Tribute to the unsung hero ~ The Liftie!

[Trekchick]

BMM inspired me to start this thread with his comments in the Bad Moves on the Chair Lift thread.

Which has me thinking (I know, that's a scary thing). The only reason lifties perform like crap is because they are treated like crap. They are perceived as the least important workers at the resort, the scum, the lowest of the low. They are, in fact, some of the most important people on payroll. Who has more one-on-one face-to-face contact with the guest than the lift attendants/operators? Who has more direct, constant responsibility for the guests' safety? No one. Yet they are the lowest paid, most poorly treated members of the team. Seems to be a bit of a disconnect. And people wonder why they aren't attentive or aren't enthusiastic??? That's not an excuse for lousy performance IMO, but I think it does explain the general attitude.


.

I think its time we thank and pay tribute to the unsung hero of the ski resort............the lifties..........
Example................
When we tailgate at our local hill, I always try to take a few containers with us to bring food to the lifties. I know most of them by name, and they know us.
Wally and Char are the regulars on the chair near where we park and ski most, and they treat us very well!
In fact, when Terry broke his hand prior to our trip west, it was the lifties who gave him a special mitten to wear over his brace.

Kudos to you who work in the worst and best conditions so I can play!

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

The Blue mountain liftees chainsmoking Marlboro reds and rocking thick facial hair allow me to ski mad steezy vert..

 

[hardline]

i did a tour of duty at stowe. i was lucky to work at the base most days but i had to open the top a few times not fun. in winter anyway. durring the summer it was fun i would open the gondi and then go over and work the alpine in the afternoon. i saw some huge moose up to of mani in summer.

 

[bvibert]

Lifties rock!

 

[wa-loaf]

Dennis Parsons was the man! Sugarloaf won't be the same without him.

 

[catskills]

At Belleayre Mountain you might want to check out the guy at the Tomahawk Lift mid-station. Instead of a bored post-teen with tattoos, lip piercings, and bad skin, you’ll find a cheerful older gent who clearly seems to enjoy his job. If you’ve ever skied there, I’m sure you’ve seen him – he’s been there for years.

I couldn’t tell you his name; all I know is that he blasts classical or opera music from his hut while waving and smiling at people on every single chair that goes by the entire day. He seems to have a great time whether it’s sunny or cloudy, dumping snow or pouring rain, ten below zero or in the low 50s – and his enthusiasm is contagious. Even hard-bitten New Yorkers have been known to smile back at him.

Above excerpt taken from http://www.firsttracksonline.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=4308

 

[hardline]

At Belleayre Mountain you might want to check out the guy at the Tomahawk Lift mid-station. Instead of a bored post-teen with tattoos, lip piercings, and bad skin, you’ll find a cheerful older gent who clearly seems to enjoy his job. If you’ve ever skied there, I’m sure you’ve seen him – he’s been there for years.

I couldn’t tell you his name; all I know is that he blasts classical or opera music from his hut while waving and smiling at people on every single chair that goes by the entire day. He seems to have a great time whether it’s sunny or cloudy, dumping snow or pouring rain, ten below zero or in the low 50s – and his enthusiasm is contagious. Even hard-bitten New Yorkers have been known to smile back at him.

Above excerpt taken from http://www.firsttracksonline.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=4308

he also listens to alot of great old big band stuff. we where talking about glen miller one day.

 

[Ski Diva]

I love the guy at Okemo's South Peak lift who plays reggae music and dances all day while he loads the lifts.

 

[dmc]

Most important people on the mountain... I know most by name at Hunter... Some have been there for years.

I'll buy them a drink in appreciation if I see them out...

 

[WJenness]

Norman at Sunday River is great.

http://www.sundayriver.com/community/index.php?showtopic=9052

He was bouncing around to a lot of different lifts at the end of last year, playing "Find Norman" was a rewarding game.

-w

 

[Marc]

I say thanks to every liftie I go by... well... the lifties on the fixies anyway, I usually don't say anything on high speeds.

 

[ski_resort_observer]

Lifties are one of many employees who work hard to make things work as well as possible. Ticket sellers, for one, take alot of abuse, especially on a busy day.

 

[eastcoastpowderhound]

Norm at Sunday River was the man...even in the freezing cold he kept a warm and cheery attitude...a younger, taller version of Dennis Parsons from the Loaf.

 

[Moe Ghoul]

This thread eludes me. I try to be polite to most employees at the resorts, including the lift folks, patrollers, rangers, the lunchcounter ladies and especially the guys in the repair shop. I always tip the repair/tuning guys since they adjust bindings, etc.

 

[Trekchick]

The most awesome liftie at my local resort.................JD!
This guy is the one who keeps the maze in order at the High Speed(Clipper).
He sings songs, tells jokes and keeps every chair full.

