Your Most Memorable Chairlift Ride

[pushgears]

We all love our skiing and riding, but in reality, we spend more time riding lifts. So, what is your most memorable ride that you still look back on?

For me, it was riding up Stowe’s single chair in the middle of a blizzard with chairs swinging like pendulums and periodically smacking into the stanchions. I took 2 blankets from the base, pulled them over my head, and sang Neil Young songs for entertainment. They closed the lift very soon after my high school buddies and I got off. Stowe offered to take skiers down on snowmobiles. Yeah - right!

 

[Philpug]

One that stands out. I was at Northstar with @Daron Rahlves and we were talking about an upcoming project. As we get on the lift, this guy gets on the lift with us. At the time Daron was on some Atomic GS skis and this other guy was also on some Atomics...Vantage 90's maybe. He starts making some small talk with us and says to Daron (who we assume didn't know was Daron) and says, I see you are on Atomics too but those "skinny" skis, you should try some of these wider skis...they are so much better. Daron and I make some eye contact and he replies politely, "These are working well for the conditions today", the guy started pushing the issue by saying "You don't know what you are missing, these are so much better everywhere..." ironically, Daron helped develop the ski he was on.

After we got off the lift, I asked Daron how often that happens...he said more than you would think.

 

[dbostedo]

One that stands out. I was at Northstar with @Daron Rahlves and we were talking about an upcoming project. As we get on the lift, this guy gets on the lift with us. At the time Daron was on some Atomic GS skis and this other guy was also on some Atomics...Vantage 90's maybe. He starts making some small talk with us and says to Daron (who we assume didn't know was Daron) and says, I see you are on Atomics too but those "skinny" skis, you should try some of these wider skis...they are so much better. Daron and I make some eye contact and he replies politely, "These are working well for the conditions today", the guy started pushing the issue by saying "You don't know what you are missing, these are so much better everywhere..." ironically, Daron helped develop the ski he was on.

After we got off the lift, I asked Daron how often that happens...he said more than you would think.

And you didn't take the chance to explain who he was talking to and see the look on his face?

 

[crgildart]

That sketchy one over a peak to peak gap at Aspen Highlands early 80s. First time since I actually wished there was a safety bar to lower. Still the highest chair I've ever been on. I can't imagine and evac from that spot.

 

[dbostedo]

Probably the first time I rode the Lionshead gondola at Vail on my first time out west. At that point I'd never skied anywhere but the mid-Atlantic, so only very small places.

 

[Coach13]

Probably the first time I rode the Lionshead gondola at Vail on my first time out west. At that point I'd never skied anywhere but the mid-Atlantic, so only very small places.

View attachment 112876

I could have easily reported this exact ride for the same reason.

 

[KingGrump]

And you didn't take the chance to explain who he was talking to and see the look on his face?

Some frogs are best left content at the bottom of the well.

 

[crgildart]

Some frogs are best left content at the bottom of the well.

Not a chair, but my first day in the rockies was at Breck and a legit powder day with about 18"-20" of fresh on peak 8 was amazing. Hands down the most exciting T-bar (or any lift) ride ever early that morning, and lapped it all day with no line.

 

[pchewn]

#2 most memorable : 1970 or so at Arapahoe Basin. I was riding the Lenawee chair and the chair started vibrating and bouncing. The cable came off the roller going uphill on one set and going downhill on 3 sets. The cable swung wildly with chairs almost at 45 degree angle. Some people screamed. One fell out and hit the snow hard. I sat on that lift for another 2 hours waiting for evac by being lowered by a rope. I was in Jr High school.

#1 most memorable: 1977 or so. I met this nice young lady on the lift at Loveland. We skied for the rest of the day together. I spent the night in Georgetown with her. --- Ahhh ..... memories.

 

[Jim Kenney]

That sketchy one over a peak to peak gap at Aspen Highlands early 80s. First time since I actually wished there was a safety bar to lower. Still the highest chair I've ever been on. I can't imagine and evac from that spot.

Yes, I remember that chairlift ride too from my first trip to ski in the Rockies in 1976. As you were approaching the summit terminal there was a very steep dropoff to the right. I remember thinking that if you ever fell out of this chair the drop to the ground was only the beginning, then you were going to roll down that dropoff/mountain face about another 500-1000 vertical

 

[Bad Bob]

So many, with others and solo, but one stands out.
January 1971. Getting on the Snowbird Tram for the 1st time. There were not many others onboard yet. Even by then I had skied a lot of the West but nothing quite like that. That is the one I can call up when I close my eyes.

 

[scott43]

Yes, I remember that chairlift ride too from my first trip to ski in the Rockies in 1976. As you were approaching the summit terminal there was a very steep dropoff to the right. I remember thinking that if you ever fell out of this chair the drop to the ground was only the beginning, then you were going to roll down that dropoff/mountain face about another 500-1000 vertical

There is a lift at Kossen like that..Brandlift..you kind of come over a ridge and bahhhh!!!! Huge drop. Beautiful view though.. Then you're back over the ground at the next tower.

 

[chopchop]

Most lift memories have come at Jackson Hole as a single rider matching up with another single. On one I met the founder of Croakies (those sunglass straps) and talked shop as entrepreneurs. But the more memorable one was when I met the Campbells Soup/Foods president for the Americas riding up Sublette. A lifer at Campbells, he had just submitted his resignation earlier that week as he was passed over for another candidate for the open CEO job. He wasn't spouting invective but did share some insider stories that made the ride go faster than usual.

 

[JFB]

It was actually a poma, not a chair, lift, but..... Portillo, Chile has 3 pomas with six side-by-side spots on each. They each rise about 1000 vertical feet from a dead stop at the bottom to a full stop at the top in what feels like 6 seconds. OK, it might have taken 8 seconds. I rode each several times. The start was easy but the about the only way to get off safely was to drop off 20 ft from the full stop at the top. Good times.

 

[tch]

Skied most all of a surprise powder day at Snowbasin with my son. We'd just come from sea level and were exhausted by late afternoon, but we just couldn't stop ourselves: the conditions were just SO good. Sometime around 3:00, we finally decided we'd head in, but as we passed the base of the Middle Bowl lift, we both pulled in, almost against our will. As we tumbled into chair, we realized it was one of the slowest lifts on the mountain. My son turned to me and I thought he was going to complain. Instead, slumped into the chair and said, "I don't know how long it's going take to get to the top on this lift...but it ain't gonna be long enough!"

 

[Posaune]

Night skiing at Stevens Pass in the 70s. Riding Big Chief chair it stopped when our ski tips were inches from the off ramp, but still hanging in the air since it's an old style lift with a raised off ramp. The wind was coming in strong from our left. It was cold. We sat there for 40 minutes.

 

[oldschoolskier]

Sutton Quebec, in a ski class at the top of the lift 2 chairs in front of us had already gotten off and it was going around the upper wheel and prompt the entire chair fell off, broke right at the cable point. At 15-16 its funny and lead to a lot of jokes the rest of the day. Now looking back .

 

[Philpug]

Single Chair at MRG. Some of the best (and worst) chair lift conversations I have had.

 

[oldschoolskier]

Single Chair at MRG. Some of the best (and worst) chair lift conversations I have had.
View attachment 112979

Its must be a really tough ride when you are mad at yourself and not answering.

 

[Guy in Shorts]

Single Chair at MRG. Some of the best (and worst) chair lift conversations I have had.

Very easy to chat with folks on the trail below due to low profile lift construction. Chairs are close enough to allow conversations between. Often very lively exchanges fill the ride.