Types of Ski Lifts at North American Ski Resorts

Introduction

Chairlifts are the workhorses of skiing. Every day, hour after hour, thanklessly pulling skiers up the mountains. Across North American ski areas, you will run into a variety, depending on the terrain and resort. This is because chairlifts vary in their design, capacity, speed, and comfort, and they are usually built to suit the terrain and difficulty of the slopes they serve. In this article, we will give you an overview of the most common types of chairlifts that you will see at a North American ski resort, and what to expect when you use them. We will cover the following types of chairlifts:

• Fixed-grip chairlifts
• Detachable chairlifts
• Gondolas and trams
• Surface lifts (aka poma lifts, button lifts, drag lifts, bar lift)

For each type of chairlift, we will describe what it looks like, the types of terrain you will commonly see it built over, what to expect when boarding, what to expect while riding up, and how to exit at the top. Let’s start with the backbone of many resorts, the fixed grip.

Fixed-grip chairlifts

Fixed-grip chairlifts are the simplest and oldest type of chairlifts. They are called fixed grip because the chairs are permanently attached to the cable, unlike their detachable brethren described later. Fixed-grip chairlifts have two to four seats per chair, and they move at a constant speed. You will often seem them at older and smaller resorts, especially in the Midwest. At larger resorts in the Rockies, you will see them in in less popular areas, more advanced areas, or as redundant lifts. They are cheaper and easier to maintain than other types of chairlifts, thanks to having fewer moving parts. Because the terminals at the top and bottom of the lift are relatively small, it means these lifts can be installed in more locations vs. a detachable or gondola.

Below is the process for loading a typical a fixed-grip chairlift:

1. Check the sign at the lift station that indicates the number of people per chair, and line up accordingly
2. Wait at the “wait here” line until the chair in front of you is loaded. If you start inching forward, you risk having a chair hit you when it is turning around, which hurts!
3. When it is your turn, slide forward to the “Load Here” line. Turn around and wait for the chair to come behind you. The attendant (or “liftie”) will “bump” the chair, slowing it down slightly.
4. Grab the chair with one hand, and sit down quickly and smoothly. Keep your skis facing forward and parallel as you are lifted out of the loading area
5. Lower the safety bar, and make sure you secure your poles for the ride up.
6. Enjoy the ride and the view!

When riding, there are a few things to be aware of:

• We recommend keeping the safety bar down until you reach the top station.
• Do not swing or bounce on the chair or lean forward or backward.
• If you drop something, it can be difficult to retrieve during your next run. Try to limit the number of times that you are in your pockets or grabbing other items.
• If the chairlift stops, do not panic. It will likely restart in a within a minute or two. Lift stoppages are usually at the discretion of one of the attendants due to someone mis-loading, dropping something immediately after they sit down, or someone falls at the top station trying to unload. Once the person is safe and out of the way, the lift is restarted.

When exiting a fixed-grip chairlift, you should follow these steps:

• Lift the safety bar when you see the sign that says "Prepare to Unload".
• Stand up and slide forward when the chair reaches the ramp. You will see a sign that says “Unload Here”
• Let go of the chair and ski away from the lift area.
• If you fall or need assistance, move to the side as quick as possible. The attendant will be able to help you quickly.

Detachable chairlifts

Detachable chairlifts are a more advanced and modern type of chairlifts. They get their name because the chairs detach from the cable at the stations to load and unload passengers, and then reattach to the much faster “haul rope” to transit between the two. Detachable chairlifts usually have four to eight seats per chair, almost always have safety bars with footrests, and some of the newest ones can have comforts like heated seats and bubbles that protect you from the wind. Because of their speed and uphill capacity (as measured in skiers per hour), you will often see them used throughout the resort for multiple purposes:

• Out-of-base lifts that can quickly get skiers dispersed throughout the resort when opening in the morning
• At major intersections to help manage lines
• On longer lifts to reduce the amount of time heading uphill
• In areas with more wind exposure because the weight of the chair can limit the impact of the wind and prevent wind holds (see below)
• In areas with lots of beginner terrain, because detachable lifts can be easier to load and unload compared to fixed grips.

Loading a detachable chairlift is nearly identical to a fixed-grip lift:     

1. Check the sign at the lift station that indicates the number of people per chair, and line up accordingly
2. Wait at the “wait here” line until the chair in front of you is loaded. If you start inching forward, you risk having a chair hit you when it is turning around, which hurts!
3. When it is your turn, slide forward to the “Load Here” line. Turn around and wait for the chair to come behind you. Because the chair slows down so much in the station, there isn’t a need for an attendant to bump it.
4. Grab the chair with one hand, and sit down quickly and smoothly. Keep your skis facing forward and parallel as you are lifted out of the loading area
5. Lower the safety bar, and make sure you secure your poles for the ride up.
6. As you are exiting the station, you will feel the acceleration as the chair rejoins the main haul rope line that will pull you to the summit. Enjoy the ride and the view!

