My 4 1/2 yr old daughter was in a ski lesson a few weeks ago at a resort we were staying at for the weekend (not our regular ski school). We signed her up for lessons there as we always do since she loves to take lessons with other kids. Due to her ability she was in a class geared for kids age 6-12. She was already very comfortable with getting on /off the chair lift but always rode with either us or an instructor. After picking her up after her lesson she proudly tells me how she went on the lift with just another kid (presumbly older than her b/c she looked to be the youngest in the class). My heart jumped a beat when she told me but I didn't panic and didn't say anything but I really feel like she is way too young to ride the lift w/o an adult. I would like to give the benefit of the doubt that maybe the instructor didn't realize she was only 4 since it is not an instructor that knew her. It obviously did not phase my daughter. What is your opinion on the youngest a child should be on a lift w/o an adult (regardless of skiing ability)? What as instructors is typical protocol? She took several other lessons while there and never rode the lift w/o the instructor again (thank goodness). And I am pretty sure it was not the ski lift for the bunny hill
-
Women skiers, this is the place for you -- an online community without the male-orientation you'll find in conventional ski magazines and internet ski forums. At TheSkiDiva.com, you can connect with other women to talk about skiing in a way that you can relate to, about things that you find of interest. Be sure to join our community to participate (women only, please!). Registration is fast and simple. Just be sure to add [email protected] to your address book so your registration activation emails won't be routed as spam. And please give careful consideration to your user name -- it will not be changed once your registration is confirmed.
Opinions wanted on kids riding ski lifts
- Thread starter ann k
- Start date
ski now work later
Angel Diva
My kids didn't ski at that age (they started when they were older) but at age 4, regardless of her skill and ability, I would want her riding a lift with an adult or an older teen who is experienced with youngers kids as a coach or helper to a coach.
I'm going to check the age/height here at Tremblant. But I do know its 2 adults and 2 kids/quad chair. The triple is 1 kid and 2 adults. Only in the gondola are they allowed with only the instructor. Classes are limited to 7 students and 1 instructor. So they fit into the gondola.
I always offer to take up kids. My way to pay back the parents that help me out when I need adults for kids!!
I always offer to take up kids. My way to pay back the parents that help me out when I need adults for kids!!
Robyn
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
It's certainly not my ideal but I can't always find someone to take the kids (5 & 6) and it's frustrating. Heck, one day I asked someone to go up with them, he agreed and then did the classy move of letting them go up to the lift and he stayed behind to grab the next chair. 
I usually try to choose kids that are more proficient to ride alone if I'm forced to. And yes, if I see an instructor looking for help I always offer. In fact at Vail the other day we split a group of 2 pairs that had joined up together (a friend and I then 2 people we didn't know) so that each pair could take a child. At Vail they are only allowed to send one child up with strangers otherwise I would have taken 2 since I usually am with 3 and can handle it just fine.
I usually try to choose kids that are more proficient to ride alone if I'm forced to. And yes, if I see an instructor looking for help I always offer. In fact at Vail the other day we split a group of 2 pairs that had joined up together (a friend and I then 2 people we didn't know) so that each pair could take a child. At Vail they are only allowed to send one child up with strangers otherwise I would have taken 2 since I usually am with 3 and can handle it just fine.
dloveski
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Depends on the lift and the age/size of the kid. As a parent, I would not let my kids ride alone until I 'certified' them myself----once I felt they could cite the safety rules, demonstrate competence in load/unload, etc., I let them ride with friends. The new detachable quads these days make the load/unload a lot easier than the old chair lifts.
As a host, I occasionally ride with little ones to get the group up top with the instructor.
The thing I drill into kids---never ever lean forward or down. I quiz them, 'what if your ski came off/glove dropped, etc? Right answer, sit still and go to top, someone will get it for you, gets them a high five. Then I quiz them near the top---what do we do now? when do we lift the bar? And unload--stand up straight and slide (hate it when they do a dead-weight hang during unload).
It's not the unload/load that scares me though, it's the ride up. All kids should be drilled about lift safety rules---these little ones have a top-heavy center of gravity--their head is heavier in relation to their body mass, and bending down could plop them right out of the chair.
That said, kids are amazingly fast learners and eager to please, that it doesn't take long to bring them along.
As a host, I occasionally ride with little ones to get the group up top with the instructor.
The thing I drill into kids---never ever lean forward or down. I quiz them, 'what if your ski came off/glove dropped, etc? Right answer, sit still and go to top, someone will get it for you, gets them a high five. Then I quiz them near the top---what do we do now? when do we lift the bar? And unload--stand up straight and slide (hate it when they do a dead-weight hang during unload).
It's not the unload/load that scares me though, it's the ride up. All kids should be drilled about lift safety rules---these little ones have a top-heavy center of gravity--their head is heavier in relation to their body mass, and bending down could plop them right out of the chair.
