Review Copy - thanks for taking a look Not for training Call for copies for your staff 651-484-6434 Ski Lift Operations Guide Your Introduction to Ski Lifts and to Ski Lift Operations 18 Edition Review Copy - thanks for taking a look Not for training Call for copies for your staff 651-484-6434 Have a Terrific Season, and Enjoy Working with the Lifts and with our Customers - who are here to have a Great Time (with your friendly help)! Call Mountain Management Services, LLC at 651-484-6434 to order copies of this text, edition 18.1, for your own training. If you want to email us, we're at [email protected] ... and thanks! Review Copy - thanks for taking a look Not for training Call for copies for your staff 651-484-6434 CHAPTER 1 – WORKING WITH ACTIVE PEOPLE USING LIFTS THE MOUNTAIN MANAGEMENT SKI LIFT OPERATIONS GUIDE AT YOUR LIFT—YOU etting on or getting off of a piece of moving machinery can have its REPRESENT G difficult moments, and it has risks as well. US ALL People who use the lifts actually load, ride and unload themselves. - BE A Lift attendants, like us, monitor this process and advise and help when we can. Of course, there are other things that we also do. FRIENDLY This job is going to be full of new people and new activities. There is new HOST AND equipment, and lots to learn. We hope you find this job exciting and fun. HELPFUL You’ll learn that it’s the people -- both your lift users, and your lift’s team, that make this job special. TO OUR Your friendly attitude and smiles can help people enjoy each lift ride GUESTS and today’s adventures. Be a friendly host. Be Aware, Be Careful! Review Copy - thanks for taking a look Not for training Call for copies for your staff 651-484-6434 Q: Who Will You Be Working With? 1) assisting people using the lift; A: Our LIFT OPERATIONS TEAM 2) slowing the lift; 3) stopping the lift; … including: 4) continuing operation and observation. The Lift Supervisor — who oversees one or more lifts, and our operating practices and people, when the to deny access to the aerial lift to any person, lifts are used by the public. using the procedures we provide you; Each lift has a Lift Operator — An operator to advise the operator or supervisor of abnormal or unusual conditions that you note and that may is in charge of each lift’s operation. The operator is trained in operational, and emergency procedures. adversely affect the safety of the lift’s operation; A person may serve both as an operator and as an to advise and assist passengers with adaptive attendant at the same time, if authorized. equipment; to reasonably maintain the lift’s loading and Lift Attendants Like You — who are assigned to unloading areas; to know how to report incidents, to get first aid various duties, as directed. help, and to assist in evacuation of the lift, as You’ll be a busy lift attendant— Here are some of needed. the things you’ll need to know how to do: And perhaps more—things like ticket checking; to know about our operational, emergency and loss assisting the maintenance people; snow work; and of equipment control procedures; and the related whatever your lift may need. equipment needed to perform your duties; As you read through this text you will find more specific to monitor the passengers’ use of the lift; including information about lift operations and your duties. observing, advising and assisting them while they Lift people may routinely exchange assignments, as are in your work area as they get on or off the lift. directed by the supervisor; provided they are trained for to respond to unusual happenings or conditions — each assignment undertaken. by choosing an appropriate action, which may include any of the following: Review Copy - thanks for taking a look Not for training Call for copies for your staff 651-484-6434 CHAPTER 2 – LEARNING ABOUT LIFTS MOVING PEOPLE THE MOUNTAIN MANAGEMENT SKI LIFT OPERATIONS GUIDE This text mostly covers chairlifts used for skiing and snowboarding — because they are a very common type of lift at ski areas in North America. No matter what kinds of lifts or tows you work on, the principles are similar - just the specifics of the lift type and its use and installation differ … so ask your supervisor for instructions for the lifts you will operate. On aerial lifts, like chairlifts the people board at a loading area, sit down on the chair seat. On others they go into a cabin. They all travel up in the air above the ground to the unloading area. Attendants may advise and assist as needs are observed. Tows move people on a track or