When riding, there are a few things to be aware of:

• We recommend keeping the safety bar down until you reach the top station.
• Do not swing or bounce on the chair or lean forward or backward.
• If you drop something, it can be difficult to retrieve during your next run. Try to limit the number of times that you are in your pockets or grabbing other items.
• Detachable chairlifts stop much less frequently than fixed grip ones do. Regardless, do not panic or try to get off if it does. It will likely restart in a within a minute or two.

When exiting a detachable chairlift, you should follow these steps:

1. Lift the safety bar when you see the sign that says "Prepare to Unload".
2. You will feel the deceleration as the chair enters the station, when the chair detaches (😉) from the main haul rope and is pushed along at slower speeds by a series of wheels while in the station.
3. Stand up and slide forward when the chair reaches the ramp. You will see a sign that says “Unload Here”
4. Let go of the chair and ski away from the lift area.
5. If you fall or need assistance, move to the side as quick as possible. The attendant will be able to help you quickly.

Detachable lifts are becoming more of the standard lift you see in major ski resorts, as they upgrade and replace older fixed grip versions. They are much more expensive and complicated machines in comparison.

More detail on how the detachable mechanism works

If you are interested in seeing that mechanism in action, here is quick overview from one of the major lift manufacturers in the world, Leitner-Poma:

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Enclosed Lifts (e.g., gondolas, trams, etc.)

Gondolas and trams are another type of lift, where the biggest difference is that now the carriers are enclosed and insulated from the elements, and can carry more people at a time. These lifts are also detachable style, which means they can move quickly uphill before slowing down at each station. There are many different types within this category, differing in capacity, speed, and frequency. Gondolas usually have smaller cabins that fit up to 10 people, and they run continuously along the cable. Trams on the other hand have larger cabins that can fit up to 100 people, but there are only two of them on fixed on the haul rope going back and forth.

Gondolas and Trams are often used for the longest lift durations, are often coming out of the base area, and/or are used to cross over more difficult terrain like ridges and valleys. They are also more comfortable and secure than chairlifts, as they provide shelter from the weather and have doors that lock. As a passenger, you’ll also be able to look around 360 degrees. On the outside, you will see ski racks that are used to transport your equipment while you sit in the cabin. Some even have audio or video systems that provide information or entertainment during the ride (although that’s more of a European thing vs. in North America)

When boarding a gondola, you should follow these steps:

• Remove your skis at the base; you’ll need to carry them while you’re in line
• Check the sign at the lift station that indicates the number of people per cabin, and line up accordingly.
• Wait for the next cabin to come into the station and watch for the staff's signal to enter.
• Load your equipment on the rack outside and find a seat inside the cabin.
• The door will close and lock automatically as you get to the end of the station platform. At that point, you will also feel an acceleration as the cabin prepares to rejoin the haul rope and you begin your journey.
• Enjoy the ride and the view!‍
• A note on trams: They are largely the same as gondolas, except that you will be standing in the cabin and holding your skis the whole way.

When riding a gondola or a tram, you should follow these tips:

• There is usually 1 or 2 small windows that will open to provide some airflow during the ride. Just know that on storm days, the snow will come in as well!
• Don’t lean against the door. It is locked, but not worth it.
• All the points about stoppages mentioned previously apply here as well, although gondolas stopping is even more rare than detachable lifts.
• On trams, there is often an attendant onboard as well that can answer questions that you may have.

When exiting a gondola or a tram, you should follow these steps:

• As the cabin enters the station, it will decelerate to prepare for unloading. Once inside the station, the doors will automatically open, which is your signal that you may exit.
• Unload your equipment from the rack outside the cabin and exit the station quickly
• Do not clip into your skis until away from the station and near where you wish to begin your run.

Gondolas and trams are a great way to move large volumes of skiers quickly and in comfort. Many major resorts will use them as a primary out of base lift, allowing you to have a comfortable start to your ski day. Just be aware that trams can have especially long lines when running from the base to the summit on a powder day (looking at you, Snowbird and Jackson Hole).

