Chairlift or Gondola??

A snowHead

I know this is a 'how long is a piece of string question?', but all things being equal which type of lift do most Snowheads prefer?

Personally, I'd nearly always take a chairlift given the choice. Seems more sociable, fresh air, less hassle, better view, less over-heating. I also suspect that the longer queues that gondolas seem to have and putting skis on/off compensate to quite a large degree for the faster speed of a gondola.

I haven't included Poma's (which most people loathe) or cable cars (as they are just big gondolas).

Utterly pointless question, but ....thoughts?

A snowHead

Chairlift for me - I like the sit down (which you can't always do in a gondola) and not having to take my skis off.

Covered/bubble chairlifts for those really cold windy or snowy days are even better Smile

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foxtrotzulu, I have no problem with draglifts. We have no gondolas in our ski area but generally having to take skis off and climb up (and subsequently down) flights of steps is often a pain - my skis are heavy and having to carry them vertical hurts my hands. Might be worth it if the alternative is a long, cold ride outside, though. If it's not too cold, chairlifts are much more pleasant. But ultimately the best lift is the one with no queues. Nothing else matters, in comparison.

My only experience of cable cars is of big queues and squash - horrid.

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Chairlift for me, with a lid if the weather's horrible. Gondolas are stuffy and cramped. Last season, a lady yabbered non-stop from the long queue, right through to the top of the mountain and almost demented me. Would far rather take the chair lift!

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

foxtrotzulu, the chair is the weapon of choice. The difficulty with a gondola is that they typically cover huge distances, and what I actually like when skiing is to put the hammer down a bit and then take a bit of a break on a chairlift. The gondola does not provide the short break to let legs recover and catch your breath, whereas the chair tends to be shorter so that I can do exactly that. Add the faff of removing skis, taking off goggles so they steam up a treat, some kid falling over into you, and having to perch on the edge of an exceptionally slippery and narrow seat, and I am a big chairlift fan.

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Chairlift with heated seat, oh yeah baby!

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queen bodecia,

After all it is free

foxtrotzulu, Certainly do. They've some in Zermatt, feels a bit like you've pooed yourself tbh wink

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Depends on distance and how windy it is. A chairlift is bliss in spring and hell in the winter night skiing when it's windy.

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Depends on the weather, length of ride and time of day. Lunchtime gondola rides are easier than chairs for eating your picnic. On a sunny day chairs are definitely better.

I guess everywhere should have Chondolas.

Definitely chairlift. I like the slow, peaceful pace, watching the scenery go by. I don't enjoy gondolas or cable cars because you have to stand, crammed in like sardines with people who are sweating alcohol or haven't washed their ski gear in years. Never mind some of the questionable dental hygiene resulting in foul breath... that's the worst, I hate smelling foul breath on people, makes my stomach heave.

You know it makes sense.

Chairlift. Great to have a rest, fresh air, scenery, better view, and more social.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

Princess?, never go to Ischgl - sharing the gondola with 7 Bavarian blokes on a stag do is halitosis hell

A snowHead

Chair whenever possible. Cime Caron (one of the worst) cable car in VT is a smelly, steaming, cramped nightmare used by rude, loud, flatulent people who all have just had a fag.

A snowHead

Maybe there's something lost in translation here.

I'm referring to a gondola as something I travel in (Swiss & Austria) where it seats 6 or 8 people and is a comfortable ride. To others (France?) it appears to be a mini cable car where you squeeze in stood up. I will always go for the lazy sit down option!

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Chairlift (or drag) over a gondola unless the weather is really bad.

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The order of love for me:

1. Fast chairlift
2. Gondola
3. Tram/cable car
4. Slow chairlift
5. Drag lift

It's mostly about vertical gained per minute. Detachable chairs are fast because you don't have to faff with your skis or wait long for the next one. Trams/cable cars usually rise at a formidable speed but I always seem to arrive just as the doors are closing. Sometimes slow chairlifts rise very steeply, but not often.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

The Cime Caron cable was a feat of modern engineering but with 150 people rammed in it and your head shoved in someone's armpit, it does feel like you're on the tube in rush hour!

Personally I love a fast chair Smile

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has to be a fast six man chair all to yourself with a nice padded seat

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I'm rather partial to the funicular at Les Deux Alpes. It takes you from the bottom of the glacier at 3200m to near the top at 3400m. The alternative is a slow, long, cold T bar which I hate. It takes longer, you have to ski down to it, take off your skis, wait for the doors to open then the thing to arrive. There's also a walk up steps at the top. I much prefer it to the T bars though.

After all it is free

Fast chairlift or skidoo snowHead

Most 'cabin' lifts seem to have steps up or down a real PIA

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Has to be a Poma.
Almost as quick as a fast chair, safer, more reliable and filters out the holiday skiers. Laughing

Also less landscape impact, cheaper, more enviromentally friendly, and better skiing on less crowded, less worn or over engineered runs. Failing that .........old school rope tows. All the attributes of Pomas..... except the safety bit. Shocked

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Fast chair > Gondola > Slow chair

Also depends a bit on if I my legs fit between the footrests and the bar on the chair, a not too busy chair is OK as you can angle your legs to the side, but dangling legs on a slow fully loaded chair is the worst!

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What's wrong with a good old T-Bar? Very sociable .... Until you fall off!

If you've ever skied regularly in the Scottish or North Pennines areas (all of which are draglift central), modern chairlifts and gondolas of any description are the height of luxury and sophistication Smile

.

As others have said, both chairs and gondolas do have their merits:

- Chairs on sunny or warm days.
- Gondolas when it's cold or snowy.

Gondolas can also be good for a quick flask of tea or a picnic; or - when empty at the end of the season - to lie along the whole row of seats for a good rest on the way up after a long, hard day.

You know it makes sense.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

Fast chairlift > gondola > slow chairlift = drag lift >> cable car

A snowHead

A snowHead

^^yup 8er Schnee Express is joined by another new 8er heated and a new 6er heated this year.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Chairlifts best if weather is OK.

BUT .... How many people? The type of conversation you can have depends crucially on whether there are just two of you, three, four or more. Toofy Grin

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I don't care Wink

if there's a space going free, I'm invading your privacy if the queue extends more than about 3 chairs' worth Wink

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

foxtrotzulu, all the new chairlifts in Austria have the heated seat mechanism now. Drag lifts are being replaced in most resorts as well. I can count the number of times I rode one last year on the fingers of one hand I believe.

Gondolas are the same for me as Elizabeth B describes, you sit down they carry between 4 and 20 people. The bigger ones have some standing but not much. Anywhere where you are jammed in all standing regardless of carrying size is a cable car in my book and should be avoided like the plague. One I get slightly claustrophobic in confined spaces and two, being short I tend to end up with some tall person's arm pit or their rucksack stuck in my face, not too sure which is worse to be honest.

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Best cable car has to be the Vanoise.

Worst is that old rattler up from Klosters

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doesn't sitting on a heated chairlift do the same as sitting on a hot radiator - i.e. give you piles?

After all it is free

Peterkct, they are warming not hot, much the same way as heated car seats are. wink

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Help!!

Chairlift or Gondola??

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