path in the snow - while they stand on skis or snowboards and hold onto the rope or a handle. Handle tows are also used at some areas to bring snow tubers up the hill while riding on their snow tubes. Attendants may advise and assist as needs are noted. The BASE TERMINAL of a chairlift includes the Conveyor lifts are used by people steel structure that supports the big BULLWHEEL and (most often beginning skiers and the GUIDE SHEAVE WHEELS and the Wire Haul Rope snowboarders, and by snowtubers) as it moves to and from the Bullwheel. Together the as they stand on the lift’s moving Sheave Wheels hold, support and move the HAUL beltway, which takes them up the hill. ROPE AND CHAIRS using the motor driven machinery Attendants may advise and assist in the motor room. (The motor room can be at either as needs are observed. end of the lift). Review Copy - thanks for taking a look Not for training Call for copies for your staff 651-484-6434 The CHAIRS attach to the HAULROPE with GRIPS. As the The lift users first come to the CORRAL or gathering motor and gearbox turn the BULLWHEEL, it moves the area, where they wait for their turns to board the lift. haulrope and chairs around the lift system from end to end in a continuous loop. We want people to read the signs as they prepare to load. Then at the end of the corral, there is a The loading terminal areas includes the places where designated ‘WAIT HERE’ sign, and a spot to people wait—the CORRAL; and where they load—the stop and look for chairs coming around the LOADING PLATFORM; and where attendants work. bullwheel; and for other problems—before Loading platforms are designed to be generally crossing onto the loading platform … following flat, and about as far below the chairseats as the floor is right after a chair passes—to have time to get from many kitchen chairs. Your supervisor can into position. show you how to find and maintain an appropriate People move ahead from the ‘WAIT height between the chairseat and the snow HERE’ sign, onto the LOADING surface at your lifts. PLATFORM, to the ‘LOAD HERE‘ marker and sign as they wait for their chair to approach from the rear. (see page 12) At the LOAD HERE spot, lift users should try to line up evenly with their boots in-line with the marker. Generally, it works well when they turn back to watch the chair approach behind them. Ski poles and other articles should have been transferred to a free hand, and the people on the outsides of the waiting group can grasp the outside of the chair, and people in the middle can grasp the chair. Wearing backpacks is often discouraged. When a chair comes along behind the waiting people, they sit down on it, sit back, and sit still on the chairseat as they go up the liftline until they reach the unload platform and ramp. Monitoring, Advising, and Responding to guests needs as they load onto the lift And the chairs keep coming — another chair involves more than you might think … comes about every 6 or 7 seconds Although we watch, advise, and may assist or respond to problems, lift users are responsible to load The lift loading area surfaces need to be themselves on to the chairseats: generally smooth and flat. Create this by smoothing or by shoveling or by adding snow if needed—before They move onto the LOAD HERE position on the people arrive, if you can. Smooth the snow with your loading platform, shovel, a rake, or a broom. Throughout the day people On some chairlifts we may be able to hesitate the might add more snow from their skis or snowboards; chair arm or bail just long enough to slightly slow its or they may wear it away as the snow melts from friction forward momentum … for a smoother load. and warming temperatures. It’s hard to do very much platform and ramp snow work when it is busy, but try to As the chair comes up behind them, people sit back do a little shovel work when you get a break in the flow on the chair until they reach the unloading spot and of people using the lift. then get off. While riding, people should sit back as far as possible to help stay in place. Before opening for guests, the lift gets a pre-operational If the chair has a restraining bar, users can lower it inspection, snow is shoveled, and the areas are set-up. until the chair approaches the unloading area. Review Copy - thanks for taking a look Not for training Call for copies for your staff 651-484-6434 Watch for problems in your work area and As the powered bullwheel at the drive terminal turns, respond when you see them: it moves the HAULROPE and chairs around the lift system.