Ever take a Rope Tow?

[mister moose]

didn't way back they use to have handles that you latched onto the rope toe with? almost like a hand held vice type device? Thought I read this somewhere and they were really dangerous, but the idea behind them was to prevent burning out gloves.

Yes.

It was hinged and split open, someting similar to a lobster cracker. The hinge end was sized to go around the rope when closed, and farther out each half was a half-round that formed a handle to hold on to when closed. It had a shoelace size tether so when you opened it up at the top you would't lose it if it dropped. There was a belt that you wore and the tether took most of the load, all you had to do was keep a small amount of pressure on keeping the handle closed. Those things were most useful on advanced terrain rope tows where the pitch made it difficult to hang on. Never heard of an accident with one, the usual accident was hair or scarves getting caught in the rope.

You can still buy one for $75.

http://www.vintageskiworld.com/Ski-Tow-Gripper-p/ski-tow-gripper.htm

 

[abc]

Some of you are really young or what?

I didn't learn to ski that long ago (80's) and the beginer area is served by rope tows. And that's not just one but quite a few of areas...

Yes, I spend more time learning to use the darn thing than trying to learn to ski. But that's a different story. I'm glad they have magic carpets now. Otherwise I'm not too thrill to share a chair with a never-ever!

 

[witch hobble]

Big Birch, early eighties. Maybe others, but thatis all I remember.

 

[bousquet19]

Yes.

It was hinged and split open, someting similar to a lobster cracker. The hinge end was sized to go around the rope when closed, and farther out each half was a half-round that formed a handle to hold on to when closed. It had a shoelace size tether so when you opened it up at the top you would't lose it if it dropped. There was a belt that you wore and the tether took most of the load, all you had to do was keep a small amount of pressure on keeping the handle closed. Those things were most useful on advanced terrain rope tows where the pitch made it difficult to hang on. Never heard of an accident with one, the usual accident was hair or scarves getting caught in the rope.

You can still buy one for $75.

http://www.vintageskiworld.com/Ski-Tow-Gripper-p/ski-tow-gripper.htm

Thanks for the explanation of the Bousquet Tow Gripper, mistermoose. It worked quite well IMHO.

That's my dad, Russ Bousquet (1925-2009), in the photo, by the way. He often remarked that the family made more money selling the tow grippers than selling ski tickets!

Woody

 

[SkiDork]

Wow thats cool that your dad invented it. Thanks for posting.

 

[gmcunni]

Big Birch, early eighties. Maybe others, but thatis all I remember.

LOL, i ruined more than one pair of gloves on the BB rope tow

 

[x10003q]

I used a rope tow at Craigmeur Ski Area and Great Gorge Ski Area in New Jersey.

Also used the one at Alta.

This plus Campgaw, Big Tupper, Ward, and I think there was a rope tow that connected Vernon Valley to Great Gorge North.

 

[djspookman]

When I was learnign to ski at Cochran's 20+ years ago, only lifts were the t-bar, handletow (mity-mite) and the ropetow. First time on that ropetow I just about burnt thru my gloves, unitl I realized I had to grip the thing more.. quite fun once I got moving, as that thing was FAST!

 

[dl]

I grew up at Cazenovia Ski Club (www.skicaz.com) in central NY and they still have 2 real rope tows and 1 tbar (and outhouses). There are no chairlifts. You could tell who were skiers in school as they had holes or patches under their left arm from letting the rope slip through while they were trying to get a grip. Most everyone had a pair of over mitts that would take the brunt of the battle with the sliding rope.

On one of the ropes there was a snow fence about half way up, the mid-station you could say. A good swing on the rope could cause the skier ahead of you to shoot out of the track towards the fence. We use to try to time that just right...until the ski patrol came by. The rope was pretty fast so you had to time your departure or you were sent through the electric cord that was the "safety gate."

The coolest thing is that this area is still a going concern. I spent many days and nights there.

 

[bigbog]

Yeah, it was Nashoba's hands-only...y/n? true ropetow...early 80s. I think Nashoba's was my first... If Killington had one it would've been prior to, but not sure about Killington = was just a j-bar? Truly a glove-shreader....I remember that along with the non-jbar part of it.

 

[bousquet19]

Wow thats cool that your dad invented it. Thanks for posting.

My dad Russ -- a teenager at the time -- posed for the photo. It was his father, Clarence J. Bousquet, who patented this version of the ski tow gripper.

Just for the record:smile:

 

[billski]

My dad Russ -- a teenager at the time -- posed for the photo. It was his father, Clarence J. Bousquet, who patented this version of the ski tow gripper.

Just for the record:smile:

Congrats all around.
I skied at Bosquets last year - major retro!

 

[Beetlenut]

Blandford Ski Area...mid 80's.

Ditto! That's where I learned to use one as well. That's all they had when I went there, so it was state-of-the-art back then. At the end of the day, you couldn't hold your hands open, they would just curl shut. Those were the days when you got more skiing for your dollar! Skiing up and down the mountain. Everyone looked like Popeye in the lift line! :wink:

 

[billski]

Ditto! That's where I learned to use one as well. That's all they had when I went there, so it was state-of-the-art back then. At the end of the day, you couldn't hold your hands open, they would just curl shut. Those were the days when you got more skiing for your dollar! Skiing up and down the mountain. Everyone looked like Popeye in the lift line! :wink:

I still manage to get a few rope-assisted lifts each year as I explore each and every area in New England.

 

[mister moose]

Congrats all around.
I skied at Bosquets last year - major retro!

My then girlfriend, now wife went from a nervous snowplow to semi confident intermediate at Bousquet's. Tons of day trips up there, and lots of beer consumed afterwards in the bar. Thats where I got introduced to Genny cream ale on tap. (For 2$) Can't say enough good things about it. A great low cost no frills place to learn. In the late 80's it was $12 to ski, you can ski Sundays last year for $25.

 

[Glenn]

Ditto! That's where I learned to use one as well. That's all they had when I went there, so it was state-of-the-art back then. At the end of the day, you couldn't hold your hands open, they would just curl shut. Those were the days when you got more skiing for your dollar! Skiing up and down the mountain. Everyone looked like Popeye in the lift line! :wink:

I think it was Schoolhouse where the ropetow was? I remember lapping that for hours when I first started....