Technique - Progression, Chairlifts and Gondolas xtreme_bunny - Jan 12, 2009 - 11:15 PM Post subject: Progression, Chairlifts and Gondolas
Hi guys
off to whistler (yea yea i know i havent stopped telling anyone)
anyway... as ive only ridden at cas and cairngorms and a baby slope in chamonix ive never seen a chairlift nevermind been on one...
what do i do? is it really hard to get off??
and... if im normally riding green runs will i be ok to ride blues in whistler???
bit confused with their pistemap.
Markland - Jan 12, 2009 - 11:22 PM Post subject: RE: Progression, Chairlifts and Gondolas
Well Poma's are one of the hardest lifts and i guess you can ride them if you have ridden Cas. I was abit worried about chairlifts on my first holiday but i just watched other people in the queue before me and it was simple. You just walk up to the marked spot (or stand on rolling carpet thing) and the chair comes behind you and you sit on it. (I always carried my board, not sure if your allowed in whistler) When on you just pull the bar down or someone else on the chair will.
D219 - Jan 12, 2009 - 11:28 PM Post subject: RE: Progression, Chairlifts and Gondolas
Try and stay relaxed when you get off it, practise scooting around a bit before you get on. I personally have usually found it easier to be on the right hand side of the chair, as if you start accelerating away you can usually touch your toes into the snow to slow you down a bit.
Off to Whistler myself in March!
xtreme_bunny - Jan 12, 2009 - 11:31 PM Post subject: RE: Progression, Chairlifts and Gondolas
nice one hun.
what do u mean by scooting about tho?
just like having a bit of a slide? i can get my bloke to push me about!!! thatl b fun! might take some skates or something for round town. lol
no but seriously im worried about the chairlifts. i know gondolas will be easy enough just know im likely to fall over just like at cas on the far side poma!
xtreme_bunny - Jan 12, 2009 - 11:36 PM Post subject: RE: Progression, Chairlifts and Gondolas
oh yeah and......
the grading system for the runs...
whats the ones with the white dots?
and are the blues over there more like reds?
dont want to get myself stuck.
evilfairy - Jan 12, 2009 - 11:36 PM Post subject: RE: Progression, Chairlifts and Gondolas
Chairs are pretty easy with board attached, front foot only like on the poma, I've found being goofy sitting on the right's more comfortable becasue of the foot rest thing attached to the bar
getting ons easy, point your board forward at the line and be prepared to sit, the chair'll hit the back of your legs (which is a pretty good inticator you should sit down or be pushed forward
getting off's slightly more fun, first the bar needs lifting (always over a big drop) then you'll reach the end, the ground comes up you slide forward and put your board down, and prepare to stand properly, soon as you stand a little push on the lift to get you going and you go down a ramp (so the chair doesn't twat you on the head) and try to break away from the others you just went up with.
if you can get off the poma at cas and control it you should be fine coming off a chair, just remember a lot of skiers will snowplow to stop when they come off (and wave their poles) and other snowboarders might go the wrong way or be unballanced
your allowed to fall over and take out 3 other people coming off your first time, no its expected, bonus points for causing the group on the next chair to crash and fall too xtreme_bunny - Jan 12, 2009 - 11:39 PM Post subject: RE: Progression, Chairlifts and Gondolas
lol that will be me!!!
evilfairy - Jan 12, 2009 - 11:41 PM Post subject: RE: Progression, Chairlifts and Gondolas
white dots? would that be the black diamonds? horrible feeling theyre the hardest
think they have green blue black black diamond n double black too, you should be ok on greens and blues, if I remember right (coz I'm to lazy to look it up) the blacks over lap europe's reds in difficulty/steepness, but I'm probably wrong n we were just telling my friend that so she'd go down them xtreme_bunny - Jan 12, 2009 - 11:45 PM Post subject:
not sure because there were greens and blues with white dots between the colours.
i know i wont be touching the blacks.
was wondering if they are maybe off piste?
evilfairy - Jan 13, 2009 - 12:10 AM Post subject:
Its not clear what they mean but all the dotted ones connect to dotted ones, and lead to the town so it could be a home route marker, when they start closing the lifts, they're the runs you want to go on to get home
off piste wouldn't be marked or else it'd just be ungroomed piste tannedstamina - Jan 13, 2009 - 09:14 AM Post subject:
Hey, chairlifts can be a bit scary first time - I've found the ones in france easy, but a few years ago I had some in Austria that were really steep. I'm not sure how steep they'll be over there.
Practice going down some small flatish slopes with only your front foot strapped in and practice stopping. Try wedging your back foot into the side of your binding so it doesn't slip out. I've seen guys' feet slip out and they've done the splits and landed on their bindings. Ouch.