Two years ago, JD wasn't there at the start of the season. I asked about him, and everyone said he was going to be out of commission for a while from an injury.
When JD returned, he wasn't at his usual post, but instead, in the booth at the top of the Clipper.
Happened to be eating lunch while he was on lunch break, so we invited him to eat with us.

No Voice, well, not JD's voice, but a little squeaky voice. He had been in an ATV accident during the summer. His Quad landed on his neck, crushing his wind pipe. Being alone out there, he took a broken piece of the plastic fender, and stabbed himself in the throat to perform a trach on himself. :0
Using his fingers to keep the hole open, he walked out a couple miles, to a road, flagged a truck down and had the guy call 911.
Being out in the "can't get there from here" area of Michigan, it took a while for the ambulance to find him. (more to the story about the lack of help the guy he flagged down, really was, but that's not what this is about)

JD was flown to U of M Hospital for specialists to determine if he'd ever eat or speak again.(WOW there is a lot to this story) They said no. He would be on a feeding tube forever and never speak, but He is alive.
A couple months later, he started to plug his breathing hole in his neck to see if he could force himself to breath normally.(this was against doc's orders) After doing this for a while and becoming adept at normal breathing, he started to play with applesauce. He'd swallow it and it would come out the hole, so he'd try again. After a while he was actually eating!!!!(soft foods only)
When he went back to the doc. he showed him what he was doing. The doc said NO WAY!!!! JD say WAY!!!
He can speak now, (Just not with his big voice) and they got him a bull horn to use. Back at his job, making everyone happy!

I love JD!

 

[eastcoastpowderhound]

The most awesome liftie at my local resort.................JD!
This guy is the one who keeps the maze in order at the High Speed(Clipper).
He sings songs, tells jokes and keeps every chair full.

Two years ago, JD wasn't there at the start of the season. I asked about him, and everyone said he was going to be out of commission for a while from an injury.
When JD returned, he wasn't at his usual post, but instead, in the booth at the top of the Clipper.
Happened to be eating lunch while he was on lunch break, so we invited him to eat with us.

No Voice, well, not JD's voice, but a little squeaky voice. He had been in an ATV accident during the summer. His Quad landed on his neck, crushing his wind pipe. Being alone out there, he took a broken piece of the plastic fender, and stabbed himself in the throat to perform a trach on himself. :0
Using his fingers to keep the hole open, he walked out a couple miles, to a road, flagged a truck down and had the guy call 911.
Being out in the "can't get there from here" area of Michigan, it took a while for the ambulance to find him. (more to the story about the lack of help the guy he flagged down, really was, but that's not what this is about)

JD was flown to U of M Hospital for specialists to determine if he'd ever eat or speak again.(WOW there is a lot to this story) They said no. He would be on a feeding tube forever and never speak, but He is alive.
A couple months later, he started to plug his breathing hole in his neck to see if he could force himself to breath normally.(this was against doc's orders) After doing this for a while and becoming adept at normal breathing, he started to play with applesauce. He'd swallow it and it would come out the hole, so he'd try again. After a while he was actually eating!!!!(soft foods only)
When he went back to the doc. he showed him what he was doing. The doc said NO WAY!!!! JD say WAY!!!
He can speak now, (Just not with his big voice) and they got him a bull horn to use. Back at his job, making everyone happy!

I love JD!

wow, unless someone out there was rescued from a bear attack by a liftie I guess the rest of us will just shut up now...might as well lock this one Greg

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

In my mind being a liftie is the toughest on mountain job...especially on fixed grip chairs where you have to grab each chair. They make like 5 bucks an hour and have to watch people ski all day...yes they sometimes get breaks to ski or can ski after their shift if there's night skiing but it looks like a really boring job. I kind of wish they made the liftees at Blue mountain wear uniforms because they look unprofessional in street clothes.

At Stowe, Killington and Jackson Hole..there are alot of hot chicks working as liftees..they can scan me anytime..yeah boy-eee

 

[Terry]

Norman at SR is a riot. Sammy on the Spruce triple does an incredible job. Man that guy gets a workout everyday. I raise my glass to all the liftees! You have a tough job and most of you do it well. :beer:
:beer: :beer:

 

[Vortex]

Sam, Perry, Norman and lauri are my favorites from the River.

Norman is hilarious and gets the crowd going. Sam loads the toughest lift on the mounatain. Lori is great. Perry keeps us all informed on where each other is ie friends and family. Its really quite amazing. Great people.

 

[campgottagopee]

At Greek we tailgate Sunday afternoons at the bottom of chair 5. We've been doing it so long the lifties actually save our parking spots with orange cones!!!!! We thank them with venison, pork and chicken speedies, burger and dogs as well as a cold one or two whenever they are done. Most of them have been around for years---lifties are a blast!!