Surface lifts (aka poma lifts, button lifts, drag lifts, bar lift)

Surface lifts are a different type of chairlifts that do not lift the passengers off the ground, but rather drag them along the surface of the snow. Surface lifts have many styles, including rope tows, T-bars, J-bars, pomas, platters, and magic carpets. Each one has it’s unique style and purpose, but the most common element is that they are generally used for shorter distances. Among all the different types of lifts we have discussed in this article, surface lifts are the simplest to install and maintain, and are usually the least expensive to purchase. Here’s where you’ll see them up in the mountains:

• ‍Bunny Hills: This is the domain of the magic carpet, T-Bar, and J-Bar. Slow and simple lifts help get new skiers comfortable with the idea of moving uphill with their skis on. Magic carpets are almost limited exclusively to bunny hill areas.‍
• Terrain Parks: You will see a lot of high-speed rope tows here. This is especially common in the Midwest, where the smaller terrain footprint makes it easy for riders to quickly get back to the top and take another lap.‍
• Ridges / High Wind Areas: These are areas where it would be difficult to run a traditional chair lift above the ground, as it would be difficult to routinely open and keep open day after day. This is where you will see T-Bars, J-Bars, and Poma lifts. Some examples include: Horseshoe Bowl T-Bar (Breckenridge), Cirque Poma (Snowmass), High Lift and North Face Lift (Crested Butte), and Showcase T-Bar (Whistler Blackcomb)

The style of these lifts means that your ride experience will be significantly different. The rope, bar, platter, or conveyor belt is attached to a cable that is powered by a motor and runs along a line of towers or poles. You will either stand on top of (magic carpet) or hold onto (T/J-Bar, Poma, Rope) the bar, disc, or rope to move up the mountain.

When boarding a surface lift, you should follow these steps:

• Wait for the bar, or disc, to come to you, and watch for the staff's signal to grab it. For the mat or rope, just step onto it when it is your turn.
• Hold on with one hand, poles in the other, and keep your ski tips parallel facing forward.
• Find your center of balance when on the magic carpet.
• Let the lift pull you up the slope.

When riding a surface lift, you should follow these tips:

• Do not let go or step off the mat until you reach the top station, unless the signs specifically allow you to exit early
• Try to stay in the path that other skiers have made. It will make controlling your skis and hanging on much easier.
• This type of lift will require some strength in your upper body to hang onto the lift. This is especially true if you are on a lift that is covering a ridge or high wind area (as they tend to be a bit steeper). It is less of an issue on bunny hills.

When exiting a surface lift, you should follow these steps:

• Let go or step off the mat, when you see the sign that says, "Unload Here".
• Ski away from the lift area quickly, as someone else is coming up behind you!

Surface lifts are likely one of the first lifts you experienced when you learned to ski. They are still used for this purpose, along with other unique areas of the mountain.
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How to interpret different statuses of lifts on a resort’s website

Each ski resort will generally post the status of each lift and update it throughout the day. Here are some of the symbols you may see. Note that each resort uses something slightly different, but this should give you a general idea.

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Open – Skiers can currently use this lift and it is operating normally.

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Temporary closure – You’ll see this when the plan is to open the lift but it isn’t currently running. An example of this is a wind hold.

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Scheduled – This lift is expected to open at a certain time, which is usually noted. You’ll often see this when the resort is closed.

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Closed – This lift isn’t running. Sometimes the resort will use this instead of scheduled outside of normal operating hours.

Why isn’t [your favorite ski lift] running today?

In short, there are multiple possible reasons on any given day that a chairlift isn’t operating. Some of the most common are listed below:

• ‍Wind holds: High winds can affect the safety and comfort of the chairlift operation, as it can cause the chairs to sway, bounce, making the ride unsafe. Wind holds are usually temporary and depend on the wind speed and direction. The design of each chairlift is designed to minimize the likelihood of these happening, but in some more exposed areas of a resort, it can be difficult to eliminate. The good news is that wind holds are usually local and other lifts will be running.‍
• Avalanche risk: Some chairlifts access terrain that is prone to avalanches (usually black diamonds and steeper), which are masses of snow that slide down the mountain. Avalanche terrain requires careful management and control by the ski patrol, who use explosives, ski cutting, or other methods to trigger and clear avalanches before they pose a threat to skiers. Sometimes, avalanche terrain may be closed for a day or longer if the snow conditions are unstable or the control work is not completed. This often happens after large snowstorms.‍
• Low snow: This usually has nothing to do with the lift, and more about the terrain that it serves. Low snow can expose rocks, dirt, stumps, or other obstacles that can make terrain borderline un-skiable. There won’t be a reason to run the lift if you can’t ski the terrain it serves. This occurs at the beginning and end of the season, or during a drought or warm spell.‍
• Low visitation: Low visitation means that there are not enough skiers to justify running the chairlift. This is more likely on weekdays, off-peak periods, or during poor weather conditions. However, you will also see shorter lift lines at the ones that are open, so there is a silver lining!‍
• Staffing issue: Staffing issue means that there are not enough qualified and trained staff to operate the chairlift. Ski resorts are businesses with employees, and sometimes things happen. It could be related to weather and access to the resort, or what the employee did the night before. You rarely see this one happen, fortunately, because resorts will find someone else to take the shift. Usually this results in a temporary delay in opening the lift until enough attendants arrive.‍
• Mechanical issue: Mechanical issue means that there is a problem with the machinery or equipment of the chairlift. The lift mechanics are aware and are probably working on fixing the issue. In a worst-case scenario, the lift may be shut down for a few days waiting for a new part to come in.

