 Poster: A snowHead
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Aims26, Has he thought about boarding..? Getting on is pretty straightforward....
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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roga, spoilsport!
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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?
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^ Yup! 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Aims26, amidst the jokers, here's a serious response from someone who's had a chairlift issue. After having been taken down a slope I shouldn't have been on, I had total "jelly" legs. The lift was soon to close and there was no other alternative apart from skiing runs well beyond me. So we swiftly got on (have never had a problem getting on them). Getting off was another issue - the legs just crumpled. I then didn't ski again for a year and managed to talk myself into a fear of it happening again. So on the next trip I was "manhandled" off the chairs to try to prevent me falling. To be honest, this was a BAD thing as it reinforced in my head that I needed help. It wasn't helped by the instructor getting on at me to "stand up" the instant my skis touched the snow, even if my ears were having a close relationship with my chin at the time. Then someone gave me the best ever tip. Nearly all chair dismounts have a down hill run-out and the chairs continue straight on for a short while as the ground dips away before they turn. I was put on the outside seat (the one that'd trace the outside of a circle at the top) and when we got there my friend said "wait, wait, wait....NOW", meaning I didn't try to stand up until the the ground started to fall away, resulting in feeling as if the chair was helping me up.
I hope that is some help - it certainly worked for me to have a strategy for when my legs were wobbly 
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Butterfly,
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"wait, wait, wait....NOW", meaning I didn't try to stand up until the the ground started to fall away, resulting in feeling as if the chair was helping me up.
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I can't help thinking that that is a surefire way to:
a) not get off at all and end up going back down
b) trying to get off when the ground is too far away resulting in a fall and injury
c) getting stuck half-on/half-off
Timing is everything I suppose 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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halfhand, yes, common sense & judgement are called for and maybe I didn't describe it that clearly - hard to do in words, but it worked for me. I have the skis in contact with the ground and am leaning forward preparing to stand when the moment is right, just allowing the increase in chair/ground distance to aid the process. Thing is I'm not a youngster and have some health issues and attempting to stand up when the seat is barely above the snow can be nigh on impossible on a bad day and quite likely to end up with me in a heap on the ground.
Yes, indeed timing is everything especially when dealing with having your knees too high ... no perhaps I won't go on...
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Astraeus, yes, and retrospective editing is cheating.
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pam w, well done for spotting that - yeah 'cheating' is one word for that kinda behaviour!
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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.
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There are loads of gondolas in La Plagne aren't there? maybe use those for a bit, to get the confidence up? As a skier I have no problem with chairlifts but as a rubbish snowboarder I sympathise. Definitely got to stand up sooner rather than later and get the weight well forward. I read somewhere the other day that one useful thing is to tell someone that as they stand up to dismount they should pull up their pelvic floor. Not sure how that works with blokes.
Otherwise, ensure someone is doing a recce - some chairlifts are much easier than others to get off; start with easy ones.
people standing round faffing are a right pain. Feel free to knock as many over as you possibly can. 
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Butterfly,  ... Really.. do go on.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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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.
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You know it makes sense.
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Schuss in Boots, quite right although I guess Aims26 could be a gay bloke but for some reason reading the original post I was presuming not!
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Poster: A snowHead
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You're absolutely right, certainly not a gay man!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Hillend (Edinburgh)has a chairlift
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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My nans house has a chairlift, not the sort your looking for though?
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swifty,  does she have snowmaking facilities for the stairs?
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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.
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This is a very strange thread, and I'm not convinced it isn't a troll. It should be manifestly obvious to anyone who has been to a ski resort that the ability to ride char lifts if a basic core requirement. You'll simply be wasting your money if your (alleged) boyfriend refuses to get on a chairlift, and will most certainly be laughed out of any bar or restaurant if you disclose this fear to anyone else.
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kevindonkleywood, carpeted stairs work for me
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Alternative solution - get a boyfriend who isn't afraid of his own shadow. Hopefully you are ok with cuddling him to get him to sleep, and sleeping nearest the door in case the monsters come to get him 
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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.
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Looks like the TGR tendency are back - beware! 
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I think mention of uplift on TGR is still a capital offence in many states
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You know it makes sense.
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Tip 1-
Often the problem folks have getting off is they panic and rush to get off, get your friend to count 1000,2000 after the skis come in contact with the snow before pushing off the chair.
Tip 2-
Getting on, one common issue is poles sticking in the snow, so get them to hold both poles in one hand about a foot down and hold them up, out in front vertically. This goes for getting off too.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Dr John wrote: |
| This is a very strange thread, and I'm not convinced it isn't a troll. It should be manifestly obvious to anyone who has been to a ski resort that the ability to ride char lifts if a basic core requirement. You'll simply be wasting your money if your (alleged) boyfriend refuses to get on a chairlift, and will most certainly be laughed out of any bar or restaurant if you disclose this fear to anyone else. |
That's a little harsh. Some people do have genuine reasons for not wanting to ride on the chairlifts. I taught a lady once who was terrified of heights and point blank refused to use the chair. After several days of persuasion (we are lucky in Grindelwald and Wengen that we can use the trains as well as the other lifts) I finally got her on a chair. The first few rides up she screamed and had her eyes tight shut but each time became slightly easier until it became bearable for her, and at the end of the week she was in a position for the first time where she was prepared to ride the chair with her husband.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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LaserStock, I may get crucified for this, but it's mostly ladies, isn't it? Hence the saying is MTFU and not WTFU.
