Question: Can you get on a lift chair in the absence of a lift attendant?

[alison wong]

One of my burning questions: Can you get on a lift chair in the absence of a lift attendant?

This has happened to me few times, arrived to a lift chair, lift attendants were in their "hut" and they did not see me waiting..... Is it safe to get on the chair without a lift attendant?

Few times I had to wait a rather long time, it was cold and I thought about taking my skis off and walked to their hut to get them out.... But not sure what is the best (or proper) way to handle situation like this?

 

[diymom]

Wow, I can't imagine being at a place so non-crowded that the liftie isn't outside and ready to go. Sure, weekdays ski right up to the lift, but the idea of having enough chairs pass by that the bottom liftie goes inside...

 

[nopoleskier]

Fixed grip chairs (older models) can come flying around the bull wheel, the lifty catches the chair and does help steady the chair as you are getting on. Detachable chairs slow themselves down around the bull wheel and I've gotten on several while the lifty is in the hut. From the Mt's insurance stand point, I would think lifties are supposed to be out there so we don't get whacked.

 

[alison wong]

Actually, this happened to me at Elk, Snowshoe and Killington.... several times.
My main concern is, some of the chairs are quite "fast", usually lift attendant would grab the chair to "slow" it down, so you can get on easily.
In such circumstance, would it be safe to get on the chair by yourself without "assistance"? I am more worried about the chair would knock me down and I fall.

 

[alison wong]

From the Mt's insurance stand point, I would think lifties are supposed to be out there so we don't get whacked.

So if I get hurt / injured because I decided to get on the chair w/o a lift attendant, ski resort would not be responsible for my injury? Is my understanding correct?

Yes, I am referring to fast chair specifically, the fixed grip...

 

[nopoleskier]

Actually, this happened to me at Elk, Snowshoe and Killington.... several times.
My main concern is, some of the chairs are quite "fast", usually lift attendant would grab the chair to "slow" it down, so you can get on easily.
In such circumstance, would it be safe to get on the chair by yourself without "assistance"? I am more worried about the chair would knock me down and I fall.

For those reasons, I wouldn't recommend it, nor will I chance it.. It can be done but why take the risk? I have skied over to the house and tapped on window.

 

[nopoleskier]

So if I get hurt / injured because I decided to get on the chair w/o a lift attendant, ski resort would not be responsible for my injury? Is my understanding correct?

Yes, I am referring to fast chair specifically, the fixed grip...

Mts aren't responsible for much when you buy a ticket you take on inherent risks (read the back of the lift ticket or waiver you sign for your season pass)
But in this sue happy society I'm sure an attorney would take your case but I would think (i'm not an attorney) you'd be mostly to blame .

Why take the risk? if the chair flies around and whacks you down, get hit by the chair. Yikes! no more skiing maybe forever???

 

[altagirl]

I've been at tiny ski resorts in the summer where they only have a liftie at the top or at the bottom but not both and you're expected to just manage it (bike and all) yourself.

 

[Fluffy Kitty]

At express chairs, they don't help you sit down anyway. They are watching, though, hand by the break switches, which are both inside and outside the hut.

Often there is no line at all at a non-express chair and I can ski nonstop from the hill to the seat and I just sit down. I suppose I shouldn't really do that. (The lifties now know this about me and come out as soon as they see me coming down the hill.) I certainly would not sue should something happen, since I am declining a safety service. Like if I refused a toboggan ride after a concussion.

 

[snoWYmonkey]

I personally would not do so unless I knew the lift and if it is one that requires what they call a bump, or human intervention to slow it down. If it is a high speed detachable chair lift that slows down at the bottom and top, AND I can see that they know I am about to load, I probably would. The key is that they are paying attention and can stop the chair in a loading emergency.

 

[SallyCat]

At express chairs, they don't help you sit down anyway. They are watching, though, hand by the break switches, which are both inside and outside the hut.

1. I worked the lift for most of my shift at a bike park last weekend. No excuse: you have one job, and it's to pay attention. I would have been severely reprimanded for letting a customer wait like that. And rightly so: it's terrible customer service and it's not safe.

