# Your spot on chairlift



## ig88 (Jan 3, 2012)

I have only snowboarded for one season, 7 days altogether last season. I still had not managed the skill of getting off chairlift perfect last season. At the beginning of the season, I fell getting off the chairlift every time. Super embarrassment. At the end of the season, I was falling once every four to five times. That's a huge improvement for me already.

For those of you like me who have not fully mastered getting off the chairlift with grace, would you pick a side on the chairlift that's easier to get out?

Last season I was in Korea. For example, on a 4 to 5 person seater, which went counter-clockwise. I always tried to sit on the far right. This spot enabled me to escape from the chairlift fastest. Say if I had settled for the far left spot on the chairlift, I would have had to put in huge efforts to jet off or else I could not have cleared the radius of the path of the chairlift. Sitting on the far left always got me nervous the entire trip up the hill.

Is it just me?


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## linvillegorge (Jul 6, 2009)

When I was starting out, far left was easiest for me. I was way more comfortable heel side, especially when not strapped in, so being on the left side made it easier for me to just dip out in the direction I felt most comfortable.

And if you fall, who cares? Just get back up and out of the way as quickly as possible. Everyone had to learn, there's no shame in it.


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## jfergus7 (Dec 2, 2011)

I have about the same amount of time snowboarding that you have. I usually try to sit to the outside for the same reason but after a few trips up the hill I had it down. I still prefer the outside so I can get out of the way quickly but it gets easier with practice. You should make a point to sit to the inside if you ever get on the lift by yourself that way you can get practice getting off quick but don't have to worry about causing an accident.


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## phony_stark (Jul 2, 2011)

ig88 said:


> I have only snowboarded for one season, 7 days altogether last season. I still did not managed the skill of getting off chairlift perfect last season. At the beginning of the season, I fell getting off the chairlift every time. Super embarrassment. At the end of the season, I was falling once every four to five times. That's a huge improvement for me already.
> 
> For those of you like me who have not fully mastered getting off the chairlift with grace, would you pick a side on the chairlift that's easier to get out?
> 
> ...


Do you like heelside or toeside turns better? Be on the outside, to that side.

Also, not to minimize your experience, if you lean forward and keep your body quiet, normally (if everyone else knows how to ride the lift) you should be legit.


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## blz1 (Oct 15, 2012)

I just try not to get stuck between two average skiers.


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## ThunderChunky (Oct 1, 2011)

blz1 said:


> I just try not to get stuck between two average skiers.


THIS.....is a rule to live by....on and off the slopes.


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## Skinny Bam (Sep 7, 2012)

Skate/Longboard to get your balance down since all you need to do is ride flat and then stop. I skated for 3 years before snowboarding and never really had a problem getting off the lift, im assuming because of this.


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## jdang307 (Feb 6, 2011)

Before I ever went on, my wife (then gf) and her friend both scared the shit out of me by warning me about the lift, and how easy it is to fall. I'm neurotic, so they only made one comment but then it terrified me before going up (kind of like going up the first drop on a roller coaster).

So I psyched myself out. Mind you I had never even slid on a snowboard yet. So I told myself, I'm not going to fall. Stay balanced and ride it out. And I did. My wife and her friend ended up running into each other while I made it out unscathed.

Ever since then I was pretty good at it, and usually only fall when someone interferes with me. I'm usually on the lift with my buddies, so we'll arrange who gets off first. If it's a 3 person lift the person in the middle gets off really early and the other two a split second later.

If it's a four person lift then two first and the other two later (alternating). That way you have a little room.

6 person chair fuck it every person for themselves. Don't wait too long or else you get stuck like one of my friends (his second time ever) in Boreal.


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## mixie (Mar 29, 2011)

agree with jdang. 

mastering the chair lift is 98% mental and 2% skill. 

seriously.


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## hoodrat (Mar 22, 2012)

mixie said:


> agree with jdang.
> 
> mastering the chair lift is 98% mental and 2% skill.
> 
> seriously.


^This. Just jam your back foot against the back binding and ride straight off.


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## Donutz (May 12, 2010)

And you can work on the 2% by practicing skating on a gentle slope somewhere away from everyone, or at least away from the chairlift offramp.

The Mystery chair base station at Seymour is at the bottom of a fairly large shallow bowl. I have always made a point of skating down to the lift lines at the beginning of the day. With some skating practice and a little confidence, that'll be one less thing to worry about when offloading.


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## Dim Mak 1470 (Dec 7, 2011)

I find that sitting in the middle is pretty darn nice because usually the person to my right will turn right, the person to my left will go to the left a bit so me just staying centered as possible, going straight works pretty well. Not so great when someone in the chair before you falls, though, and is very slow to get up


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## dopamean (Nov 1, 2012)

Just dive head-first and penguin-slide every time you get off the lift. It will be your own unique style and soon you will have cult-followings and catch-phrases named after you. The in-crowd will watch in awe as you execute your awesome dismounts from the lift, while everyone else just rides off all lame-style.