(To be clear, I'm not referring to proper phobias - I have no idea of their incidence in the male vs female population).
Aims26, show him this thread...
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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?
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Just to balance things out, I think men are wusses compared to women when it comes to physical pain.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Aims26, I am going to say I relate to an initial fear of chair lifts so I don't think the OP is a troll. Even now I'm not keen when they suddenly slam the brakes on and you bounce up and down (N.B. don't show BF that comment). However, please find below an ex. scared persons guide to riding chairlifts you might like to pass on.
N.B. Try to make first chair lift rides on nice new lifts that dismount the chair onto a slow loop to pick up new passengers from - try to avoid the old 'slam, dunk' rides if learning. Also try to practice first on a chair that has a ski rest built into the bar unless you have calves of iron.
1. Sort out your ski poles early - hold them in the hand that you don't normally write with. Hold them by the middle as there is less length top and bottom to get muddled up.
2. Step through the gate the moment it opens - if you don't it can often pay to wait for the next one (sod the moans from behind you)
3. Many of the lifts will have a stopping point marked on the ground - watch the people in front to see where they position their skis relative to the stopping point and do the same - some stopping points may be staggered like gates on an oval racing track.
4. If you are a nervous beginner try to get an outside seat and if you are a skier, try to get a skier next to you (skiing buddy is ideal - sorry boarders, but you can be a little disconcerting if you are a nervous chair lift rider to begin with
5. As the chair arrives I find it helpful to use the hand that isn't holding the poles to hold just behind the legs so you almost catch the chair and steady it to sit on - this is even more essential with 'slam dunk' chairs mentioned earlier.
6. Be prepared for the chair to swing as everyone sits down and it exits the loading bay, it will soon stop
7. If you are a beginner try to ride with someone more experienced so you don't need to worry about the bar at first. On big chairs just look out in case you get someone who yanks it down to enthusiastically before you are ready if so you might need to steady it on the way down, but in most cases someone else will take charge at the top and at the bottom. Once it is down position your skis on the purpose built rest that come down with the bar - on nearing the top just lift your skis clear.
8. I have a pre-occupation with hanging onto my ski poles - I hang onto them with the hand they started in and also find that its convenient to stick them between my knees and hang onto them with my thighs and calves
9. I have had the chair stop on the way up - it might be a bit disconcerting - go up with a sympathetic friend if you can - once they start again they soon flatten out. All the ones that have stopped with me have eventually restarted. Sit tight and enjoy the view. When a chair is moving it is suprisingly steady.
10. On nearing the top it can help to wriggle a bit towards the front edge of the seat and make sure you are still holding the poles in the middle so you lift them clear as you stand up. Don't worry about doing anything with your poles until you are well clear of the lift and can stop and sort them out.
11. On standing up use your other hand (not the one holding the poles) on the lip of the seat to push yourself up and clear. There is usually very little need to stand up too soon (some 'slam dunks' notwithstanding) wait until you are on the level section of the dismount - most will then tail very gently away. If you have the outside seat then stand up and with a little push of your hand on the seat slide purposefully away from the chair in that side's direction. If you have been forced into a middle seat then push off in a dead straight line and keep going until well clear - remember there could be another loaded chair just behind you. If you don't make it they will often stop the chair or if the worst happens you just go round again!
Good Luck
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Gosh.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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LaserStock, meet Aims26's boyfriend. Aims26's boyfriend, meet LaserStock.
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rungsp, what language are they speaking on there?
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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.
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A few tips from personal experience:-
1) Make sure that you stand next to your mate whilst waiting for the chair to arrive; he will surreptitiously remove his rucksack and place it on the seat next to him - i.e. the place where you are about to sit down. As the chair moves off above your body thrashing about on the ground the onlookers are highly amused.
2) On a chair with slatted seats, remove your rucksack and hold it on your lap, making sure that at least one of the buckles gets caught in between the slats. This makes getting off at the top quite interesting (not me this time, a guide I was with managed this )
3) Covering your face with white factor 50 is so effective that the french teenager who has sat down next to you will throw herself off the lift when she turns round and sees the ghostly apparition beside her.
4) The old guide's trick of standing a couple of inches forward of everyone else (so that their calves take the whack and you can just sit down wthout pain) works well unless all of the passengers know it - then everyone keeps shuffling forward until you all fall off the front of the loading area.
5) Always wear a helmet.
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To try and answer the original question instead of just "mocking" which just demonstrates the stupidity of the poster....
I nver been to a dry ski slope so don't know if any have chair lifts, but do you live near the Isle of Wight as there is a chair lift down to alum bay, now I know you can't use skis, but if its the getting on and off thats the problem, then maybe this could help.
The way to conquer most fears is a little bit at a time, so that you can gradually build up confidence. So getting on and off this chair lift safely may help remove some of the fear of chair lifts in general. As others have suggested I would also see if an instructor can assist with this.
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FAQ
