It is a well-known fact that going uphill is harder than going down it. The man figured out how to facilitate this process. One of the types of devices for lifting skiers up the slope of the track is a drag lift.

It looks like a cable, closed in a ring system and stretched at a distance of about two meters from the ground between the supporting columns.

An engine is installed at the top or bottom of the track, which sets it in motion. To climb the mountain, the skier clings to the tow bar attached to the cable in one of the ways provided by the feature of this mechanism.

Lifting modifications

Tow bars, they were also called Poma lifts earlier, differ in the names of towing bars, which are of two types.

1. Anchor or colloquially a mop. In this case, it is clear what this device looks like: at the end of the bar there is a crossbar designed to pull two people at once.
2. A plate, as another type of rod is called, with a limiter in the form of a round die at the end, is designed to tow one person. Based on the description, one can imagine the outlines of this fruit of engineering.

And one cannot fail to mention the Baby Elevator - this is also a type of lifting mechanism, the cable of which is stretched low from the surface of the earth, does not have intermediate supports and moves at low speed.

It is usually used by children and beginners who have no skiing experience at all.

In order to use it, you just need to grab the cable with your hands or with special plastic brackets.

Safety regulations

In order to use the drag lift effectively, you should remember a few rules:

• Before climbing, see how more experienced skiers do it.
• Catching a yoke, especially at first, is worth it with the help of special assistants, they are usually nearby.
• For stable position, the bar must be held with both hands.
• If the balance is lost, and the fall nevertheless occurred, it is necessary to release the yoke and roll away from the line of rise.
• No need to fuss, rush and interfere with other people with your actions, this can lead to a collision and injury.

With the development of skiing, more and more people visit mountain resorts by ski lifts. They come in different modifications, have different names, but still, they all remain a source of danger, which should always be remembered! Holidays in the mountains should bring joy and satisfaction.

Snowboard lift? No, I'm better on foot, I need strong legs!

Well, as you wish ..., and I will sit in an armchair, and I will look from above as you puff up the slope ...

Armchair?! Why didn't you say before?! Sitting on a chair is not for you to fight with a yoke ...

(a conversation between two beginner snowboarders)

In this article, we will talk about how to learn to use the lift when snowboarding. We will tell you what types of lifts are, and why you need to unfasten one leg when using them. We will also share our personal experience that will be useful to any snowboarder.

Part one. Theoretical.

Why do you need a lift?

The goal of most mechanisms and machines is to make life easier for a person, free up time and energy for more interesting, important and useful things, and the lift is no exception. It allows you to save energy for those extreme descents for which people get up on alpine skis and snowboards. The invention of ski lifts sparked a boom technical excellence athletes and promotion skiing and snowboarding.

When can I start using the lift on my snowboard?

If this is your first time getting on a snowboard, then don't bother with lifts, walk up the slope until you get the hang of it. side slip, and even better weight transfer turns(you don’t want to get stuck at the very height, or even worse - fly head over heels from it?). Well, when you can freely change the direction of movement and at least somehow turn, be prepared for the fact that the first five ascents will force you to show everything best qualities =).

What is the best way to use the lift on a snowboard?

On the ski resorts The three most common rates are:

The “hourly” rate is when you can go through the turnstile as many times as you like in the allotted time (no, the cunning plan of passing the card to a friend for free skiing is doomed to failure, because the delay between passes is from 4 to 7 minutes). Such subscriptions are valid only on the day of purchase and are activated either at the first pass, or 10-15 minutes after purchase (it is better to check immediately at the checkout). The cost depends on the time (at peak times it is more expensive) and the duration of skiing (discounts for bulk purchases).

One-time tariff - when you can go through the turnstile a paid number of times for an unlimited time (such subscriptions, most often, are valid not only on the day of purchase, but for the rest of the season). There is no delay between passes, while the cost depends on the number of lifts: opt is opt =). (Exception GLK "Uktus" - there the price is fixed)

The “free” tariff is when only the strength of one’s legs is used as a lift, and the staff of the GLC with special perseverance stop the lift and drive you away from the lonely flying yokes. You can ride this tariff for as long as you like (and even when the GLC is not working), and climb as many times as you have enough strength and energy.

For more information on when it is more profitable to use each of the above "tariffs", see the table.

