A ski lift is a mechanism for transporting skiers up a hill. Ski lifts are typically a paid service at ski resorts. The first ski lift was built in 1908 by German Robert Winterhalder in Schollach/Eisenbach, Hochschwarzwald.[1]
Types
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- Aerial lifts transport skiers while suspended off the ground.[2] Aerial lifts are often bicable ropeways, the "bi-" prefix meaning that the cables have two different functions (carrying and pulling).[3]
- Surface lifts, including T-bars, magic carpets, and rope tows.
- Cable railways, including funiculars
- Helicopters are used for heliskiing and snowcats for snowcat skiing. This is backcountry skiing or boarding accessed by a snowcat or helicopter instead of a lift, or by hiking. Cat skiing is less than half the cost of heliskiing, more expensive than a lift ticket but is easier than ski touring. Cat skiing is guided.[4] Skiing at select, extreme resorts, like Silverton Mountain, is also guided, even when skiing just off the lift.[5]
Locations
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Ski lifts are built in many parts of the world. Extreme locations of outdoor ski lifts:
References
edit- ^ Hochschwarzwald.de: 1. Skilift der Welt in Schollach entdecken (German)
- ^ "Glossary". Retrieved 12 July 2014.
- ^ "FAQ". Retrieved 12 July 2014.
- ^ "Cat Skiing". Powder Hounds. Retrieved 27 September 2015.
- ^ ZRankings, Top Ski Resorts. "Skiing's Unique Resorts". ZRankings Best Ski Resorts. ZRankings. Retrieved 24 November 2015.
External links
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Media related to Ski lifts at Wikimedia Commons
