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Stranded overnight on Gore chairlift

Abominable

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This was not the worst ski movie, but the worst movie ever. Watched DVD, fell asleep and there were 3 people on lift, woke up and there were only 2. Missed the coyote scene - and then I think we stopped movie.

Wolves.

And you missed one of the greatest movies of all time! A love triangle, man versus the elements, extreme sports. It's got it all!

It's an apt metaphor for Hermitage. Who bails early? Will they eaten by wolves? Who stays on the chair through the dark, cold night of restructuring? Will they get a free hot cocoa when it's all said and done?
 

tumbler

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Over/Under on this being an elaborate hoax?

I'm going to be a bit objective and set the opening line at E.

I thought the same thing when I saw the article. I checked that it wasnt April 1st then I didnt want to post it here for fear of falling for a prank.

My guess is he climbed a tower and was able ot get into a chair.
 

skixc2

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But you get to see that girl pee her pants, so that's something!
 

ThinkSnow

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Wow. How does that happen? I'm sure most areas have shutdown procedures. And patrol usually sweeps the hills after last chair. Granted, he could have been above an area that wasn't near a trail.
When I was a patroller, the patrol WAS the last chair.
 

crank

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When I was a liftie, patrol was the last chair and we would have the bottom op call the top op with the number of the last chair. Lift ops at bottom also close off the line and make sure no one gets on after the last patroller.
 

catskills

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Climb up in the morning through the woods just before the lifts open. Carefully leave only ski tracks off the unloading ramp. When lift starts wait a few minutes. Ski down and claim you been stuck on the chair lift all night. Refuse medical care that might prove your body temperature is too warm and you could not have been stuck on the chair lift all night. Easy pay day.

Option B camp out with friend at the top with sleeping bags and ski down when lift starts. Later friend skis down with sleeping bags when nobody is watching.
 

AdironRider

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Climb up in the morning through the woods just before the lifts open. Carefully leave only ski tracks off the unloading ramp. When lift starts wait a few minutes. Ski down and claim you been stuck on the chair lift all night. Refuse medical care that might prove your body temperature is too warm and you could not have been stuck on the chair lift all night. Easy pay day.

Option B camp out with friend at the top with sleeping bags and ski down when lift starts. Later friend skis down with sleeping bags when nobody is watching.

Out here in Jackson lifties have to spend the night at the top of the Tram, Thunder, the Gondola and I think AV. I believe its more of a get the lift running type of thing but would prevent this type of fraud if someone was dumb enough to try.
 

BenedictGomez

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Given how inexpensive video technology is these days, it would be cheap for mountains to install an HD camera at the top of each lift, and record "final chair" arrival as verification/proof and part of the daily closing checklist.
 

Jully

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Out here in Jackson lifties have to spend the night at the top of the Tram, Thunder, the Gondola and I think AV. I believe its more of a get the lift running type of thing but would prevent this type of fraud if someone was dumb enough to try.

Wait, sleep there? That seems crazy just to get the lift running a little easier in the morning!
 

AdironRider

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Wait, sleep there? That seems crazy just to get the lift running a little easier in the morning!

Probably not necessary at most resorts, which is only a short snowmobile ride up 5 minutes before they open and little avi danger if any.

Here in Jackson you are in avi terrain within a couple hundred yards of the base at the most and covers over 60% of the mountain, probably more. Can't realistically have a snowmobile or groomer blast on up there and get people killed.

Also something with high speed lifts and their design.
 

Hawkshot99

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If this is a true claim of the "victim" my guess would be that they were skiing the glades on the north side right at closing and stopped in the woods for a long smoke. Patrol swept the area trails, the lifty then loaded in the chair and rode out. While the lifty was riding up on the North Quad to ski down to the base the guy skiis out of the woods and boards the lift.
The north quad is the bottom of a trail pod. To get out you need to ride the lift up, then ski down a different area to the base.

Sent from my SM-G930F using AlpineZone mobile app
 

cdskier

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If this is a true claim of the "victim" my guess would be that they were skiing the glades on the north side right at closing and stopped in the woods for a long smoke. Patrol swept the area trails, the lifty then loaded in the chair and rode out. While the lifty was riding up on the North Quad to ski down to the base the guy skiis out of the woods and boards the lift.
The north quad is the bottom of a trail pod. To get out you need to ride the lift up, then ski down a different area to the base.

Interesting theory. Sounds plausible (assuming the guy ignored the fact that there was no lifty around at the bottom). If true though, I could see that driving some changes in the shutdown procedure for that pod. I'd keep the lifty at the bottom until the lift is stopped and then get the lifty out of the pod via snowmobile. Leaving the bottom unmanned with the lift actually still running is risky (even if it is roped off or marked as closed with a gate across the entrance).
 

AdironRider

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Do they get paid for the 16 hours they are up there that the place is closed?

I think they get a pro rated number, like 4 hours worth. Which is pretty generous considering they are just tying a buzz on for 99% of that time.

They might get paid for the full amount, not sure. But it is a ski resort, so whatever it is, it is not a lot regardless.
 

thetrailboss

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If this is a true claim of the "victim" my guess would be that they were skiing the glades on the north side right at closing and stopped in the woods for a long smoke. Patrol swept the area trails, the lifty then loaded in the chair and rode out. While the lifty was riding up on the North Quad to ski down to the base the guy skiis out of the woods and boards the lift.
The north quad is the bottom of a trail pod. To get out you need to ride the lift up, then ski down a different area to the base.

Sent from my SM-G930F using AlpineZone mobile app

That makes sense.
 

crystalmountainskier

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Wait, sleep there? That seems crazy just to get the lift running a little easier in the morning!

Or running at all. In Jackson's case there is gnarly avalanche terrain en route to multiple lifts that must be started from the top. How does patrol get up to do avalanche hazard reduction work? Oh right, they ride the lifts.

Do they get paid for the 16 hours they are up there that the place is closed?
Flat rate.
 

Smellytele

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Right where I want to be
Or running at all. In Jackson's case there is gnarly avalanche terrain en route to multiple lifts that must be started from the top. How does patrol get up to do avalanche hazard reduction work? Oh right, they ride the lifts.


Flat rate.
If you got to start the lift then get first tracks after the morning liftie got up there maybe
 
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