Singles Line

[riverc0il]

jimg, sorry to bust on you, but it sounds like the lines you are used to waiting in actually warrent spliting up a group? how many minutes are you saving if lines aren't that bad at hunter

joking aside and in all seriousness, i concede the point in terms of areas that have bad queue system management. i can't say i have ever had an issue with this except at places where lines are long, and i stay away from those places. so i'm coming at the topic from a rather idealist perspective and in unideal situations, every man for himself is the way humans operate, no arguement there.

 

[kcyanks1]

It depends on a number of factors -- who I'm skiing with, how many people, how good the conditions are, how long the line would otherwise be, and where I'm skiing. If the normal line would only be a couple minutes longer, I probably stick with the normal line. If the conditions are nothing special, I probably still stick with the normal line. The more people I'm with, the less likely I'll take it. If it's a mountain I've been to many times, I'm also probably a little less likely to do the singles line, because I might be in a less of a rush to get up since I don't have the feeling that I have to try out every trail. If I'm away for a multi-day trip I might be less likely because
I know I have plenty of skiing time, and don't need to destroy myself in one day.

So all of that said, if I'm with one or two other people, and the singles line looks like it'll save a lot of time, and the conditions are reasonably good, I'll take it.

 

[tirolerpeter]

Sngles Line

My buddies and I use it all the time. I don't feel like I am cheating anyone because we "fill in" those stupid "empties" caused by groups that refuse to break up. On a busy day, two on a quad or four/five on a six pack is an outrage. I especially like it when there is an intelligent "liftie" organizing the line and making sure there are no "empties" and people are properly taking their turns.

 

[Charlie Schuessler]

I ski alone fequently so I'm in the single line regularly hopping into the empty spot of a group load...when skiing with friends on long-line days, we'll jump in the single line and fill seats to keep from getting cold in a group line...however I have no objections standing in a line for a breather when needed... it's about the skiing and getting upset because of a line or somebody(s) cutting just dosen't make sense...

 

[bvibert]

I'll use it when I'm by myself. What drives me crazy is the groups that'll go in the singles line and then reform their group in front of some ignorant or un-attentive group, or real singles that just cut in front of the line and ride up by themselves. :angry:

 

[Greg]

I see your point though...if a group of 3 was on the singles line for a triple and when they got to the loading area they all jumped out and formed a group of 3, I would be pissed off too.

I especially like it when there is an intelligent "liftie" organizing the line and making sure there are no "empties" and people are properly taking their turns.

I'll use it when I'm by myself. What drives me crazy is the groups that'll go in the singles line and then reform their group in front of some ignorant or un-attentive group, or real singles that just cut in front of the line and ride up by themselves. :angry:

I witnessed a great example of organization at the Overbrook Triple at Butternut on a Sunday during the very crowded MLK weekend one year. The liftie pointed at this kid in the singles line and said, "Single?" and waved him on to join two other people. The kid hesitated and the guy said, "you're in the singles line, so you're a single. Don't play that game with me...". Turns out his buddy was right behind him in the Singles line and they wanted to ride together. The guy wouldn't have it.

Another time, he gave this father/son paring a hard time. He tells the father, "well, you were in the singles line so your son will be a few chairs behind you. Don't try to pull that with me". I laughed. I thought it was great. Bravo to that liftie for snagging the singles line poachers!

 

[ALLSKIING]

I use it when I am skiing alone or with another person and the lines are long. Most of the time I like to ride up with the person I am skiing with but not so much that I will kill 10 min in a lift line. I have to say that most of the time I really don''t find the lines long at any of the places I ski even during the weekend.

 

[tirolerpeter]

I really have to laugh when I am waiting in the singles line for an empty slot and as I slide in to an outside spot, the two, or three people or whatever, depending on the lift, balk and decide not to move forward with me. Is it my breath? My deoderant? My beard? My outdated ski fashions? My "last year's" ski graphics? I start to wonder if I might not look like one of those poor unemployed "pillagers" from the "What's in your wallet? Capital One commercials. BTW, I'm not overweight, and am only 5' 6 1/2" tall, so it couldn't be my size. Tough Sh-t guys, I paid for my ticket too.

 

[thetrailboss]

When I am solo, I do. That works well at most places.

 

[thetrailboss]

I really have to laugh when I am waiting in the singles line for an empty slot and as I slide in to an outside spot, the two, or three people or whatever, depending on the lift, balk and decide not to move forward with me. Is it my breath? My deoderant? My beard? My outdated ski fashions? My "last year's" ski graphics? I start to wonder if I might not look like one of those poor unemployed "pillagers" from the "What's in your wallet? Capital One commercials. BTW, I'm not overweight, and am only 5' 6 1/2" tall, so it couldn't be my size. Tough Sh-t guys, I paid for my ticket too.

I HATE that as well. :roll: Usually the person who balks is wearing a one-piece fur lined suit or something.

 

[awf170]

I really have to laugh when I am waiting in the singles line for an empty slot and as I slide in to an outside spot, the two, or three people or whatever, depending on the lift, balk and decide not to move forward with me. Is it my breath? My deoderant? My beard? My outdated ski fashions? My "last year's" ski graphics? I start to wonder if I might not look like one of those poor unemployed "pillagers" from the "What's in your wallet? Capital One commercials. BTW, I'm not overweight, and am only 5' 6 1/2" tall, so it couldn't be my size. Tough Sh-t guys, I paid for my ticket too.

This has happen to me many times. Most the time it is park kids. They must not like my normal fitting clothes, and my only half-twinned skis...

