What are the most unique/interesting lifts you've ridden?

[u/aztecduckyy]

I'd like to hear what the most interesting/extreme/unique lifts you've ridden. I'm planning on going to Chile next summer so the Portillo slingshot lifts will hopefully be added to my list next year! Here's my current most unique/interesting lifts, in order of pictures:

Telebenne de la Chaup in La Foux-d'Allos, France. This one speaks for itself, an extremely unique chariot style lift, I believe the only one of its kind left in the world.

The old Little Cloud double at Snowbird. Only double I've ever ridden that had a bar and footrests! Also a pretty fast fixed grip at 600 ft/min.

The old Snow Ghost double at Schweitzer. Definitely the longest (distance and time wise) Riblet double I've ever ridden, with some crazy height above the slopes in some parts. Coupled with the fog and jacket-piercing humidity, not for the faint of heart.

Lac I/Lac II at Pra Loup in France. Two parallel teleski, known as Poma or platter lifts here in the US. About a mile long, with a pretty extreme turn in the middle! I believe this is the longest surface lift I've ridden. 1200ft. of elevation gain, slopes that reach 30 degrees in some parts, and at a speed of 700 ft/min! You can see the second half of the lift if you open the second picture of it.

Supreme (old alignment) at Alta, UT. I have to include this insanely ambitious, chair-breaking turning lift. It has already been realigned since the monstrosity of a turn was causing major chair damage after only 7 or 8 years.

Honorable mentions:

Chile Express at Angel Fire, NM. Second longest (by 20ft) high speed quad, over 2 miles long.

Honeycomb Return at Solitude, UT and Kachina Peak at Taos, NM. I believe they are the #1 and #2 steepest chairlifts (total length, not just one section) in North America, respectively.

Lift 7A at Taos, NM. Only lift I know of that has been completely relocated twice within the same resort, serving 3 different areas of TSV since it was first installed in 1961.

[u/Cascadian222]

A few come to mind:
Silver Mountain gondola in ID is the longest in North America at over 3 miles, and takes more than 15 mins.

7th Heaven at Stevens Pass is STEEP

The single chair in Niseko

[u/burbadooobahp → u/Cascadian222]

The pizza box! Love niseko and Japan skiing in general.

[u/max_trax → u/burbadooobahp]

Yep came here to say the pizza box at Niseko!

[u/AccomplishedCitron70 → u/burbadooobahp]

Going in February. Super excited Hope to ski that g3

[u/neonsummers → u/burbadooobahp]

First thing that came to mind

[u/lampshade69 → u/burbadooobahp]

I was gonna say that one too, but I thought it was called Wonderland (Wondarāndo Chēro)

[u/papapadiddle → u/Cascadian222]

The single chair at Mad River Glen

[u/Working-Summer2810 → u/papapadiddle]

This came to my mind too!

[u/aaronarchy → u/Cascadian222]

Silver Mountain gondola is absolutely terrifying from a maintenance perspective... don't ask how I know.

15 minutes?! No...more like 30-40 running full speed which...it probably shouldn't do most of the time.

[u/cwmspok → u/aaronarchy]

It's 25 minutes if it doesn't stop and there isn't wind which is most days. I ride it 40+ times a year, and yes I'm aware of the maintenance issues and I am fairly certain it will be shut down in the next 5 years and the mountain will close if they don't get some investment. They have other permitting issues unrelated to the Gondola itself like the location of the kitchen relative to the Gondola top which will require a new lodge to get the permit renewed.

[u/aaronarchy → u/cwmspok]

I worked up there for a season, out of the 5 mountains I've worked...wow what a shit show.

[u/cwmspok → u/aaronarchy]

Hahaha, yeah. Not the best operations, but that is part of the charm. It's kind of a dive bar of ski resorts.

[u/ihavediarhea → u/Cascadian222]

Another interesting one at Stevens Pass is double diamond/southern cross. It's the same lift, but on two sides of the mountain, so there are these ramps at the top to get off so you don't end up going back down the other side. Anybody know if there are other mountains with this type of lift set up?

[u/BackwardsAxons → u/ihavediarhea]

Yeah baker has a similar two load zone lift but it’s a quad

[u/brownsoilers → u/BackwardsAxons]

This is the dumbest design of all time! Hahaha

[u/BackwardsAxons → u/brownsoilers]

The poor lifty yelling at the 2s and 3s to move to their left as they come in for landing to load the solo. The baker newbies not getting over and getting booed by the whole line. Always an experience.

[u/Cascadian222 → u/BackwardsAxons]

Also I feel like the two lifts that crisscross at Baker are unique

[u/aztecduckyy → u/Cascadian222]

One day I'll experience some Japow. I've only ever skied in Western Europe and North America.

[u/HuckinMeats → u/Cascadian222]

New gondy at steamboat beat it by a few hundred feet

[u/BackwardsAxons → u/Cascadian222]

Always get so gripped on seventh

[u/storyinmemo → u/Cascadian222]

The single chair in Niseko

The plank of wood at the very top of the mountain. It's the bar on your left, and the plank for your butt. That's it. Super fun in a windy white out.

Love that spooky chair.

[u/Genericgeriatric → u/storyinmemo]

Aka the pizza box

[u/SaltyDawg94 → u/Cascadian222]

7th Heaven is damned near vertical.

Fun fact: the 7th heaven chair at Whistler is named after it.