Kids On Lifts

 In order to help keep our younger guests safe, we have adopted a new policy regarding Kids on Lifts for this season. The goal of this policy is to eliminate any chairlift accidents involving children in lessons.

Procedure:

  • Instruct all students on how to safely ride the lift prior to loading the lift.

  • Organize your class outside the lift maze and assist with alternating your class into the public line.

  • Recognize and eliminate horseplay immediately. If any horseplay is noticed, stop the entire group until everyone is settled and focused on loading and riding the lift.

  • Communicate clearly with the lift attendant regarding any special needs for students.

  • When riding with more than one student, Instructors and other resort employees must always ride between two students.

  • Instructors must ride behind students when unable to ride with them.

  • Employees and students must keep the chair bar down for the entire ride on all equipped chairlifts. Chair bars must be kept in the lowered position until reaching “Raise bar here” sign near the unload area.

  • Employees on snowboard equipment may only ride with one 3-6 year old child and the child must be on their toe edge side.

When selecting a non-employee adult to ride with children, Instructors should:

  • Use visual cues to inform their judgment when selecting a guest rider who appears to be a responsible age. Visual cues may include the comfort and competence with which a guest moves in line on skis or a snowboard; the maturity of the guest’s behavior or demeanor; or other visual cues such as general age or attire/gear.

  • Ask each potential adult rider verbally whether he or she would be “willing” to ride with a child or “comfortable” riding with a child, to help convey the optional and voluntary nature of the request.

  • Share expectations with that adult rider.

If a student does not fully load the chair or becomes unseated during the student’s attempted loading process, the Instructor generally should not try to pull the student up onto the chair from the unseated position or try to carry the student beyond the loading platform. Instead, allow the child to enter the low clearance area just beyond the loading platform. A lift operator can then assist the child in either re-loading the chair you are on or load them on the next available chair with an adult.

Employees and students must keep the chair bar down for the entire ride on all equipped chairlifts. Chair bars must be kept in the lowered position until reaching “Raise bar here” sign near the unload area.

Age Specific Requirements

  • All children 6 or younger must have a resort-specific bib or a vest in both group and private lessons.

  • All children 6 years or younger must be accompanied by a responsible adult (preferably, someone 21 or older). Additionally, instructors should identify smaller than average 7 and 8 year old children and either ride with them or find a responsible and willing adult to ride with them instead. When looking for a responsible and willing adult, instructors should share all expectations with that guest.

  • Employees on skis may take a maximum of two students 6 years or younger on a chairlift.

  • Employees on snowboard equipment may only ride with one 3-6 year old child and the child must be on their toe edge side.

  • Guests may only take one student 6 years old or younger on a chairlift.

  • Children 7 years and older must ride with other students or guests and may not ride on a lift alone.

If you have any questions regarding these policies, please see a supervisor or trainer.