They're a challenge esp at Craigieburn !Yesss this is the method they taught me when I went to Craigieburn!! I still failed a few times on one of the ropes I think it's easier when the snow level is higher, for the second tow the rope was nearly level with my shoulder and it was awkward to try to drop the nutcracker onto it so it bounced off into my elbow a few times. My main problems with the top tow were that the nutcracker grip would loosen (as its grip on the rope became more and more askew) every time it went through the pulleys/sheaves and I ended up falling off partway up because I wasn't attached to the rope well enough anymore...
GOOD TIMES!!!!
The nutcrackers are really effective, hold the nutcracker with your outside hand and just make sure your inside hand is behind your back so it dosen't accidently go through the pulleys, sometimes I just rest my inside hand on the rope for a bit of stability then lift it off when a pulley is coming up but generally I just let it hang behind me. Kinco gloves are the best for riding our rope tows as regular gloves get trashed within minutes and never wear your best jacket as it will more than likely get covered in greaseMy rope tow method is to put my outside hand behind my back and grab the rope. Otherwise I can’t hang on. The nutcracker looks effective!
I'm a flicker as well but sometimes, ok after 20 attempts to get on the easiest tow at Mt O, I just give up and drop !! This from a girl who's been riding rope tows since she was 10I do the flick mostly! I think I tried dropping it on when I first learned at Olympus but for Roundhill you have heaps of time to get the nutcracker on so it's easier. I haven't been to the clubbies since 2018 though!
It had the solid Tbar that was attached to a cable which was part of some retractable system that was part of the main thing up top.Yeah, we just went through mitts and jackets. I can't remember the T-bar at Blackcomb....not a solid bar to the cable, but a cable/rope that you wind up when you get to the top?
Great pic !!! Separate "rope tow " jackets are a must. A friend totally ruined her brand spankin new Planks jacket at the beginning of the seasonYeah, these nutcrackers are essential because if you just hold onto the rope with your hands, they will go through some of the pulleys along the way which is probably not very good for ones hands
Google actually found me a rather decent image:
View attachment 19051
Yeah, I have a spare jacket that I picked up kinda cheap which I don't use at the resort, it's reserved for club field/ropetow use I like my resort jackets too much!!
Most people I know have an old jacket they use for the ski areas that have rope tows as they dont want to ruin their good jacket with oil and grease. We use the suede glove protectors as well but most people use Kinco gloves or something similar, the key is to write your name on the Kinco's so they dont get picked up by mistake.I had no idea people have a rope tow jacket and a regular jacket .
The pulleys on the ropes I've been on are up above and away from the parts you hold onto So you hold on with your hands the whole time.. I have seen kids gloves get pulled off because the rope sometimes twists. The glove goes up and over the pulley and falls down back behind the shed. So the operator has to go back there and retrieve it I have seen some people with leather covers that go over their regular gloves. Most will just buy specific rope tow gloves.