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The longest you have ever waited to get on a ski lift

darent

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Apr 9, 2007
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nantucket ma
Mount Hood Meadows skiing with family, left Government Camp at 7:30 and left mountain at 11:30 and we got two runs in.Long line of cars going to mountain took over an hour just to park. then walked up and got in a lift line, waiting close to an hour and the lift broke down. moved to another lift line with another hour wait, up the mountain we go,, tried to pick the longest run away from crowds and ended up at a seclude lift down in a whole with half the population of Portland, another long wait, once up the lift ,to the bottom we went and back to government camp.
 

Zand

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Dec 30, 2003
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Spencer, MA
Waited well over a half hour for the gondola at Loon one Saturday afternoon. Also waited quite a while for Castlerock one powder day... everyone beelined to it because Heavens Gate and North Lynx were on wind hold. The line was up the bottom of Liftline (aptly named that day). Otherwise, the obligatory 15-20 at Wachusett on some Friday nights, Northstar at Okemo, the quads at Mt. Snow, Stratton, etc. Never waited at Killington ever... you have to know how to ski it. Waited in some awful 10 chair lines at Burke on a few Saturdays.
 

Quietman

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Jan 7, 2013
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SW NH
Not sure about the longest in duration, but I am pretty sure I could win the "Longest Wait/Shortest Lift" contest.

Belle Mountain, Lambertville NJ. Line for the double chair had to be well over 30 minutes on a crowded Saturday. The double chair serviced about 175 vert. feet.

So funny.

But their rope tow was wicked fast!!! My brother had a pair of skis stolen when we skied there.
 
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catskills

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Dec 26, 2004
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i had special cheap gloves wrapped with tape just for that rope tow...learning how to use it was an embarassing rite of passage...just about everyone i know face planted their first time

Here is video of a rope toe face plant from the 1950s. Its an oldie but goodie.

 

KevinF

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Dec 19, 2003
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Marlborough, Massachusetts
Is there a rope tow lift still running anywhere? All I see these days are the magic carpet lifts.

I have to imagine most people on the slopes today have never done battle with one.
 

4aprice

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Mar 14, 2008
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Lake Hopatcong, NJ and Granby Co
Is there a rope tow lift still running anywhere? All I see these days are the magic carpet lifts.

I have to imagine most people on the slopes today have never done battle with one.

Mt Snow had a rope tow as of about 3 years ago. Short but sweet, I rode it just for fun. IIRC it dealt me a little pain in some muscles that hadn't been used in many years. :eek: Definitely rode my share of ropes back in 70's in my racing days.

Love Alta, but that rope contraption there should be replaced (between base areas for those who have never been there).

Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ
 

MadMadWorld

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Jan 10, 2012
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Leominster, MA
Is there a rope tow lift still running anywhere? All I see these days are the magic carpet lifts.

I have to imagine most people on the slopes today have never done battle with one.

Portillo has those crazy slingshots. Don't know what they would even be classified as.
 

Smellytele

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Jan 30, 2006
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Right where I want to be
Is there a rope tow lift still running anywhere? All I see these days are the magic carpet lifts.

I have to imagine most people on the slopes today have never done battle with one.

Pats peak has one for one of their parks. They now have handles on them (everyone calls them carrots) unlike the old days where you had to grab the rope directly.
 

Quietman

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SW NH
Arrowhead in Claremont also has a handle tow, but these really don't compare to the old high speed rope tows.
 

dlague

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Nov 7, 2012
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CS, Colorado
Is there a rope tow lift still running anywhere? All I see these days are the magic carpet lifts.

I have to imagine most people on the slopes today have never done battle with one.

Many of the very small hills still have them Abenaki ski area and Lyndon Outing Club are a couple examples but there are plenty! They rip the crap out of your gloves or mittens! Most offer leather covers to grab the rope with!
 

Huck_It_Baby

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Oct 11, 2010
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Colorado
I'm pretty sure I rode a rope tow/t-bar to get access to the Blackcomb glacier at Whistler.

I kinda like riding them. I used to race train at Brantling in Highschool and I don't think they have anything but rope tows.

http://www.brantling.com/
 
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