Famous Ski Lifts in North America

Some chairlifts in North America are not only functional but also famous for their history, views, or challenges. Here are some examples of the most iconic chairlifts that you may encounter on your ski trip:

KT-22 at Palisades Tahoe (California): This high-speed quad lift takes skiers to the top of one of the most legendary and diverse terrain in North America, featuring steep chutes, cliffs, bowls, and glades. The lift is named after the 22 kick turns that the resort’s founder had to make to ski down the face in 1946. KT-22 has been voted the best chairlift in North America by Ski Magazine and Powder Magazine. It is also the favorite lift of many professional skiers, including Shane McConkey, who have tested their skills and creativity on its slopes.

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Aerial Tram aka “Big Red” at Jackson Hole (Wyoming): This aerial tram carries 100 passengers from the base of Teton Village to the summit of Rendezvous Mountain in 9 minutes, covering a vertical rise of 4,139 feet. The tram offers stunning views of the resort, as well as accesses some of the most challenging and in the country, like Corbet's Couloir, a narrow and steep chute that requires a mandatory air to enter. The tram was built in 1966 and replaced by a new one in 2008. It is also known as "Big Red" because of its color, which stands out in comparison to the otherwise gray chairlifts (although the Bridger gondola is also red). If you take it to the top, check out Corbet’s Cabin, which serves delicious waffles and gives you the energy you’ll need for the upcoming descent!

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Single Chair at Mad River Glen (Vermont): This historic single-seat lift is one of the oldest operating chairlifts in the country, and the only one of its kind on the East Coast. It was installed in 1948 and upgraded in 2007, preserving its original design. The single chair ascends to the summit, where skiers can enjoy classic New England trails and glades that have remained largely unchanged since the resort's opening. The single chair is a symbol of Mad River Glen's co-op ownership, ski-it-if-you-can attitude, and environmental stewardship. You won’t see anything else like it in North America, and is worth visiting if you’re out east.

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Peak 2 Peak at Whistler Blackcomb (British Columbia): This gondola is the longest and highest lift of its kind in the world, spanning 4.4 kilometers (2.7 miles) and 436 meters (1,430 feet) between the midpoints of both Whistler and Blackcomb. The gondola was opened in 2008 ahead of the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics and can transport 4,100 skiers per hour in 28 cabins, some of which have glass bottoms for a thrilling view of the valley below. The gondola allows skiers to access both mountains without having to ski down to the base and offers spectacular views of the mountains, glaciers, and forests. The gondola also holds several Guinness World Records, such as the highest cable car above ground and the longest unsupported span for a lift of this kind. Hopefully you aren’t afraid of heights!

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Ramcharger 8 at Big Sky (Montana): This chairlift is the first eight-seat chairlift in North America and one of the most technologically advanced chairlifts in the world. It was installed in 2018 and features ergonomically designed seats, a weather-proof bubble, and heated cushions for comfort and warmth. The chairlift also has a loading conveyor and a locking restraint bar for safety and efficiency. The chairlift transports skiers out of the base to the top of Andesite Mountain, where they can enjoy a variety of terrain, from groomed runs to tree skiing.

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Pallavicini at Arapahoe Basin (Colorado): This fixed-grip double chairlift is one of the most beloved lifts in Colorado, dating back to 1978 and replaced in 2020. It serves some of the steepest and longest terrain in the state, with an average pitch of 35 degrees and a vertical drop of 1,300 feet. The lift is named after Max Dercum, one of the founders of Arapahoe Basin, who was nicknamed "Pallavicini" after an Italian count who was a renowned skier. The lift is famous for its no-frills, old-school vibe and its access to challenging runs, such as the Pallavicini Face, International, and the Steep Gullies. The lift is also known for its loyal fan base, who often camp out overnight to get the first chair on a powder day.

Conclusion

That concludes our tour of the different types of ski lifts that you’ll encounter at North American ski areas. If you’re interested in learning more about lifts and which models are specifically at your favorite resorts, I cannot recommend Lift Blog more. Peter, the creator, has personally seen every lift in North America, taking photos along the way.

Main photo by Joshua Sukoff (Unsplash)