"Aww man, is that the Penguin-slider?! WHOOOAAA!"


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## snowklinger (Aug 30, 2011)

linvillegorge said:


> And if you fall, who cares? Just get back up and out of the way as quickly as possible. Everyone had to learn, there's no shame in it.


qft

Honestly there are only 2 obstacles that need to be crushed:

1. Practice

2. Fear - not only of pain, but of falling and looking like an ass. The guys who are good at shit got that way by falling and shattering their spleen - in front of people.


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## Dim Mak 1470 (Dec 7, 2011)

dopamean said:


> Just dive head-first and penguin-slide every time you get off the lift. It will be your own unique style and soon you will have cult-followings and catch-phrases named after you. The in-crowd will watch in awe as you execute your awesome dismounts from the lift, while everyone else just rides off all lame-style.
> 
> "Aww man, is that the Penguin-slider?! WHOOOAAA!"


My cousin tripped me up today after getting off the lift. I penguin-slid & someone gave us an "8.5" :laugh:


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## dopamean (Nov 1, 2012)

Dim Mak 1470 said:


> My cousin tripped me up today after getting off the lift. I penguin-slid & someone gave us an "8.5" :laugh:


hahaha! It's catching on Already!!!!! I'm going for a "9.0" tomorrow @ Keystone first time off the chair!


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## wrathfuldeity (Oct 5, 2007)

I used to dread getting off this, it was fun taking noobs up...they were shittin the pantz....I miss it. What you don't see is the short run out that extends about 25-30 feet to the right of the picture and you had to hang a sharp right or left and often there were people either walking through or stopped...98% balls.


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## slyder (Jan 18, 2010)

That is an insane off loading ramp!!!

I ride goofy so I prefer the right hand side. I can comfortably off load at any position. When I'm with some sketchy riders, be it ski or board. If I'm on the right I'm 1st off. If I'm in the middle I try to hold back and cruise through the carnage of failing penguins clogging the ramp.


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## dopamean (Nov 1, 2012)

wrathfuldeity said:


> I used to dread getting off this, it was fun taking noobs up...they were shittin the pantz....I miss it. What you don't see is the short run out that extends about 25-30 feet to the right of the picture and you had to hang a sharp right or left and often there were people either walking through or stopped...98% balls.


DAAAYYMN! now that is a prime ramp for the Penguin-slider technique!!! :thumbsup:


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## supham (Feb 14, 2011)

Lean forward to where you think you should be, then lean forward even more. It is even more important to keep weight on the front foot than normal.


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## supham (Feb 14, 2011)

wrathfuldeity said:


> I used to dread getting off this, it was fun taking noobs up...they were shittin the pantz....I miss it. What you don't see is the short run out that extends about 25-30 feet to the right of the picture and you had to hang a sharp right or left and often there were people either walking through or stopped...98% balls.


On this lift do you have the option on staying on and going further up the mountain?

I've only seen one with a ramp like this.


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## wrathfuldeity (Oct 5, 2007)

supham said:


> On this lift do you have the option on staying on and going further up the mountain?
> 
> I've only seen one with a ramp like this.


This was the top, don't recall seeing any folks going around; there was no auto stop bar and the attendant in the hut would push the button to stop the lift when there was a carnage pile. Actually lots of locals liked the thing cause it would keep the gapers from getting the goods up there. But ya, being able to cruise off 1-footy and make the turn...made you feel you could off-load anyplace. But they replaced it with a regular quad and a lower ramp...but it can be short and steep early season.


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## seriouscat (Jan 23, 2012)

I like far left just because it's easier to rest the snowboard while going up (goofy.)

When I got back to boarding last season I just never felt comfortable with free foot against the binding while getting off lift. Very awkward. Stepping on the board closer to middle seems way more natural. You can glide around any gentle slope like that and use the free foot to create drag if needed. :dunno:


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## Snow2k (Dec 7, 2011)

Sorry if this sounds simple and dumb, but one thing I did not do early on was take enough time to line my board up with the ramp before off loading. I'm goofy and I found that if I twisted my body to the left and kind of hang my right butt cheek off the chair, my board lined up perfectly and I just leaned forward and rode off. I find that if you don't do this and your board is not straight, you'll have to make early corrections before you're stable and eat it often.

I made sure my sister did this her first time on the lift and she was real smooth.

Oh, and I'm with seriouscat. I like sitting on the far left so that my board doesn't get in anyone's way.


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## poutanen (Dec 22, 2011)

seriouscat said:


> I like far left just because it's easier to rest the snowboard while going up (goofy.)


+1, I'm worried about how my ankles and feet feel on the lift than how I'm going to get off... I'm goofy and try to sit on the far left as much as possible. It is marginally easier getting off on the far right.

Biggest piece of advice my dad gave me when I was a young pup. "Don't try to force it, just stand up and the lift will push you off" And that's still true. Don't get all worked up and think you have to push off to clear the lift. That's the point of the ramp in the first place. Just stand up, that's all you have to do!