 

[Marc]

Oh yeah. At Tremblant a few years ago my dad and I got on the gondi with 6 other people, I think mostly singles or doubles, and not one word was spoken by anyone the whole ride, talk about arkward.

Austin Jones....

[size=+2]And the Raiders of the Lost Arkward[/size]








Thank you very much, I'll be here all week.



Don't forget to tip your waitress.





Try the veal...

 

[JPTracker]

I believe that the singles line is for those people willing to ride the chair with an unknown group to fill in the empty seats. I think that everyone deserves the shortest wait possible and if you are willing to split the group to ride in the single line for a shorter wait so be it.

We have also found that when you are at a new resort and trying to hit as many trails as possible the chair lift ride up can be a great source of information as to which trails to ski. But splitting up and riding two separate chairs you double this information.

Last MLK weekend at Jay the Freezer line was over a 20 minute wait. It stretched almost completely across the trail. The singles line was stretching a ways back up the trail. While waiting in the line I noticed the singles line was moving pretty fast. When I got to the front I noticed that the liftie was loading four singles on a chair every 1 or 2 times through the rotation. I asked why she was doing this and the response was that the singles line was too long. The problem was by doing this more groups were splitting up and joining the singles line and the line never got any shorter. When I returned 2 weeks later the same liftie was there and even though the wait was only a couple of minutes she was still loading 4 singles on there own chair. After that weekend I never saw her again and no one else was loading like that.

Has anyone seen this done elsewhere? I have noticed that when the waits get long that the singles line naturally grows to about 1 to 2 time the main line, but always a shorter wait. A shorter line encourages more pairs to join and a longer line discourages them.

 

[skibum1321]

Most of the time, I ski at Smuggs so this isn't even an issue for me. There are 2 doubles there, neither of which even have a singles line.

If I'm with others at another mountain then I tend not to use the singles line.

 

[skibum1321]

Last MLK weekend at Jay the Freezer line was over a 20 minute wait. It stretched almost completely across the trail. The singles line was stretching a ways back up the trail. While waiting in the line I noticed the singles line was moving pretty fast. When I got to the front I noticed that the liftie was loading four singles on a chair every 1 or 2 times through the rotation. I asked why she was doing this and the response was that the singles line was too long. The problem was by doing this more groups were splitting up and joining the singles line and the line never got any shorter. When I returned 2 weeks later the same liftie was there and even though the wait was only a couple of minutes she was still loading 4 singles on there own chair. After that weekend I never saw her again and no one else was loading like that.

Has anyone seen this done elsewhere? I have noticed that when the waits get long that the singles line naturally grows to about 1 to 2 time the main line, but always a shorter wait. A shorter line encourages more pairs to join and a longer line discourages them.

I have seen it done before but I would say that it isn't common practice and shouldn't be common practice for that matter.

 

[SkiDork]

The analogy of an HOV lane doesn't work. The automobile is a wrapper where the entire group is strapped together for the entire length of the movement.

a "group" of skiers is not really a group It is a bunch of single skiers who happen to know each other. You don't ski down the hill as a group, you all ski down the hill as individuals. So the fact that you happen to know each other has absolutely no bearing on how you choose to ride the lift together, which groups people up whether they know each other or not.

The ultimte goal is to fill every chair to capacity. Makes no matter whether the occupants know each other or not. How you choose to get to the chair is your personal choice, even if you're with people you know.

When I'm with a group, it all depends on the length of the line. If the line is long, there's no question we're taking the singles line and meeting back up at the top, period.

 

[dmc]

Good one Dork... Agree fully...

I'll ride as a single whenever the "F" I want... Don't care what anybody has to say about it...
AND if I'm in a singles line with a friend and a couple "gapers" hesitate - I'll fill the chair with me and my friend wating... I got no problems with that...
Empty chairs on a crowded day are not cool...

 

[SkiDog]

I am like the last post..I ride it EXCLUSIVELY. I ususally ski alone so its not an issue and even when I "group" ski its not more than say 2 others so 3 total. I could care LESS what anyone says either.

If somones not paying attention and my buddy and I can snake the same chair from the singles line, all the better..If not one of us will wait at the top. I prefer waiting at the top...not the bottom. As long as the chairs up are as full as possible who cares how they get that way...

M

 

[Greg]

Last MLK weekend at Jay the Freezer line was over a 20 minute wait. It stretched almost completely across the trail. The singles line was stretching a ways back up the trail. While waiting in the line I noticed the singles line was moving pretty fast. When I got to the front I noticed that the liftie was loading four singles on a chair every 1 or 2 times through the rotation. I asked why she was doing this and the response was that the singles line was too long. The problem was by doing this more groups were splitting up and joining the singles line and the line never got any shorter. When I returned 2 weeks later the same liftie was there and even though the wait was only a couple of minutes she was still loading 4 singles on there own chair. After that weekend I never saw her again and no one else was loading like that.

Has anyone seen this done elsewhere? I have noticed that when the waits get long that the singles line naturally grows to about 1 to 2 time the main line, but always a shorter wait. A shorter line encourages more pairs to join and a longer line discourages them.

I've seen it done, and I don't have a problem with it every once and a while provided several chairs have gone up filled with groups.

 

[thetrailboss]

Austin Jones....

[size=+2]And the Raiders of the Lost Arkward[/size]






Thank you very much, I'll be here all week.



Don't forget to tip your waitress.





Try the veal...

:lol:


:lol:


That's great!!!