Use the "Hourly" rate	Use the "Per-time" tariff	Use the "Free" tariff
If you don’t want to practice anything, but you want fun and fun descents with maximum effort	If you learn and hone your skills throughout the descent	If you are studying and do not know how to use the lift
If you ride during the hours when peace and solitude reign on the mountain (weekdays, early morning or late in the evening, or in frost, on the verge of closing the slopes at -20-25ºС)	If you come to the mountain during peak hours (usually this is a weekend from 12 to 17)	If the line for the lift starts right from the ticket office and even your angelic patience is not enough to endure this hell
If you prefer to tirelessly ride all the available time, ignoring lunch, toilet and other distractions from skiing	If you prefer relaxed and measured skiing with barbecue breaks and unhurried conversations with friends	If you prefer to combine extreme sensations with a program to get rid of excess weight and endurance training (with regular skating, you start to watch how not to lose weight - energy for heating and lifting takes a lot)

largest snowboarding progress achieved by combining all three "tariffs".

• With fun descents, the necessary roll is acquired and personal experience. Lots of personal experience.
• During one-time descents, a correct technique(provided that you do not burn the slope with napalm, but purposefully do the exercises).
• When climbing on foot, you have time to think over your mistakes and see the others, and at the same time learn to rationally use the slope and get the most out of each descent (then crawl uphill a lot).

If you not warming up before snowboarding using a lift, then be prepared to “creak” during the first three descents (about as much work you need to do to warm up your muscles and get into the right rhythm). The easiest way is to warm up directly during the ascent (on foot or on the lift), when there is a lot of free time and you can vigorously wave your arms, twist your body, and perform vertical work (squat). So you will be well protected from stupid sprains and injuries.

Types of lifts

Rope (dish and T-shaped) - stood on the board, squeezed the yoke between your legs and roll yourself slowly. (Uktus, Deciduous, Wolf, Saw, Warm, Stack, Hedgehog, White)

ravolator or tape - stand on the tape with a board in your hands or on your foot and watch how pedestrians overtake you (Rosa Khutor)

Chairlifts - sat on a bench, relaxed and you sit so contented while lifting up (Ezhovaya, Belaya)

Gondola - went into the booth, sat on a bench, and you sit, you look at the beauties of the mountains, protected from wind and cold (Bath)

At the same time, chair and gondola lifts do not cause practically any problems for snowboarders, what's so difficult about it - you unfasten the board and you sit, like in a bus or tram. But with rope tows, especially at first, there are certain difficulties.

And there is a simple explanation for this - using ski lift snowboarding is impossible without putting the board on the whole sliding surface entirely, and this situation is very unstable. With random fluctuations in weight, the edges will definitely want to bite into the snow and drop the snowboarder, especially when the track under the lift is so broken that it is more suitable for a bobsleigh championship than for snowboarding and skiing.

To make life easier, we unfasten the back leg

The release of the back leg not only makes it easier to get on/off the lift, but also helps the muscles to relax and rest during the lift.

For comparison, remember how much strength it takes to stand still on the board, and the lightness that you experience after unfastening the mounts.

The same thing happens when using the lift on a snowboard: as soon as the hind leg gains freedom, a person immediately has remarkable abilities for movement and stability. Standing and moving with one unfastened leg is very easy!

When using the lift with one leg strapped on, you can:	When using the lift with two legs strapped on, you can:
Make it easier to wait in line	Get tired of jumping and spend a lot of extra energy, but save 30 seconds of your time (for buckling your legs on top)
Easily approach and depart from drop-off/drop-off points	Climb short distances to descend through the snow park and a series of jumps
Rest and relax while climbing
It is easy to jump away from an obstacle that suddenly jumped out (squirrel, calf, little boy)
Move on a flat slope (for example, on the Belaya slope during a headwind)
It is easy to restore balance by pushing off with the back foot, and when falling, quickly crawl away and not get edging on the ear
Learn carving turns with one leg strapped =)

Often, on the way to the lift, a kind of motley company of jumping hares gathers. They squeak, grunt, roll into pits and collapse on the unevenness of the slope, scratch equipment, and wave their arms in the hope of maintaining balance ... in response, they receive sidelong glances of indignation from more stable brothers. When they cling to the yoke, they strain with all their might instead of relaxing and resting before the next reckless descent.

Why is all this necessary? I don't understand... =)

Part two. Practical.

When using a drag lift, there are a number of basic rules, due to the violation of which falls occur:

The starting point should be convenient (it is difficult to grab the lift when you roll towards it or crash into a hill at the start)

The lift is not a chair, and you should not sit on it =) (the yoke pulls forward, not up, so you have to stand on your feet)

Weight should be evenly distributed across the legs

The head and shoulders should not collapse and tilt - keep them level, knees slightly bend to absorb bumps

To learn how to use the lift, you will need to go through several stages:

Kick scooter

Attention: the fastened leg always rolls forward first (both on the lift and when driving on a slope)

Find a flat and gently sloping section of the slope where you will not disturb anyone.