When you're on the chair lift try and get either end - for a snowboard to stop you'll need to turn sideways a little and if you're with skiers you'll knock them over. Also, used to hold onto the chair for a little bit to give the skiers or others time to get away (if you fall then you don't knock anyone off).
Good luck!
Ramirez - Jan 13, 2009 - 09:51 AM Post subject:
I've not long since come back from Serre Chev, where I had my first experience of Chair Lifts.
They are easier than Pomas that’s for certain, no need to worry.
Like the evil fairy says, just let the chair touch the back of your legs and then sit down. Once everyone's comfy you or someone else will bring the bar down (keep an eye on the bar as you might get a clonk on the head otherwise). At this point you can move your board to rest it on one of the foot rests, which is attached to the bar you've just brought down (otherwise your leg might start to ache after a while or dangling down). Once your getting close to the top of the lift, make sure your not resting on the foot rest (you'll get a good idea when to do this as everyone else will be doing the same). As your moving in closer to the end ramp, I personally shifted my butt so I'm sitting sidewards on the chair ready to let my board touch the ramp, with my other foot ready to be placed against my back binding (like you do on the pomas) and stand up.
Once your board makes contact with the ground, stand up and give yourself a little push off the chair. As above try and direct yourself of to the side away from the others on the lift. e.g. if your on the left go left, in the middle, go straight on the right errr go right At the end of the day if you just get yourself forward away from the chair then you can fall left, right, forwards, do a back flip, its up to you just don’t let the chair slap you in the back of the head it hurts!
One thing to possibly consider is where's the chair going when you get off? As you watch the chair lift going round and you’re pushing your way through skiers who think going across your board is acceptable, think about which way the chair goes round. When you're at the bottom of the lift if the chair comes round from behind you on the left then when it gets to the top it going to go round to the left to go back down, so if your on the far right of the chair your can skate forward a bit and dive off to the right if needed without the risk of a chair clipping you. I doubt you'll need to use this method but maybe on your first go its worth giving yourself the option
With regards to the runs, I can only speak from my own experience in Serre Chev. I found that Greens can sometimes be worse than Blues. The reason being that they can sometimes be quite narrow and not very steep which makes for lots of turning and not a lot of speed i.e. lots of leg burn and a few stops due to having to take a foot out to skate along looking for am incline. I personally was happy with blues, reds and even did a black after a couple of days (I’ve only been boarding for a few months and I’m not that great, honestly )
What ever happens, don’t panic and if a run is too much of a challenge there’s always toe/heel edge to slide down on. You’re going to love it !!
ace_mcgraw - Jan 13, 2009 - 10:33 AM Post subject:
First thing I would say is that if you can do scottish pomas you can do any lifts!
Secondly, just get some practice gliding in a straight line with your back foot out of the bindings. Once your a little more comfy doing that you should be able to slide off the chair no probs.
The Whistler lifties will be unlikely to let you up without having the board on, so it's a necessary evil!
xtreme_bunny - Jan 13, 2009 - 05:50 PM Post subject:
Thanks guys! uve been brill!
Im so excited now im startin to feel sick!! lol
I cant wait!
as with trying to carry the board on the chairlift... im more likely to forget and drop the it off the lift half way up! so i wont be doin that!!!
lol!
set off soon! woohoo!!
again thanks guys uve been a great help!
DigitalBlonde - Jan 13, 2009 - 10:33 PM Post subject:
Hey hun!
I mastered chair lifts when in Sunshine Village in Canada last year. Came a cropper a few times and go a bit frustrated but people are fine about it. It's funny when skiiers see a seemly Bambi legged newbie to the chairlift careering towards them
Got the hang of it and then I was away
Have a fab time in Whistler! LJM - Jan 14, 2009 - 12:42 PM Post subject:
If it makes you feel any better, I've just come back from my second snowboard holiday and I still haven't properly mastered the art of getting off a chair lift!! I learnt in Canada last year and by the end of the holiday I could do it fine but this year I was back to square one!
I got hit over the head this year because i didn't push off the chair enough but at least it made the lift operator laugh and every time I used that particular lift he would stand outside and watch me get off!!
My theory is, once the chair is at the top and your ready to get off, just let your board run. Whoever is in the way (skiers!!!!!) shouldn't be stood in front of a lift exit anyway and so if you hit them, if you happen to fall over, it's their fault for standing around!! And to stop I just dig my heel in and put my free foot on the ground. And I find that bending my knees really helps (even if it looks stupid!)
Im sure you'll be fine. Have a great time!!
