Most difficult Lift to ride?

[RossiSkier]

The South Ridge Triple at Killington. The bend-in-route station will catch you by surprise...

That and the South Ridge is down right cold. The wind blows unabated in your face. By far the coldest lift I have ever ridden.

 

[skibum1321]

Worst lift is any one that doesn't involve a chair - aka a surface lift.

 

[hammer]

Nashoba's former warp speed ropetow (probably was the worst in it's day)

Did they slow that one down? I went on it when I took a beginner lesson several years ago and it was a challenge to go up on...looking back, I'm surprised that they subjected beginners to that tow.
They should at least have handles on that thing... :x

 

[Sparky]

The triple at Jiminy tends to come around quickly and it's a low loader so you often get whacked in the calf. The magnitude of the pain really depends on how good the liftie is...

...And then it takes 12+ minutes to get to the top if it doesn't stop, and it always stops at least once. I think the problem is they have to many chairs on it and people just are not ready so enough.

 

[sledhaulingmedic]

Sub topic: Surface lifts for snowboarders?

Maybe should be another thread, but, what the heck:

What are the best/worst surface lifts for snowboarders?

I noticed boards are nearly absent on K-Marts Snowdon Poma. There aren't a lot of surface lifts left, but which are near impossible and which work OK?

 

[Rushski]

Nashoba's former warp speed ropetow (probably was the worst in it's day)

Did they slow that one down? I went on it when I took a beginner lesson several years ago and it was a challenge to go up on...looking back, I'm surprised that they subjected beginners to that tow.
They should at least have handles on that thing... :x

Way back they had many ropetows. The beginner ones were slow. The one that went "all the way up to the top" by the triple was the 25mph one. They may have slowed it down as it was really just a trainwreck.

 

[hammer]

Way back they had many ropetows. The beginner ones were slow. The one that went "all the way up to the top" by the triple was the 25mph one. They may have slowed it down as it was really just a trainwreck.

I guess it's all relative -- when I went up the beginner tow I saw my share of newbie carnage... :-?

 

[Brettski]

Hortsman T-Bar on the blackcomb Glacier...at one point it ascends on a very steep angle to get to the ridge....about 6 or 8 feet wide total...cliffs on either side...my wife fell off and I had to dive on her to keep her from falling over the side....had plenty of room to get out odf the way of other riders though....one guy fell straight backwards...it was like a domino effect...just kept taking riders with him...

http://www.whistlerblackcomb.com/mountain/maps/index.htm

 

[billski]

r/t and boards

rope tows and snowboards don't mix. Unless your an Olympic Gymnast.

 

[snowmaker4191]

I'm sure that there are tougher lifts out there, but the Peak Double at Pats Peak is tops on my list.

You have to pay attention when loading or unloading or you could lose some equipment (or worse).

yes i agree with that statement :wink:

 

[Powderqueen]

By far...the Meat Hook at Fernie

There's a handle tow at Fernie that brings you to the upper-most part of the mtn. It is VERY steep and it moves pretty quick and it is tough to grab on and stay on. They call it the Meat Hook.

I had to give it everything I had to stay on that thing and swore I'd never ride it again.

 

[JimG.]

Roca Jack lift in Portillo, Chile. A 5 person poma; that's right, 5 PEOPLE at a time. As one liftload goes up, the empty lift on top comes back down. Only 5 on the lift at a time.

It's a 40 degree pitch, and when you get to the top, there is no offloading area; the lift just stops. You've gotta get off, turn 'em sideways, and traverse away from the lift, all the time staying aware of the other 4 people with you.

The skiing was amazing, but watching at the bottom as load after load of 5 skiers struggled to get off and more than a few groups warped out right to the bottom in a tangled mess was almost as entertaining.