Buckle up your front foot and get used to the board a bit: roll from side to side, step your free foot over the snowboard, lift and spin around on your axis.

Now start pushing off with the back, as if you are rolling on a scooter or skateboard. First ride in a straight line, and then in a circle (clockwise and counterclockwise).

Once you feel confident, find a small incline with enough rollout to stop and move on to the next step.

Descent in a straight line with one unfastened leg

Turn the snowboard down the slope and place it on back leg(next to the mount), then roll into the main rack. There is no need to twitch and try to control the board, let it slide down the slope on its own and stop (you didn’t climb Everest to practice this exercise, right?).

Get up using the scooter skill and make it harder for yourself: squat, lift your back leg, reach the nose and tail of the board during the descent, turn your head.

Choice of starting point

Watch where most snowboarders/skiers start. Most likely, the largest and deepest hole has been rolled out in this place, which will try to stop and cause a lot of inconvenience. To make your life easier (especially on initial stage) choose a place that is even (slightly higher or lower on the slope).

You need to get up closer to the flying yokes (the length of the arms should be enough so as not to reach for them with your whole body and not lean forward).

Please note that the yokes should fly in front, you will catch them behind your back next season =).

Start

For maximum efficiency, try to choose a time when no one will push you from behind (this way you can safely skip the skids flying by).

Approach the starting point and turn with your front foot up the slope

Grab the yoke and stick the plate under the fifth point.

During the start, tighten your muscles a little to compensate for the jerk of the spring in the yoke and

- unhook back hand so that the snowboard does not turn across the slope due to a shift in the center of gravity.

Driving on a lift

Distribute your weight evenly across your legs

Bend your knees slightly to absorb bumps, but do not tilt your head and body (keep them level), otherwise you will crash!

Finish

Pull the yoke stick towards you and jump to the side

Roll away from the landing site (if you sit right there, you will create a huge plug of jumping hares) and calmly fasten your back leg

How to use the lifts

Ski lifts open the way to the mountains. Climbing the mountain on foot is hard and long, so the faster you learn to use the lifts, the more kilometers you can drive and the faster you learn to ride. At first, using lifts may seem difficult, but you will quickly learn.

Towing lifts

Most likely, the very first lift you will meet on the cultivated slopes will be of a towing type. The most common are T-type tow lifts, called "mops" for their appearance.
The towing lift is a continuously moving cable, to which poles are attached, at the ends of which plates are fixed (the option shown above in the photo). In the case of a push-button lift, the cymbals are attached with a spring-loaded cord, on some variants simply secured to the end of a pole. The poles can move continuously along with the cable, or they can accumulate at the bottom, waiting for the skier to grab them. In any case, your task is to slip the plate between your legs and ride in tow to the top of the slope.

We take a tug
Take both sticks in one hand. Wait until you can take the tug. The operator will tell you about this, or the green light will turn on, or the barrier will rise. Grasp the pole with your free hand. If the lift has poles piled up at the bottom and you need to press a switch to start moving, find the switch. Slip the pole between your legs and make sure your skis are parallel and wide enough apart. Get ready to be pulled by a tugboat, just don't try to sit on the plate!

Take a pole and turn on the switch

Climb
Stand loose, keep your skis parallel, let the pole tow you.

Getting off the lift
Watch for signs that signal the end of the ascent. Once you reach the lift warning signal, use your free hand to extend the pole that is between your legs. Make sure the pole doesn't hit anyone and let it go. Leave the lift immediately.

Don't rush, assess the situation.

When you arrive, let go of the pole and quickly clear the way.

Peculiarities
Some lifts have a very sharp start! If the skier in front of you is in the air, get ready to jump off. If the cable comes off the winch, stay calm, keep your feet wide, relax and follow the pole. The poles will soon begin to slide down the slope. Hold on tight to the pole, slow down the plow. If you fall, get out of the way quickly.
Children and very light adults. On old lifts, children and very light adults could be lifted into the air and rotated on a pole a dozen centimeters from the ground ... It can happen in different ways - a 360 degree turn is quite safe, but 90 degrees is not. The only way is to try to reach the snow with at least the heels of your skis and hope for a safe landing. This happens extremely rarely, and never happens on modern lifts.