2. If something weird happens and the liftie isn't paying attention, you could possibly get hurt. Maybe you forget to unstrap your poles and they get wedged under the chair--you could hurt your wrist or worse. Maybe a small child doesn't sit far enough back and starts to slip (I saw that happen. Luckily the liftie stopped the chair when it was still low enough for him to walk out and help the child back into the seat.) I'm not saying it's wretchedly dangerous to hop on a lift alone (I've bumped chairs myself when the dude wasn't paying attention; you can put your arm on the vertical bar on the side and push it back a bit) just that I would err on the side of getting their attention if possible.

3. The worst skiing accident I've had--one that almost destroyed my left knee--happened when loading with a liftie literally standing right next to me. A beginner skier accidentally got too far forward in line and the double chair came around and he fell back into the middle of the two seats. I thought that either he would move over or the liftie would hit the stop button; the loading area was on a ledge, and I had my back to the lip, so I didn't jump out of the way when I had the split-second to do so. Beginner Guy was still sprawled out, the chair hit me and dragged me off the platform and 20 feet uphill, wrenching my knees. The %^&** clueless liftie just let it happen. So even when they're present, they aren't always paying attention.

 

[nopoleskier]

^^ WOW @SallyCat that's really scary!! Glad you weren't hurt worse!

 

[geargrrl]

Why not walk over the the hut and say, "hey guys....." instead of standing there.

 

[Abbi]

There is one such lift where I ski. It mostly serves the houses on the way down/up from the bottom. Old lift, narrow and little used on week days. I don't blame the lift kids for going in. They could stand out in the cold for a long time (some days half an hour or more) with no one coming down. So I go over and wave, or knock. I have scared the crap out of one or another a few times!

 

[SallyCat]

There is one such lift where I ski. It mostly serves the houses on the way down/up from the bottom. Old lift, narrow and little used on week days. I don't blame the lift kids for going in. They could stand out in the cold for a long time (some days half an hour or more) with no one coming down. So I go over and wave, or knock. I have scared the crap out of one or another a few times!

They should hang up little bells or something like an old-timey shop door. That way they'd know when someone had arrived! Or maybe a convex mirror. Or a "push for service" buzzer.

Seriously, I do agree nobody should have to stand outside in the cold when there are no skiers. That would be positively Dickensian. I just assumed they could see the loading area from the little hut.

 

[Abbi]

They should hang up little bells or something like an old-timey shop door. That way they'd know when someone had arrived! Or maybe a convex mirror. Or a "push for service" buzzer.

Seriously, I do agree nobody should have to stand outside in the cold when there are no skiers. That would be positively Dickensian. I just assumed they could see the loading area from the little hut.

At the particular one in question there is a large piece of equipment between the warming hut and the chair. So no, you can’t be seen from several angles where you might come down. I just walk over and scare the guy!

 

[Fluffy Kitty]

At the particular one in question there is a large piece of equipment between the warming hut and the chair.

Oy, that just seems like a bad layout. "Scare the guy" it will have to be...

 

[Live4Powder]

I was a lift op last year. If they are in the hut there's controls in there as well so they can control thigs but on a fixed grip lift there should be someone to "bump" you on..hold the chair back and position it properly. If you are comfortable loading you should definitely go over and ask for help.

If it was slow and it was cold out I would go inside but I was always on the lookout for someone coming up the ramp and would get out. Most times we were required to have 2 lifties on duty and would rotate going into the hut. Even if we were on a break or lunch we were on duty and would be expected to get up and help if someone needed it

I encouraged people to "Let me know if you want a 'slow'" and I'd slow the lift down for new or uncertain people. We were required to stand by regardless and we helped all kids load. Not being out by the chair wasn't acceptable but a smaller resort or at a chair that's more "isolated" (or servicing expert terrain) will sometimes be unattended with the liftie inside the hut but they are assuming that you know how to load.

If you don't feel comfortable don't hesitate to ask for help. Better safe than injured.

 

[alison wong]

Thanks all for the info. I know what to do now. Before, I thought it was a no-no to get on a lift without a lift attendant.

(There were times I could go to the hut and knock on the door, but I was too lazy to take off my skis to walk there.... )

@SallyCat - a bell is a clever idea!