 Poster: A snowHead
|
This question is inspired by the post by stanton about the new GalzigBahn lift being built in St.Anton.
What is your favorite/top 3,5,10 or whatever lifts, gondolas or other for what reasons? I will start with some examples
Tommeusses - Valdisere/tignes - great replacement lift for the two old lifts there, once got stuck for about an hour on the old ones and almost froze, hated how slow they were.
Grand Motte funi -Tignes - don't really like taking off the skiis but its worth it to get on this.
LesArc/LaPlagne link - awesome double decker making a fantastic linked ski area.
Valuga - St.Anton - Wow, how high? How far? A bit slow but wow
cime caron - Val Thorens - Went up ther after some heavy snow and it looked impressive all covered in snow
Aguile du fruit? or marmots? old drag lift - courcheval - before they replaced it with a chair the drag lift that always provided entertainment as it tried to drag people up the 45 degree slope
the gondolas from courmayer up to punta helbronner - it just gets better and better, by the 3rd one its really exciting.
new olympic gondola and the existing chair lifts up the face in valdisere - this it what lift systems are about, it provides you with chair lifts where you don't need to remove skiis for the good weather and a really fast and comfy gondola for the bad weater and to kepp the Q's down. Alternatives are great.
belvedere drag lift - courcheval - its a small free lift that you usually wouldn't use unless you are just a beginner but when you turn up in resort with an hours skiing left in the day and you have new skiis and it has just dumped it down with fresh powder and its your fist ski trip of the season..... well this lift provided me with some excellent skiing and makes it on my list.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
daehwons, welcome to snowheads. Favourite lift? I've never thought of lifts like that. They either go or they are a pain in the asknotwhy. I'm sure there are a few candidates for the worst life. I just hate all those gondolas with a pretend seat that is just too high for average short-ahses like me, so if you try and sit on them you slowly (sometimes not so slowly) slip off and have to keep trying to get back on but never quite succeed all the way up. It's better to stand.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
|
daehwons, Welcome
1. Piccolo San Bernado, La Thuile - Express detachable 4 man chair with a cover. A hidden gem of an area.
2. Funiplagne, La Plagne - Funitel, outrageously fast
3. Chapelet, Courchevel 1650 - Express detachable 6 man chair that serves 2 distant red runs
4. Ecudets, La Rosiere - Old slow 4 man, but riding means you have just come down one of the best runs in the Alps
5. Vanoise Express, La Plagne/Les Arcs - Ultra high speed cable car. Engineering brilliance.
6. St Martin2, St Martin De Bellville - Express detachable 4 man chair. Great place great runs
7. St Martin, St Martin De Bellville - Gondola. Great place great runs
8. Glocknerbahn, Zellam Zee - Express detachable 4 man chair. The main lift for the best young kids learning practice slope in the Alps
9. Leissieres Express, Val D'Isere - Express detachable 4 man chair. What goes up must come down
10. Plattieres, La Plagne - Button lift. Simply the funniest and scariest drag in the world
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
What an odd subject, I haven't considered it like that either. Generally really good lifts are so for one of two reasons, either they are quick and short (whilst opening up tonnes of skiing), or they have awesome views.
Not being something that I tend to keep in my mind, my list of the world's best lifts is non-existent. However, I do remember one from Meribel last week - Roc de Fer, right from the main meeting point. On it's own it only opens up a blue run (and the slalom stadium), but god, the view as you look over your shoulder towards Meribel on a bright sunny morning just after a huge dump... 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
well I've only really ben to La Clusaz so I'd say:
new last season Beauregard gondola, so comfy and pretty fast
the two highspeed detachable chairs on Cret du Merle (one's called that)
fast chair on the Croix Fry, eve if getting on's a bit hairy!
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
crazy_skier_jules, what about that T-bar in LDA where you seemed to be a snowboarder magnet?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Any lift with a cover when the weather's bad and the wind's blowing hard. Even better if the seat's heated!
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
|
The Tram at Jackson Hole.
Snowbird Tram
Supreme chair @ Alta
Tombstone @ Canyons (but that was for other reasons)
The train to Eiger Scheidegg
Belvedere Funival
Le Fornet gondola
Lone Mountain gondola (Big Sky)
7th Heaven Express, Blackcomb
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Coire Cas, Cairngorm
Hornli, Zermatt
Access chair, Glencoe
Aiguille du Midi, Chamonix
Titlis, Engelberg
Valluga, St Anton
Eigergletscher, Wengen
Quad chair, SSAWS Ski Dome, Tokyo (r.i.p.)
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
Peindeint in Courmayeur. A very slow old two man chair that rarely gets any queues, goes up mainly through the tress and can get very quiet. Views across Val Veny of Monte Bianco. Sometimes the rumble of an avalanche from that side comes across and you spend half the journey trying to spot it. Was often my last lift of the day.
|
|
|
|
|
|
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
|
Aiguille du Midi, Chamonix
Titlis, Engelberg
Grand Montet, Argentierre
Punta Indren Cable car, Alagne
A helicopter
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
How about the old First chairlift at Wengen/Grindlewald. Went up sideways and if it was cold, they'd give you a blanket.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
|
There's one at Sun Peaks, the Burfield Chair I think its called?, where you can get off and rejoin the chair lift in the middle of its journey. The chairs don't detach, slow down or anything. You just hope the liftie grabs hold of the chair OK, your skis don't get caught on the ground that rapidly approaches (if you're already seated) and that you don't fall off trying to get on! Not my favourite but I've never come across one like it before.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
| Frosty the Snowman wrote: |
| Ecudets, La Rosiere - Old slow 4 man, but riding means you have just come down one of the best runs in the Alps |
Ahh, the Fontaine Froide. Totally agree with that one.
