Ski lifting brings out various types of feelings. Many are dreaded towards the approach, whereas many just love to relax through this adventure. Many beginners find it very concerning as it is the first time for them. There is a certain way to use a ski lift.

 

Here are a few tips to help you use the ski lift while snowboarding:

It is important to have one of your feet out of the bindings, and skate up to the drag lift. It is also necessary to position your stance so that the drag is lifted in front of you and you are facing the slope sideways while your snowboard faces up.

Once you start with the process, grab the cable as it goes past the place in the seat between the legs. It is advisable to not sit on it. You can have one foot outside of the bindings and keep skating up to drag lift. There are stomp mats or crab grabs which help prevent the foot from slipping off of the board.

It gets easier if you bend your knees slightly and then hold the bar with both your hands. You need to prepare yourself for the initial pull. It is safer to hold the bar with both your hands and lean slightly towards the back when you are on the board. You should never sit down. Always keep the boards facing upwards at all times. Discard the pulley and snowboard away once you are familiar with the initial process of pulling and maintaining your stance. Keep your weight slightly to the back of the board to maintain the momentum. You should never get to the edge.

Use your chair to lift

You can have one of your feet outside of the bindings and skate up in front of the lift. While the board is facing up the slope, you can free the foot in front of you so that you can swivel to a sitting position for the chair.

When the chair approaches the end zone, it is important to dismount the chair lift as much as possible to make the process easier. You can swivel the position once you reach the ground. Place the snowboard on the snow with your foot placed on the snowboard. It should be in front of the binding. 

Reminders for people using ski lifts for the first time:

You can always take notes from the snowboarders who are experienced. Watch and learn how they manoeuvre themselves and take the position. You don’t have to rush to get to the exit and let the momentum push you to the end. Once you approach the exit, you can make use of the stomps and crab grabs on the board for more traction on the loose foot.

If you are using the T-bar lift, you can hold onto the other side of the ‘T’ for more balance. All the other steps can be used for a when the lift is applied.

Ski lifts are well-made for skiers and difficult for the snowboarders. Snowboarders have to move sideways. Whereas, the skiers have to face the way the lift is going at all times.

Common mistakes to avoid

There are various common mistakes that the newbie makes while moving forward. They stop quickly on the exit run, or panic while trying to reach the end. It is advised to focus on the momentum and gently stop wherever necessary. Follow the instructions and learn from the experienced individuals. And then, you are good to go!