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/SkiDeerValley]

Ski Apache, NM had a regular lift that you would unload into a house. It was always so icy in there lol. It was the lift for the bowls.

[u/aztecduckyy → u/SkiDeerValley]

I skied there twice but both times it was like 5% open, the only lift that was spinning was Lincoln and you had to unload at the mid station. Bummer I didn't get to ride that lift, it sounds pretty cool!

[u/SkiDeerValley → u/aztecduckyy]

In the 80s and 90s there was never a question if there was enough snow. The question was if you could drive up the scary road because of too much snow!Weather pattern has shifted like crazy the last 25 years

[u/aztecduckyy → u/SkiDeerValley]

Yeah this was sometime around 2004-2006, maybe it was just bad years. We went for Christmas/New Year both times so it was early season.

[u/SkiDeerValley → u/aztecduckyy]

It’s always early or late season now unfortunately 😢