Queues for Lifts??

Here's a silly question. Is there any etiquette for queueing for ski lifts? It seems to me the boldest wins. :evil:

Go to North America.. won't get folks skiing over your tails there.

Andorra is the worst lift queue experience of my life... the b*stards don't appreciate an angry Scotsman after they have shoved you out the way.

Elbows out, and ensure your poles are strategically placed! :mrgreen:

Or go to N America and take your turn.

Go to ski school in N America... there's no such thing as a queue!

swskier wrote:Go to ski school in N America... there's no such thing as a queue!

Really, my experiences in the US have been quite different, with regular 30 minute queues for main lifts, at both Colorado and California/Nevada resorts.

In fact, I was chatting to an american woman in a queue for the toilet on one occasion, and told her that US skiing is sold to Brits as "no queues". She laughed, in fact the entire queue laughed.

In all fairness I haven't been to the U.S so can't comment but the only queues I have waited in for more than a few minutes were the only chair at Revelstoke (powder day) when we just ended up hiking anyways and powder day at Kicking Horse. Other than that there was nothing...

In the US, it depends when and where, but usually it's only the base lifts that have lines (to use the local vernacular)of more than a few minutes wait. Easily avoided by getting there early. But if you do get stuck in a queue, be assured, it will be very organised and orderly with mountain hosts directing traffic. Often there are boxes of tissues (and bins), so you don't have stand in front of everyone with a runny nose. Very civilised.

Trencher

I dont often find myself in a queue at a lift fortunately, but when I do, I simply play along with what appears to be the local rules. For example of everyone is being civil and its "after you", I do the same. However, if the locals (usually the French) are pushing in front of you or constantly shuffling their skis in between yours or across your tips, a good loud "do you mind?" usually does the trick. Mind you last time I did that, the bloke in front turned round and said "Sorry mate, I thought you were French"

If all else fails, push your tips together, get a ski full of snow on the top of your ski, lift your foot up and flick the bottom of your foottowards the ground so that the bottom end of the ski hits the floor and snow flies all over about 100 people in front of you, not forgetting to turn round at the same time as if to ask who did that from behind you....