T-type lifts

As the name suggests, a T-type lift looks like a large upside-down "T" attached to a cable by a leg (squeegee). The victims line up in twos as the T-bar comes up, the lifter lowers it down, passing the T-leg between the skiers, and places the bar low on their backs. Then a couple of skiers begin to climb. T-type lifts were very common, although they are now being replaced by more comfortable lifts in most resorts. You won't find them in most resorts. Western Europe and even more so in the United States, but in other countries they are still often used.

Try to find a partner around your weight.

Turn around to grab the base of the crossbar.

We sit down
Stand next to your partner, hold the sticks from the outside, grab the crossbar with your hand.

Motion
Keep skis parallel to each other while towing. Do not push your partner's ski or boot, remember - this is your partner, not the enemy.

Let's go
Decide which of you will hold the crossbar while the other gets off the lift: this is more convenient for the one who is on the side farthest from the turntable.
Be careful when you let go of the bar: it can spin and hit someone while its cable is wound into the mount. Clear the lift platform as soon as possible.

Adviсe
Try to pick up a partner with the same wide ass as yours. If you're lifting alone, or if you have to flex every muscle to stay on the lift, move the end of the bar under your outer glute. Lean over your partner's shoulder and ask him to do the same.

Release the bar carefully

Chair lifts
Chair lifts provide a civilized way to get up the mountain, giving you a few minutes to relax and take in the scenery. Armchairs are usually two, three, or four-seater, fixed on a cable that moves non-stop up the slope. Very comfortable, high-speed, they move rapidly on the slope and slow down warningly for skiers to board.

We sit down
Take the sticks in your hand. Stand so that the approaching seat is directly behind you. Some slip forward a little so that the first impact of the seat is taken by the remaining companions. Sit down as soon as the seat touches you. If you managed to avoid being hit with sticks in the face of a neighbor, they sat down perfectly. Lower the safety bar as soon as the seat comes off the platform. Try not to drop anything, and if something does fall, remember the number of the next support in order to orient yourself later.

After planting, hold the sticks carefully.

We leave
When you see that you are approaching, open the safety bar. If you have a fanny pack or rucksack, make sure they don't snag on anything. Raise the ends of the skis so as not to catch on the approaching platform. As soon as the skis touch the snow, stand up and use your free hand to push yourself away from the seat. Roll quickly to the side to avoid hitting your head or back with the seat.

Lean forward and push off when the skis touch the snow

Cabins on a cable, funiculars and more

To use these lifts do not need special skills.

A common type of lifts in Russia is tow ropes "with a hook"
A yoke is a specially shaped piece of iron that is used to hook onto a lifting cable. This piece of iron, which is sometimes a very bizarre design, is usually attached to a strong belt, at the other end of which - to facilitate lifting - there is a small crossbar, which is quite convenient to hold on to with your hands or, with the advent of experience, which you can put between your legs and climb in tow without loading your hands. Tip one: skip someone ahead and ask the next person to tell you how to properly hook on the cable. Usually, not everyone succeeds the first time, so don't be discouraged and try again - it will work out, and pretty quickly.

A chair lift is the best way for a snowboarder to get uphill. The legs rest, the snowboard does not interfere, the main thing is to dress warmly and enjoy the views.

Landing

Go through the turnstile, determine if you can carry a snowboard in your hands (most often yes) or if you need to fasten one leg (usually in such places employees do not let people in without a snowboard on), wait for your turn and line up with those who are going to sit on the lift together with you (depending on the capacity of the lift). Usually one chair is designed for 2 to 6 people. Everyone needs to sit on the chairlift at the same time, so everyone should be on the same line. Do not run into this line if you do not have time for a chair. Wait for the next one and sit down like a human.

When the chair approaches, carefully sit on it, immediately putting your legs forward and straightening them so that they do not sink under the chair and break. Place the board edgewise between your legs so that it does not interfere with the lowering of the safety bar and does not hit your knee. Gently, smoothly and slowly lower the safety bar, after informing the others about it. Put your feet on the step (if you get it), check that the snowboard does not fall down, usually they look for this so that in any case it catches on the mount on the frame. It's best to keep it all the way.

disembarkation

When the chair approaches the upper station, you need to raise the safety frame in advance (usually this place is marked with a corresponding sign), take the snowboard to right hand and determine which direction you will run. It is best to sit on the outside of the lift, and run away there. However, if you are sitting inside, then you should not rush through all the chairs, you still won’t have time. Run back to the inner support, and go right behind the chair to go outside. The main thing is not to stand in the way of the chair, it will sweep away instantly.