That said, kids are amazingly fast learners and eager to please, that it doesn't take long to bring them along.
MaineSkiLady
Angel Diva
Opinion offered: too young.
Protocol of ski school where I ski: isn't done. Most under 10 have to wait for an accompanying adult. 1:1 if 7 or under (usually). Actual age at discretion of coach based on child's experience.
Last Fri/xmas, we were all done for the day and about to ski in. Forlorn looking instructor with 5 kids, he can only take 1, double chair, and most are young-ish (oldest was 7). The 4 of us each took a kid up. I got the 7 year old, she was fun and pretty capable of solo, but...when in doubt, the coach waits for volunteers.
Mine went up solo with another kid at age 5, and I barely breathed for those few minutes. (This was elsewhere.) Too young to be solo on a chair, IMHO.
I have, very sadly, I might add, seen adults refuse to help when asked at OTHER resorts. :(
Protocol of ski school where I ski: isn't done. Most under 10 have to wait for an accompanying adult. 1:1 if 7 or under (usually). Actual age at discretion of coach based on child's experience.
Last Fri/xmas, we were all done for the day and about to ski in. Forlorn looking instructor with 5 kids, he can only take 1, double chair, and most are young-ish (oldest was 7). The 4 of us each took a kid up. I got the 7 year old, she was fun and pretty capable of solo, but...when in doubt, the coach waits for volunteers.
Mine went up solo with another kid at age 5, and I barely breathed for those few minutes. (This was elsewhere.) Too young to be solo on a chair, IMHO.
I have, very sadly, I might add, seen adults refuse to help when asked at OTHER resorts. :(
Marigee
Angel Diva
My boys learned to ski at Keystone and they had a beginner chair there just for ski school which was very low to the ground. They let the kids take that chair at 6 (my twins are 17 now.) I waited until mine were 8 just because they didn't ski that often - we lived in TN at the time. Also, my twins were 2-2 1/2 years behind their peers in growth, so I waited until they were tall enough to get on the lift without it having to be slowed down so they could climb on. At my mountain (Whitetail in PA) I believe the minimum age is 6 for riding a chair lift alone. I often help out the instructors and take some of the ski school kids up with ne.
little one
Certified Ski Diva
be wary of your young ones that are already skiers. the ski school should clearly understand the ages of those in the group and their abilities. i realize that this is a business and they want as many children as possible in the lessons, but all it takes is one horror show. i have seen many instructors ask those in the single line to ride up with the little ones ... only if they are comfortable ... and it is also ok to say no if you are not. the safety of the children is Number One. i would definitely mention the incident to the ski school. they will be very grateful.
skidaup
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Our race club has a 7 yr old age limit which seams about right. Also seems like height plays a big factor and some kids are just more coordinated and responsible. Seems like I just make the call at the bottom of the lift, no matter the age if I am not comfortable I just ask someone I know in the line to help out. Lots of times there are parents shagging anyways...
LilaBear
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
LOL! :ROTF: (Seen the Austin Powers movies?)
I have been asked to take kids up on the chair occasionally. But I have never skied with kids and don't really understand what the duties are. Most of the kids are very well behaved and experienced. If they started to horse around or wriggle I'd speak to them, but other than that what am I supposed to do? Just interested in order to do a better job if required, fore-warned is fore-armed.
Thanks for all the replies. I think I will call the resort and let them know and in the future I will remind the instructor of her age when she is with an older group. I would like to give the instructor the benefit of the doubt in thinking she was older since she was in a class with all older children and she is often mistaken for being older than she is. Thankfully it only happened one time out of the lessons she took there so I don't think that is what they normally do.
I heart would have stopped if DS told me that.
Our ski school officially says that they cannot guarantee that your child will ride the lift with an instructor. They have said, however, that younger ones will ride with one and even when DS (5) was in a class with a 10/11 year old he rode right next to the instructor. I happened to be watching and the bar never came down but that is something that is common here anyway. Even the lift servicing the green runs has no bar at all. Not that I think my child would not slide under it, there is something about having that peace of mind.
Our ski school officially says that they cannot guarantee that your child will ride the lift with an instructor. They have said, however, that younger ones will ride with one and even when DS (5) was in a class with a 10/11 year old he rode right next to the instructor. I happened to be watching and the bar never came down but that is something that is common here anyway. Even the lift servicing the green runs has no bar at all. Not that I think my child would not slide under it, there is something about having that peace of mind.
KatyPerrey
PSIA 3 Children's Specialist 2 Keystone Resort
Way to young!!!
At Copper Mt ski & ride school ALL kids 7 and under MUST ride the chair with an adult!!