Fleetwood - Jan 16, 2009 - 05:08 PM Post subject:
I have a bit of an anxiety getting on chairlifts now. My last visit to any mountain was Coronet Peak in New Zealand where I managed to fall over and then roll, with my foot still in the binding, coming off a chair lift to a green of all runs. This resulted in some bad language and a torn ligament and cartilage and an end to snowboarding for 3 months.
Any advice on getting over the anxiety part? People telling me i was really unlucky would help aswell. rachie - Jan 16, 2009 - 05:20 PM Post subject:
The green runs with white through them at Whistler are the 'easy routes down' runs
my 12 yr old wanted to live on them last yr lol
Fleetwood i done my ankle in Andorra about 11 years ago getting off a lift ended up getting tobogonned down the mountain, torn ligaments/tendons in ankle aswell, still hurts occasionally, might be my age though lol
I still fear the lifts, if i could walk up the mountains i would tannedstamina - Jan 16, 2009 - 05:32 PM Post subject:
Fleetwood - just practice on the flat/small slopes. Find a small slope and practice going down and coming to a stop with only your front foot in the binding. I find turning onto heels is the easiest! Helps to have a decent stomp pad for grip!
Once you take your back foot off and put it into the snow you'll probably do the splits so prob not the best idea. Good luck!
TightKnitJJ - Jan 16, 2009 - 05:40 PM Post subject:
Quote:
Find a small slope and practice going down and coming to a stop with only your front foot in the binding
Yuh and then take yourself to the park and do a one footed 3! Le_Bear - Jan 19, 2009 - 06:28 AM Post subject:
First practice on a small slope them take this to the lift:
1) Try and sit at either end of the chair.
2) As you approach the top spot where you want to head.
3) Stay relaxed and get side ways on, if possible. Lift the bar.
4) As the lift comes to the top you no doubt be faced with a slope, don't panic. Look straight ahead and start to stand. Keep your knee's bent, shoulders back, back straight.
5) Slightly push away from the lift. Once clear place your back foot snug up against your back binding and either trail your heel or toe over the edge depending on which way you want to turn. Do not put this down yet as you don't want to turn until your clear of the pack.
6) As your heading down the exit ramp and you reach the point where you would like to stop, turn you HEAD 90 degrees, this will turn your shoulders which will then turn your board (like when you spinning 3's etc.).
7) Whilst you are turning lightly put you heel or toe down to come to a stop.
Hope that helps
Matt
guinness - Jan 21, 2009 - 07:08 PM Post subject:
I posted this on another forum and think it will hel;p
I found a link today courtesy of the BBC which is really helpful if you are a bit nervous on lifts.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A652268
I did chuckle a bit too at the references to skiers and the french
of all the things I have lost, I miss my mind the most!
rdesolla - Feb 14, 2009 - 07:44 PM Post subject:
Hey,
I had my first experience of a chair lift in Austria December, I was really nervous but luckily I had an instructor on the chair with us and we were all boarders. Getting on is cool we all got lined up like horses in a race and then the barriers opened to let you onto the magic carpet.
I was petrified of what to do at the top but as all the guys on here have said just place your board down rest you free foot on your stomp pad and the chair will nudge you forward. In St Anton there were some quite steep paths off the lifts but I just steered to the edge and found a place to stop. The skiers get in the way though grouping together in the most inconvinient places.
Once you've been on a couple you'll be fine. Good luck with them and enjoy your trip you'll really appreciate the break you get when riding one back up the mountain as pomas can get tiring after a while.
Rach
snowgirl1324 - Feb 14, 2009 - 09:21 PM Post subject:
Make sure you have a good spiky stomp pad in place so you can use your rear foot to steer the board if you need to, when do you go??
Bobafett - Feb 14, 2009 - 10:01 PM Post subject:
When you reach the top, have the board pointed in the direction of travel, place it down on the snow and place your rear foot jammed against the back binding (as was said before). Do not put your free foot on the snow at any point until you are stopping, and especially NOT when you are getting up from the chairlift. Keep your rear hand on the chair until you are stabilised on the board - you don't even necessarily need to push off the chair - certainly the ones in Heavenly you just seem to move away without any effort/pushing off the chair. If you just do everything deliberately, and without rushing (you've got more time than you think) you'll be absolutely fine. I still fall occasionally but usually only if I'm tired or someone gets in my way, but it took me years to work out the proper system for getting off lifts!
Pegasus - Feb 22, 2009 - 09:54 PM Post subject:
what i do is go on the lift with my front foot strapped in and then whilst on the lift strap my back foot into the bindings as well. then as i approach the end of the lift simply put my feet down as the ground approaches and stand up. the lift then pushes me off and away i go no waiting around for anyone im off down the mountain!