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## mojo maestro (Jan 6, 2009)

I'm goofy and I like to sit to the right on the chair. That way when you're preparing to offload you're hands and arms are usable to defend yourself. A little seperational "push".


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## EC99SS (Dec 6, 2007)

I sit in the middle and when it's time to get off I extend both arms, take out the 2 buds on either side of me and ride down freely without any worries. Haha :cheeky4::cheeky4:

Actually it doesn't really matter where I set. However whenever riding with noob friends I prefer either outer edge so I can immediately peel away to avoid their sometimes full heel slide as if they were on a black diamond :laugh:


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## Donutz (May 12, 2010)

At least one seat away from my daughter! :laugh:

If she's feeling a little shaky getting off, she grabs me. One time she took us both down.


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## phony_stark (Jul 2, 2011)

Dude, the little kid take down is the WORST. LOL! It happens to me from other people's kids at least a few times a year. It's all good, I have a kid and would rather it be some able bodied adult eating shit than them.

I'm starting to develop the "sense" on who is gonna do it and who isn't.


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## BoardWalk (Mar 22, 2011)

Someone needs to do it


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## timmytard (Mar 19, 2009)

wrathfuldeity said:


> I used to dread getting off this, it was fun taking noobs up...they were shittin the pantz....I miss it. What you don't see is the short run out that extends about 25-30 feet to the right of the picture and you had to hang a sharp right or left and often there were people either walking through or stopped...98% balls.


Oh, I love Baker. I miss that mtn.

I like to tell people I suck & I always wipe out, just to see the fear in their eyes.


TT


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## gjsnowboarder (Sep 1, 2009)

ig88 said:


> I have only snowboarded for one season, 7 days altogether last season. I still had not managed the skill of getting off chairlift perfect last season. At the beginning of the season, I fell getting off the chairlift every time. Super embarrassment. At the end of the season, I was falling once every four to five times. That's a huge improvement for me already.
> 
> For those of you like me who have not fully mastered getting off the chairlift with grace, would you pick a side on the chairlift that's easier to get out?
> 
> ...


If you could describe your ride stance(right or left foot forward), and how you normally fall this would make giving you tips that are pertinent to your situation eaiser.

That being said practice your boneless riding. (the art of riding with one foot straped in and the other foot loose, but place on the board ( typically in between your bindings). The easiest place is in the learning area where they do lessons or on a real mellow green. In a learning area there will typically be a bench or chair you can practice getting of on. Think about getting you lead shoulder and hip to point down at the same angle of the incline of the off-ramp straight away from the chair. It sometimes helps to feel your lead foot roll from the inside to the outside of the foot. With the back foot start off with at least the toe part of the boot over the board just before you get off with the nose of the board pointed straight away from the chair. When the board starts to touch the ground start to turn the foot it can sit flat on the board and slide it up against the back binding with the outside of your foot. Your weight should be close to 60% of the front foot and 40% on the back as you start to slide. Remember to keep looking forward out ahead of you and you should be fine. Eventually you will start to get crazy with getting off the chair and be able to ride any position on the chair, only on one leg, switch, and grabing your nose.:cheeky4:

P.S. one additional tip also is to remember to breath to allow your body to relax.


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## ig88 (Jan 3, 2012)

Thanks for all you guys for the invaluable advises. I have learnt a lot from all the responding posts.

Last week I had my first riding days of this season. I took all you guys' advises into consideration and I think I am very comfortable unloading from the chairlift now. The first few attempts I just told myself to brave it out. This made a whole world of difference in my head. I did not fall even just for once over 4 days of getting off the chairlift. On several occasions I even helped adjacent riders/ skiers to steady themselves as they unloaded. 

The other thing I noticed was that I wasn't doing much at all this season and I easily managed to ride away from the chairlift. I suspected it's because I waxed my board for this season and the stick just glided forward without any effort. Last season my board just stay put on the landing and I had to scramble to push the chairlift behind me to propel me forward.

Thanks everybody who gave me their personal insights into how to handle getting off chairlifts. Much appreciated. Cheers.


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## Clayton Bigsby (Oct 23, 2012)

wrathfuldeity said:


> I used to dread getting off this, it was fun taking noobs up...they were shittin the pantz....I miss it. What you don't see is the short run out that extends about 25-30 feet to the right of the picture and you had to hang a sharp right or left and often there were people either walking through or stopped...98% balls.


Cant tell you how many times I slid down that chair ramp, the first ever MT BAKER banked slalom was under that chair, then they moved it over to the halfpipe. Years ago team Burton was up at BAKER filming a video and they filmed Keith Wallace or Brushie coming off of that chair, then he ollied up on to the left rail and grinded down it. BAKER always had some of the gnarliest ramps and for that we used to always reach down and buckle in while on the chair before unloading. Just south of this chair (#1) was a rope tow that the old school ski patrols would crank up the motor to see who could go up the mtn the fastest, someone on here might have the exact mph, but I want to say the winner was clocked at over 30 mph.


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