Lift closing times?

Snapzzz wrote:

Iceman wrote:Eating's Cheating :thumbup:

From my understanding is that they are staggered from 4pm to 4.45 so peeps can ski back from linked resorts :roll:

If lifts close at 4.30 then the staggered lift closing effect would mean than we would all be skiing with a head torch ;)

Which reminds me....... <nips off to start a new thread>

What? No wibble here ;)

Snapzzz wrote:I suppose the problem is that once the sun goes down, especially with huge mountains blocking out the last remaining light, it can get dark pretty quick.
The last thing any resort would want is lots of people stranded on the slopes in the dark.

In the US and Canada. The Ski Patrol sweep all the runs at the end of the skiing day to make sure everyone is off the mountain. I would guess they like to do that in daylight.

Trencher wrote:

Snapzzz wrote:I suppose the problem is that once the sun goes down, especially with huge mountains blocking out the last remaining light, it can get dark pretty quick.
The last thing any resort would want is lots of people stranded on the slopes in the dark.

In the US and Canada. The Ski Patrol sweep all the runs at the end of the skiing day to make sure everyone is off the mountain. I would guess they like to do that in daylight.

That's just what I was going to say Trencher. I've always thought that the ski patrol check all the pistes last thing in France to look out for casualties and people lost etc. And as you say they need daylight for this.

Ally

For the ride up lifts are closing at 4.15 in Verbier and they don't extend it with days getting longer - which actually makes sense. It can be light in March/April till later, but who wants to ski till 4 pm in spring conditions? I am usually done at 2.

Went to Courchevel on Feb 4th & they had just extended the lift opening times in the 3V that week so some resorts do extend their operational hours as the days get longer.

andymol2 wrote:Went to Courchevel on Feb 4th & they had just extended the lift opening times in the 3V that week so some resorts do extend their operational hours as the days get longer.

Thats my experience as well.

I think VSB is correct. Who wants to ski beyond 4pm anyway? In Winter is dark and cold, especially in steeper valleys like Chamonix. In Spring best conditions are before lunch, wherever you are.

If people want value to money, first lift is key. Either fresh powder or nicely groomed slopes for carving on. Reality is that if you ski hard from 9-3, that is 5hrs more exercise than someone who goes to gym every day.

Have to say is a very British thing; (will excuse myself as am one) to rock up late skiing and moan about conditions. Even last year in late March there was good skiing to be had for 3 hrs or so in morning. As I was heading home for lunch, so many people just starting out, moaning about the glorious weather and soft snow ?. Few better things in world than having a demi bier, salad chevre chaud, looking up at Mountains and thinking of the Brits moaning about the snow and sun. Food is always better and cheaper in resort so win win win.

You can ski up to 10pm on floodlit runs in Poland and if memory serves me right up to 7pm in Finland