If you have one leg strapped to the snowboard, then you will have to leave clearly ahead, as skiers do. Get ready, stand on the supporting leg, push off from the chair, put the other foot on the board and gently steer away from the lift. It is important not to fall, because there may be other people behind you, for whom your fall will be an absolute surprise.

Chair lift features

Dress warmly - the wind is much stronger on the lift than below. The lift can be stopped, so no one knows how long you will spend there.

Do not drop your snowboard, mittens, phones and other things down - it will be almost impossible to find them. It is better to wait until you arrive at the top, and there devote a few extra minutes to all the necessary manipulations.

Be sure to lower the safety frame. All the coolness of riding a chairlift without a safety frame eventually leads to tragedy. Falling onto rocks from a height of 5 meters is no longer cool, so think with your head.

If you are riding a chair not in splendid isolation, but with someone else, it doesn’t matter if they have skis or a board on their feet, be sure to coordinate your actions for everyone’s safety. This is especially true for lowering and raising the safety frame - you can seriously injure a gaping lover of mountain slopes.

How can a snowboarder ride a drag lift? This question is asked very quickly by every beginner snowboarder, as soon as he has to climb the mountain again. Let's try to figure out what to do if there is no alternative in the form of another lift in your case.

Why use a drag lift?

Only drag lifts found on small slopes, in private parks, training hills. Sometimes, to everyone's horror, some yokes are completed ski resorts(for example, Khibiny, where you have to ride on a yoke for 10 minutes or more).

Naturally, drag lifts are cheaper to operate, which is why they cost less. However, after the first hour of skiing, you will realize that you are ready to overpay for a chair, if any.

Types of drag lifts

The most common and modern yoke is the so-called mop. Designed to tow two skiers at once. Snowboarders, on the other hand, have to pervert in order to tow themselves up - the mop sticks between the legs and pulls you by the inner thigh of the leading leg with one of its ends. It's inconvenient, but there's no other way.

The old type of yoke is plate. Almost no one knows how to ride such a yoke for boarders, so be sure to see how others do it. In theory, the plate also tucks between the legs and pulls on the inner thigh, but it is much more difficult to keep it there.

Yoke - stick, another type of drag lift, found on training slides. You need to grab her with your hands and try to keep your balance and not fall while she takes you upstairs.

Cons of a drag lift

The main disadvantage is tension in the muscles and ligaments of the knees in the course of the journey. If on other types of lift the muscles that work during the descent relax and rest, then on the yoke they are statically tense, that is, they perform double work. This means that the muscles do not rest at all, which is fraught with overexertion and injury.

Naturally, snowboarders ride a ski tow uncomfortable. It is difficult for beginners to maintain balance, and for advanced ones it is difficult to find a position that is comfortable for standing for a long time.

Advantages of a drag lift

On the plus side, though it's a small consolation, you learn to control your snowboard better and your technique improves.

Yoke landing

Buckle up your front leg, go through the turnstile, wait your turn. It's best to go alone.

Stand at the landing site, wait for the squeegee to drive up to you, grab it with your hand and with a decisive quick movement, slide its end between your legs so that it holds on to the inner thigh of your front leg. Immediately after that, place your back foot on the snowboard next to rear mount, resting against him, as if by surprise. Hold the mop with your hands, wait until it starts to move you forward. Relax your body, transfer your weight to your front foot, keep your balance and gently move up with the mop.

Don't be alarmed if you can't get on the lift the first time. We all were. Try again and again, sooner or later you will succeed.

Disembarkation from the yoke

When the yoke brought you up and you began to move not on an inclined, but on a flat surface, take the mop with your hand, pull it towards you and remove it and release it. Momentum will keep you going, so don't take your back foot off the board, but slide carefully to a safer spot, away from other people getting off. When you stop, use your free foot to push off the ground and move forward, or you can just take off your snowboard and walk around, giving your feet a rest.

How not to get tired on the drag lift

Many generations of snowboarders have thought about how to reduce the load when riding a yoke.

1. ride on different legs, then with the right fastened, then with the left. Both legs still get tired, and it is much more difficult to ride with someone else's leg.
2. A tried and true option for more or less confident snowboarders. Try to ride on the yoke with straight legs. That is, both legs should be as straight as possible. You will feel that your legs become much less tired, because there is no load that goes to the muscles and ligaments as a result of squatting.