/WiRED
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
Bouclets 1 and III in La Plagne
Deserted pistes and lift due to the 'Difficile Teleski' signs at the top of the run.
It is a shame it's being replaced by a high speed detachable chair for next season. 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
ww poma at cairngorm
glas maol poma at Glenshee
|
|
|
|
|
|
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
|
boredsurfin,  I meant Bouclets in my post. I should have checked with the locals
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
Frosty the Snowman, It was superb earlier this month, We felt guilty taking the liftie away from his sunbathing! It was so peaceful down through the tree's and although 2pm ours were the second set of tracks.
I'm glad I skiied it before the new lift opens because I think that area will become extremely popular with day visitors as it will connect to a car park near the top of the Bobsleigh.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
boredsurfin, well at last I can get to see what you are on about. No chance without a chair lift there!
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
daehwons, My favourite lift is the one inside Appartments Blanc Neige, Chamonix. The company that services the lift is called Schindler.
Schindler's Lift.
When i lived there it made me laugh every morning.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mouth, Put your ski's on
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
This is one of my favourites
The Marie-No I, goes to wild, uncharted peaks hiding untapped powder stashes, climbs well, doesn't break down or leave you stranded, warm, environmentally friendly and good to look at and will carry your packed lunch if asked nicely.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Balma bucket lift..... a run and jump to get on it...and you have to navigate broken floorboards to get up there. The most decrepid lift I've ever seen... it could only exist in Italy...!! A real treasure...and the run down to get to it isn't half bad either...
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
Bearing in mind I'm a little bit of a lift anorak and really like the whizzy techno ones:-
Olympic Gondola in VDI - great technology
Valluga Cable Car St Anton - had a window seat .. wow!
Mayerhofen Gondola that turns a corner without stopping - hits the pylon at high speed, then the ground plummets away
Leissieres Express in VDI - love watching the faces of the people who've not been on this up and over chair before
Tommeusses in Tignes - just for the speed and removal of queues now you can yo-yo the slopes there
Sauliure Cable Car Courchevel - don't personally like cc's as they mean q's to me, but this one normally doesn't and gives great views of the couloirs
Grand Fond in VT - don't you just miss the long walk into the 4th valley! And brill technology as well
|
|
|
|
|
|
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
|
|
Strawberry in Sunshine Village was pretty cool. Had it to myself all day.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
davidof, is that a two-man or four-man?
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
|
Empire State Building lift is pretty good.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
Not bothered really. Enjoy all chair lifts. Can't be bothered with gondolas or cable cars.
I enjoy sitting on a chair breathing the cool crisp air taking in the view.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
|
Poma - Milton Keynes
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
The next one I will be on. (or perhaps the last one)
Or maybe the first lift I ride at VT on Saturday, cause I'll be on my new skis!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
|
The Aiguille du Midi. Unbeatable, highest in the world, best access to terrain without need of rotorblades on the earth bar none. Could do with some of those Valdiserre honeys operating it though. 
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
SMALLZOOKEEPER, I agree. There's a feeling of tension and excitement in that lift that I've not felt elsewhere.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
The double decker cable car out of Samnaun, although the kids wait till they can get first in the queue and go upstairs.
The single chair at Kitzbuhel in the Ehrenbach Hohe area, particularly with a small child in the party. Exciting, as the safety bar isn't always easy to close.
The downhill tow at Ischgl, on the lowest run back to the village. It's always good for a laugh with so many overtaking the tow bar and falling over.
The Prince of Wales cable car at Klosters, full of loud Americans in awe of being somewhere where Prince Charles has been.
Definately not the heated gondola at Killington, it broke down and we nearly boiled to death.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
| SMALLZOOKEEPER wrote: |
| TCould do with some of those Valdiserre honeys operating it though. |
oh yes, I agree everywhere should have them. I would love to meet the guy responsible for hiring lifties in Val and shake his hand.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tommeuses and Leissiere Express (VDI) have each had two votes.
stevew, this year I videoed just that event - two newcomers going over the top on Leissiere for the first time - it is priceless - in fact their faces look something like this 
I have a particular affection for Punta Jolanda in Gressoney - as the year we were there it was the only lift working.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
My reason for not liking Tommeuses was that I was stuck on it for about half an hour when there was a very strong cross wind, and ice pounding my face.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
|
The drag at Sandown in Esher, Surrey. A simply awe inspiring journey into the unknown with stupendous views of the clubhouse and adjacent mogul slope. The ride itself is sublime, characterised by a pleasurable and constant tugging of the groin, the perfect synthesis of pain and pleasure. The experience is made doubly memorable when the lift is switched on to high speed, thereby exacerbating the tugging and the immediate G-force rush.
I cannot see how all of those high speed lifts in the Espace Killy, etc, can match this. I defy you to argue the point.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
