there. I ended up describing some family friends whose daughter had recently moved to the area to go to school. Then she wanted to know where we (& the friends daughter) moved from. She was shocked from my response because she recently moved from the same area. Then she popped her goggles up & - yep - it was HER! So funny.

Dang ski gear makes us all incognito on the hill.

Had to add this one too:

In the 70s, while I was a full-time college student I was more of a full time skier in the winter & often cut class. [Hey, I worked my way through school & it was MY $$$, so don't judge].

Anyway, it was an epic deep day & I skipped school - on my Art History exam day - to go for it. On the lift, an older guy next to me started talking about the epic day in very eloquent terms which were impossible for me not to recognize. I swivelled, saying: "Dr. Ray??!". Yes, it was the Art History prof whose exam I was blowing off (his TA was down in the flat lands administering the exam). Short version: he let me take a "one time only" make-up exam because the snow was indeed epic & we had such a good time skiing together that day. Plus he asked me all sorts of questions on the lift rides that day to make sure I actually had done the pre-exam reading/studying (which I had).

 

[Jim McDonald]

Incognito on the Hill

sounds like a good indies band name

 

[Beerman]

Have had a couple of memorable ones in the last 12 months;

1. Picking as many characters in "The Family Guy" as possible on a quad in Perisher, Australia.
2. Listening to 2 locals discuss their secret smoking spot and going in "for a break", and finding 2 other guys in there. 10 or so years later they are back, decided to go for a smoke/toke and running into the same 2 guys again in Whitewater, B.C.

 

[Carl Kuck]

Not on a chair, but a great parking lot conversation at the start of the day in Park City led to skiing with a guy that turned out to be a
Paralympian (he didn't tell me until after I'd spent a couple of hours chasing him around on the mountain). At the end of the day, back in the parking lot...

Rob: Let me ask you something.
Me: Sure!
Rob: Was this one of those days you'll remember for the rest of your life?
Me: Absolutely! <phone and email contact info exchanged...>

About a month later, riding up the chair again with Rob...

Me: Dude! You didn't tell me about the medals!!!
Rob: <sheepish grin>

Since then, every Sunday that starts one of our timeshare weeks I get together with Rob and we have a blast tearing it up. He also once told me he thought I had a beautiful ski style. I'm still trying to keep up with him...

 

[Jenny]

In the 70s, while I was a full-time college student I was more of a full time skier in the winter & often cut class. [Hey, I worked my way through school & it was MY $$$, so don't judge].

Anyway, it was an epic deep day & I skipped school - on my Art History exam day - to go for it. On the lift, an older guy next to me started talking about the epic day in very eloquent terms which were impossible for me not to recognize. I swivelled, saying: "Dr. Ray??!". Yes, it was the Art History prof whose exam I was blowing off (his TA was down in the flat lands administering the exam). Short version: he let me take a "one time only" make-up exam because the snow was indeed epic & we had such a good time skiing together that day. Plus he asked me all sorts of questions on the lift rides that day to make sure I actually had done the pre-exam reading/studying (which I had).

That's hysterical!

 

[Philpug]

I was out skiing with @Daron Rahlves and a third guy gets on the lift with us. Daron is on some Atomic GS skis and the guy is also on Atomics but an Automatic or a another wider ski...I don't recall which one. He starts talking to Daron (no knowing who he is) and asks him how he likes his Atomics and if he has tried any of the wider ones....because they are so much better. Daron and I made eye contact a few times during the coversation. What was cool was how calm and polite Daron was talking to the guy never once coming close to saying "Do you know who I am?". After the lift ride, I asked him, "Does that happen often?" He said "More often than you would think".

 

[James]

I was out skiing with @Daron Rahlves and a third guy gets on the lift with us. Daron is on some Atomic GS skis and the guy is also on Atomics but an Automatic or a another wider ski...I don't recall which one. He starts talking to Daron (no knowing who he is) and asks him how he likes his Atomics and if he has tried any of the wider ones....because they are so much better. Daron and I made eye contact a few times during the coversation. What was cool was how calm and polite Daron was talking to the guy never once coming close to saying "Do you know who I am?". After the lift ride, I asked him, "Does that happen often?" He said "More often than you would think".

That's where I was going to go with Mikaela and her mom if I got on the chair with them at Abasin. Just for laughs.

 

[scott43]

Alta?
I heard one at Alta as the third riding Sunnyside to start the day. I wanted to jump but turned my music on

It always starts the same..."Oh you're from Canada...how's that healthcare working for ya?" and on it goes.. This was at Telluride.. To be fair it was a balanced, intelligent, nuanced dissertation...

 

[Kneale Brownson]

Again, I'd respond with Tim Hortons

 

[Kneale Brownson]

That's where I was going to go with Mikaela and her mom if I got on the chair with them at Abasin. Just for laughs.

Wait, WHAT??? Mikaela and her mom ski at A-Basin?