Ski lift

{{Short description|Transport device that carries skiers up a hill}} {{redirect-distinguish|Cat skiing|Cattski}} [[File:Arcellins.jpg|thumb|Chairlift mechanism in the resort of Val Cenis Vanoise, France]] A '''ski lift''' is a mechanism for transporting skiers up a hill. Ski lifts are typically a paid service at ski resorts. The first ski lift was built in 1908 by German Robert Winterhalder in Schollach/Eisenbach, Hochschwarzwald.<ref>[http://www.hochschwarzwald.de/Eisenbach/1.-Skilift-der-Welt-in-Schollach-entdecken Hochschwarzwald.de: 1. Skilift der Welt in Schollach entdecken (German)]</ref>

== Types == [[File:Vuokatti 2006.jpg|thumb|A chairlift at the ski resort of Vuokatti in Sotkamo, Kainuu, Finland in 2006]] * Aerial lifts transport skiers while suspended off the ground.<ref>{{cite web|title=Glossary|url=http://www.skilifts.org/old/glossary.htm|access-date=12 July 2014}}</ref> Aerial lifts are often bicable ropeways, the "bi-" prefix meaning that the cables have two different functions (carrying and pulling).<ref>{{cite web|title=FAQ|url=http://www.lift-world.info/en/technology/faq/question1.htm|access-date=12 July 2014}}</ref> **Aerial tramways ** Chairlifts and detachable chairlifts ** Funifors ** Funitels ** Gondola lifts ** Hybrid lifts * Surface lifts, including T-bars, magic carpets, and rope tows. * Cable railways, including funiculars * Helicopters are used for heliskiing and snowcats for snowcat skiing. This is backcountry skiing or boarding accessed by a snowcat or helicopter instead of a lift, or by hiking. Cat skiing is less than half the cost of heliskiing, more expensive than a lift ticket but is easier than ski touring. Cat skiing is guided.<ref name=hound>{{cite web|title=Cat Skiing|url=http://www.powderhounds.com/Cat-Skiing.aspx|website=Powder Hounds|access-date=27 September 2015}}</ref> Skiing at select, extreme resorts, like Silverton Mountain, is also guided, even when skiing just off the lift.<ref>{{cite web|last1=ZRankings|first1=Top Ski Resorts|title=Skiing's Unique Resorts|url=https://zrankings.com/articles/ski-resorts/skiings-unique-resorts-the-top-five.html|website=ZRankings Best Ski Resorts|publisher=ZRankings|access-date=24 November 2015}}</ref>

==Locations== thumb|400px|Map of world ski resorts Ski lifts are built in many parts of the world. Extreme locations of outdoor ski lifts: * The northernmost is on Spitsbergen, Norway<ref>[https://www.lokalstyre.no/tjenester/kultur-idrett-og-fritid/skiloyper Nedover alpine slope] at lokalstyre.no</ref> * The southernmost is near Ushuaia, Argentina * The closest to the equator in the northern hemisphere is near Liang, China * The closest to the equator in the southern hemisphere is near Mahlasela, Lesotho {{clear}}

==References== {{Reflist}}

== External links == * {{Commons category-inline|Ski lifts}} * [https://oitaf.org/ International Organization for Transportation by Rope / Organizzazione Internationale Trasporti a Fune (OITAF)] * [https://liftblog.com/ Liftblog] news, details of aerial lifts in the USA and Canada * [https://www.remontees-mecaniques.net/bdd/liste-2.html Remontees-mecaniques] * [https://www.seilbahntechnik.net/ Lift-World] * [https://english.lost-ropeways.de/ Lost Ropeways] * [https://www.skilift-nostalgie.ch/galerie/index.php Skilift-nostalgie] * [http://chairlift.org/ Chairlift Preservation Society]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ski Lift}} Category:Ski lifts Category:Articles containing video clips