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Toboggan on T-bar

Jerry Sendit

In the parking lot (formerly "At the base lodge")
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Nov 24, 2019
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Any old timers who pulled a loaded toboggan on a T-bar? Several places used to do that due to terrain. I know some areas load patient toboggans on chairs. How was it done on a T-bar if you remember?
 

markojp

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I think one side of the bar went under the handles, and the patroller rode on the other side. Can't remember it being any big deal, but this was years and years ago.
 

kayco53

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We don't wax our toboggans. Sounds like it could be a good idea to keep ice from sticking when there is a lot of freeze thaw. Can be a pain to chip off in the morning.
 

Arnie

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The way I remember it is to get in the handles and secure the cross over rope. Catch the T-bar like usual, hook it behind your thighs, grab the T-bar pole with one hand and hold onto the sled with the other. When you get to the top unhook the T-bar and let it go. If your'e a snowboarder it adds a lot of stability on a T-bar ride that usually sucks.
 

Tom K.

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I think one side of the bar went under the handles, and the patroller rode on the other side. Can't remember it being any big deal, but this was years and years ago.

That's what we did, but ours were never loaded going up the t-bar.

But the old wooden warriors weighed a metric-shit-ton unloaded!
 

slowrider

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Skiing with a toboggan and working patrol is a great skill builder. Just like spending time on the race crew.
 

crgildart

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Back in the T-bar days I only saw sleds going back up behind snowmobiles. They also didn't bat an eye grooming open trails full of skiers..
 

kbulloch

In the parking lot (formerly "At the base lodge")
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Feb 14, 2024
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Smirthers BC
Any old timers who pulled a loaded toboggan on a T-bar? Several places used to do that due to terrain. I know some areas load patient toboggans on chairs. How was it done on a T-bar if you remember?
I'm not an old timer quite yet but we do it at my ski hill..... We have one chairlift and 2 T-bars.

Having the cross rope done up in front of you is key and its easier if you get a patroller to go on the outside / far side of the t-bar with you for stability (although the extra person and toboggan does give you a bit of a slingshot). Anyways, you just roll in on the outside of the line up, to get up to the loading zone. Your fellow patroller goes on the outside and you pull the toboggan enough to get yourself to be standing right beside your partner (as you would normally get on a t-bar). So now you are turned 90 degrees / sideways in the handle and the toboggan is perpendicular to your body. The liftee slings you the T. Your right hand grabs the T-bar and your left hand is on the left hand handle of the toboggan. As the T-bar starts to pull you the toboggan just swings in behind you (alot smoother than you would think) and you're on your way. You can hook the right handle of the toboggan immediately to the right of the center of the T-bar to help take some of the weight off of the cross rope around your waist. Between the handle hooked over the T-bar and the cross rope around you waist / hips its a pretty easy ride up. Your partner takes the T at the top and you ski away.......

Or you can do it all solo without too much trouble.
& we always leave 2 T's empty behind us just in case shit goes South...
 

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