39 replies to this topic

[Peter]

I definately think gates help when they are on. At Crystal, when the gates are turned off, people get really confused. The problem is that people see the gates, and think to wait because the gates are not moving, or more than 6 people go at once.

[skierdude9450]

I've never seen a gate turned off. I'm sure that would confuse a ton of people.

[Jonni]

I can only think of one place here in NH that uses gates on one of there lifts. The Kancamangus Express at Loon Mountain has them and they only use them on the busy days. We used to have them on our HSQ, but people got more confused with them than anything. It slowed the people down and caused the lifties at the time to have to slow or stop the lift more often. So needless to say those gates didn't last very long. I'm unsure of ski areas that have them in VT or ME, but the general concensus here in the Northeast is to not use them.

[skierdude9450]

Cameron was telling us that we were getting with our discussion about loading gates in the ever popular new lifts category. And I agree. So I'm moving it to here. What do you think about loading gates?

[edmontonguy]

whenever i've used them i have been saticefied with them, as a rule they aren't too common in Western Canada. They are best used when lines are heavy as it helps direct eager skiers onto the chairs without jumping to the chair too soon. They also help as a pushoff to help you reach the chair without too much shuffling. I can see them being an asset on a beginner lift, but not far beyond that.

[Peter]

They are most beneficial with 6 packs, because people need to know exactly how to line up. Sometimes people don't realize how many people they have until the gates, and they see that there are extra spaces or too many people.

[djspookman]

I personally found the loading gates at Breck to be rather annoying (my 1st experience with loading gates) I don't find it too hard to count to 4 or even 6, so I really don't see the need to even have them. I guess i'm in the minority though since a lot of resorts use them!

dave

[Jonni]

It may be more of a view between eastern skiers and ski resorts and western skiers and ski resorts. Looking at the comments that I have seen in the few topics that we've had on load gates, it's easy to see that they are used in the west a heck of a lot more than we use them in the east. For an eastern skier, it may not make as much sense to use load gates, as we really aren't used to them and they make getting on the lift more confusing. Western skiers may expect to see them on the lift and feel a little "safer" (and I put this in quotes so as to take it with a grain of salt) to know when to ski out to the Load Line. I'm not sure what this would mean to midwestern skiers or skiers from other countries, but I think it's a bit more about the metality of where you come from.

Personally, I think they are more of a pain than anything else. It seems like it's dumbing down the job of lift attendant to be able to be in control of the situation while people are loading the lift. This is more evident on a fixed grip lift than a detachable, but if the attendant doesn't have the smarts and ability to inform the people getting on to the lift when it is safe to leave the Wait Here line and come to the Load Here line, then s/he shouldn't be doing that job. It seems like it's almost as bad as some European fixed grips where there is a loading carpet which makes it so that the attendant doesn't even have to touch the chair.

EDIT: I moved the posts on Loading Gates from the "Possible New Lifts" topic so that we could keep information together.

[Peter]

I disagree. I have skied a lot of resorts in the west, in Washington, BC, Montana, and Utah and have only seen gates on 2 lifts, the 6packs at Crystal Mountain. I never realley feel any safer when using them, and I don't think that they are that common out West.

[vons]

Vail and BC doesn't use gates on any of their lifts and they have havent gotten any with their new lifts. For the most part BC orders detachables with longer terminals that allow the chair to move slower in the load/unload areas. I ,by the way, find gates a pain in the They get in the way of pushing and pulling bodies on to the chair

[liftmech21]

We don't use gates and I don't think many resorts out here do. I can see there use on 6 packs, in helping to line everyone up though. Basically I think resorts see automation as a a way to have to hire less people. Less ticket checkers, less lift operators, etc... I think they are better off to go with out gates, and keep things on a more personal level and hire more people.

[Jonni]

Well, it was more of an assumption than anything else. I can definitely agree with those of you who dislike them and don't use them. I also feel that they would most likely be more of a mechanical headache than anything else to further strengthen the idea of not using them.

[maplevalleymaster]

skierdude9450, on Apr 10 2006, 06:17 PM, said:

I've never seen a gate turned off. I'm sure that would confuse a ton of people.

Yeah I have not either. Gates must be more popular out west. There really don't seem to be many in the east.

[Peter]

There aren't many in the West either

[highspeedquad]

I like them for 6-packs, for quads it does not seem quite necessary. The only time I think it even might be necessary is for 90-degree loading, but I am not familiar with those lifts (for quads).

[vons]

I find having seen it happen numerous times at Breck, that on 90deg loaders people will come half out then back up into the closed gate and then get hit by the chair I found when I use to worke E chair that having good lifties who shout, push, pull, generally pay attention do much better. Oh yah, that is what the gate is triing to replace

[Peter]

The Collins lift at Alta is 90 degree loading and has no gates, and a very short chair interval, but it seems to work ok, although is seems like snowboarders might have more trouble with it, but they don't have to worry about that at Alta.

[lastchair_44]

Both Sultan and Silver Strike Express at Deer Valley have 90 degree loading and we don't have gates...although our guests still have trouble loading

[floridaskier]

I think people have more trouble with 90 degree loading. Most people haven't seen it before. Sometimes they get scared when they see the next chair coming fast right at them as they go out to the load line, and it causes problems. It seems like a lot of new lifts are being built with 90 degree loading when the layout of the maze doesn't really need it, like resorts just want to prove they can have 90 degree loading. I bet Sterling will have 90 degree loading too.

The only time I've seen 90 degree unloading was on Baldy Express at Snowbird

[Skidude]

The Face Lift Express at Mammoth has 90 degree unloading. Also, the Powderbowl express at Heavenly has 90 degree loading. Instead of gates, they have a stoplight on that lift.