Poll - Do you thank the liftie???

SkiDork said:

to those who've been a fixed grip liftie: How strenuous is that job? I imagine you've gotta be in pretty good shape heaving those heavy chairs like that over and over...

Click to expand...

I'd imagine that after your 1st day of "catching chairs", that the upper body is just a wee bit sore

SkiDork said:

to those who've been a fixed grip liftie: How strenuous is that job? I imagine you've gotta be in pretty good shape heaving those heavy chairs like that over and over...

Click to expand...

It's all in the technique. You just need to realize that you only need to bump the chair right before it gets to the customer, that's why it's important for everyone to line up at the line, if not someone is likely to get nailed. If you try to man handle the thing and hold it back for any longer than a fraction of a second you'll get sore quickly. The chairs are very heavy and are very solidly attached to the haul rope, which is going to continue to move the chair no matter how much you try to push it in the opposite direction. They'll swing back as you bump them, but only a little. If you make the chair swing back too far then not only can it make loading harder (since the seat will be at an incline), but chair will also swing back in the other direction when you let go, increasing the possibility of throwing unsuspecting small children from the chair. Not to mention that your arms will be really tired from pushing the chairs around that much every few seconds.

EDIT: Yes, I've put way too much thought into this.

MrsG said:

He is the best - evah . . . and, the Jamaican ticket-checker at the SQuad is great . . . a little shy, especially compared to Fitz, but nice nonetheless . . . they have great attitudes!!!

Click to expand...

We have a Jamaican lift op at Big Sky that is the best ever. He won the employee of the month in his first week. And the Jamaican ticket checkers are really good. They do their job well and have great attitudes. I always say thanks. I dated a lift op from Sugarbush back in the 80's and she told me that she noticed that I always said thanks. After that, I made it a good habit( I don't have many ). On Xmas my friends bring the lifties Christmas cookies. It's always a good idea to treat the lifties well because you never know when you might need to get on THAT chair when it might be closing. Sometimes, last chair is better than the first chair.

Does anybody remember Bill, who was a lift op at Mad River and Sugarbush? He had a trademark yell of " GO GO GO." He might of been the very best I ever saw.

When the liftie asks how i'm doing i almost always say "I'm SUPER, thanks for asking."
A little south park

Any non-detachable lift yes, I always thank them. Last week a liftie asked how I was doing, and I replied something like great thank you, and yourself? He replied: 'Thanks for answering the question!'

Of course. It's the right thing to do. I also make small talk quite often.

the place where I ski has a number of temporary workers doing lift ops from South America, they wear nametags that state where thay are from. I speak Spanish and I end up wondering if it's weird to thank them in Spanish.

arik said:

I end up wondering if it's weird to thank them in Spanish.

Click to expand...

Only if they're Brazilian.

BeanoNYC said:

Only if they're Brazilian.

Click to expand...

times 3

I always acknowledge them. Say Hi or other small talk. If they sweep the snow off the chair or do something extra like that then they get a BIG THANK YOU!!

Always unless they have a ipod on or the whites of their eyes are a deep red because then it really doen't matter.

SkiDork said:

to those who've been a fixed grip liftie: How strenuous is that job? I imagine you've gotta be in pretty good shape heaving those heavy chairs like that over and over...

Click to expand...

I got put to the test on Saturday at North Lynx at the 'Bush where I bumped chairs on a VERY BUSY day.... we had full chairs from ~ 10 until 3:30. The chairs themselves aren't too heavy (triple) but I can tell you the next morning I was quite sore, feeling it in my arms and chest. My legs were a little sore too from dancing around a drip which was forming ice right where I had to stand to do the bumping. I've been bumping on and off all season (mixed in with detach ops and top shack) but this was the first time it was a constant bumping. We alternated in hour long shifts +/-.... and it was AWESOME!

When I'm working a detach, there isn't much to do, except be within quick reach of a control panel or method of stop. There's ramp work, shoveling, etc. The past week, I've spent very little time inside, as the weather has been too nice to sit in a shack - I'd rather be outside greeting people, pumping out the tunes, jammin' on the air guitar, etc.

In the past, I said "thank you" to the attendants quite often, and the 1 day where I strayed away from Lincoln Peak on my day off, I said thank you to all the attendants at Mt Ellen. Of course I can't get away with a simple thank you at LP on my day off - most times it turns into a conversation ("what are you doing here on your day off"?) before I even get on.

8)

Always!

I thank the lifties and I bring them food when I tailgate too!!!

shadyjay said:

I got put to the test on Saturday at North Lynx at the 'Bush where I bumped chairs on a VERY BUSY day.... we had full chairs from ~ 10 until 3:30.

Click to expand...

my son and i were on that chair several times Saturday. THANKS!

Always, and I thank myself on the rare occasion I self load.