At Copper Mt ski & ride school ALL kids 7 and under MUST ride the chair with an adult!!
frenchgirl
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I did not allow my child to be alone in the chairlift(competely alone) until he was able to reach the bars that comes down. He was 11 when he was able to do it. He started skiing at 10 and I would allow him to go with others. He was only allowed to go on trails that I knew he could handle and had to tell me where he went. 4 yrs is way too young. They can slip very easily out of the chairlift. My mom rode with my 4 yrs old niece and she had to hold her next to her and then carry her to unload her(she was a beginner). Maybe 8 is a more reasonable age. But I think it also depends on the child maturity and height.
marge
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
My son rode up the lift last year with another chld in ski school (he had just turned 5). I was a bit nervous but it's a small chair and the lifties are really good about getting them on. That said, what if they leaned forward and were falling? Not that an adult could necessarily pull them up anyway, but....
Oh, and for the record, my son was riding up with 3 adults the other day and they couldn't manage to keep him on the chair.
He fell about 5 feet off the lift into the pile under the chair. Thankfully there was no impact of the head or anything. 
Oh, and for the record, my son was riding up with 3 adults the other day and they couldn't manage to keep him on the chair.
He fell about 5 feet off the lift into the pile under the chair. Thankfully there was no impact of the head or anything. mountainxtc
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I've worked at resorts with very different policies. At one, 4-6 year olds were allowed to ride unaccompanied, but there were 2 lifties ready to make sure they got on ok, and this was only after EXTENSIVE training that they must wiggle their butts all the way to the back of the seat and hold onto the armrest and keep looking ahead, not turn around to talk to their buddies on the chairs behind. at that resort, the policy was to never use the safety bar with kids as it was seen to encourage them to wiggle forward on the seat.
Here at WB kids in ski school programs under the age of 12 must ride one per chair with adults. A uniformed instructor may ride with 2 kids. There are some exceptions in local club programs where 9-12 y/olds may ride together but the kids must have undergone a lift evacuation training session beforehand. Here we teach to always use the safety bar....
different policies at different resorts, but IME the goal is always safety.....
Here at WB kids in ski school programs under the age of 12 must ride one per chair with adults. A uniformed instructor may ride with 2 kids. There are some exceptions in local club programs where 9-12 y/olds may ride together but the kids must have undergone a lift evacuation training session beforehand. Here we teach to always use the safety bar....
different policies at different resorts, but IME the goal is always safety.....
Once at Park City, in a lift line, when we got to the loading point, a mom told her kid (maybe 5-6?) to "go with her" and pointed at me. Then, the mom got on the chair in front of me with another of her kids.
The mom didn't ask me, she just told the kid, got on her chair, and left us standing there. My coat hid the fact that my wrist was in a cast. I had no strength in that arm, and was counting on the other for holding my poles and getting myself on the chair. I couldn't be responsible for boosting the kid up to get on the chair.
I refused to let the kid come up with me, someone else took her on the next chair, but the mother yelled at me at the top, Where's my daughter? Blah..blah...blah!!!
My point is to ask the other adult first, there may be a good reason we can't do it.
Now, I would happily ride with a youngster as a 'chaperone', but I don't want to be responsible for lifting them up or helping them get off if they are unable to do it themselves.
Hope you don't think I'm horrible, but I don't want the responsibility or the liability if something goes wrong.
The mom didn't ask me, she just told the kid, got on her chair, and left us standing there. My coat hid the fact that my wrist was in a cast. I had no strength in that arm, and was counting on the other for holding my poles and getting myself on the chair. I couldn't be responsible for boosting the kid up to get on the chair.
I refused to let the kid come up with me, someone else took her on the next chair, but the mother yelled at me at the top, Where's my daughter? Blah..blah...blah!!!
My point is to ask the other adult first, there may be a good reason we can't do it.
Now, I would happily ride with a youngster as a 'chaperone', but I don't want to be responsible for lifting them up or helping them get off if they are unable to do it themselves.
Hope you don't think I'm horrible, but I don't want the responsibility or the liability if something goes wrong.
geargrrl
Angel Diva
mountainxtc
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
that's an excellent point 2ski2moro, our kids instructors are all trained, firstly to make sure the adults look responsible, i.e. don't send a kid up with a group of 20 yo snowboarder dudes who look likely to smoke up on the ride, or adults who appear to be newbies/uncomfortable on their skis. The kids lift line joins the regular line near the front so the instructor can feed kids in one at a time. secondly, the instructor must ask the adults if they feel comfortable accompanying the child on the lift. Thirdly, they must tell the adults that the kid must ride on the right side (where the lifty stands for loading and unloading) and the bar must be down.
Sometimes sending a kid up with adults can be worse than sending them alone!!
Sometimes sending a kid up with adults can be worse than sending them alone!!
