Ski resorts are always evolving, with slow, old lifts being upgraded to hyper-modern high-speed models. Fancy gondolas with heated cabins or high-speed 8-person bubble chairlifts... it seems we can't get enough of them! And this all comes at the expense of the poor old drag lift, which is a rarer and rarer sight in Europe's ski resorts nowadays. And while we're just as enthusiastic as the next person about some of the developments that have been made in the ski industry this decade, we can't help but feel a pang of nostalgia at the disappearing drag lift.
You probably remember your very first ski holiday: starting on the nursery slope, learning how to brake and graduating to the drag lift. That's right, no magic carpets for us - our first lifts were mostly drag lifts, which looked hard to use but ended up pulling myriads of skiers and snowboarders up the mountain. Sure, it took a couple tries, and sure, it was uncomfortable, and sure, you had to bail out more than once as your skis skidded off to the side halfway up... but oh, the memories!
You managed to get to the top in one piece but then another dilemma presented itself: how to disembark from a drag lift? The classic mistake is to let go too soon, causing the rider to fall off before cresting the last hill. Then there was the worry of getting the anchor stuck on your jacket, or skiing off towards the wrong side. Sometimes that last bit is so steep it looks almost vertical - who hasn't clung on for dear life as the lift dragged them up what seems like a sheer cliff face, panicking about falling on top of the person below?
Then there's the age-old debate: pancake vs. anchor drag lift. Some people say the pancake is far easier, almost impossible to screw up. Yet others say it's more comfortable to ride an anchor lift - as long as you don't try to sit on it, because we all know how that one ends! Whatever your drag lift of choice, you'd better make yourself nice and comfortable, because those things are SLOW!
So the lift attendant has helped you cling on tight to the bar... and now you're standing there, wondering why you're not moving. And all of a sudden, BAM, there's a sharp tug and we're moving! After this tricky first part it's mostly a matter of perseverance - and resisting the temptation to whip out your phone and take a selfie, because it's better to use two hands on these lifts! You hardly make it to the top before succumbing completely to a cramp in your leg from the awkward position you've been holding. It's one thing for skiers to complain about drag lifts, but let's take a moment to acknowledge the pain of our fellow snowboarders - how do they manage to stay on?!
Once you finally master the drag lift, it's time to have fun! Slaloming from side to side (totally illegal), switching sides with your partner (also illegal and almost impossible), hanging off the anchor with just your gloves (illegal)... Or you could go the extra mile and pull a stunt on your partner!
From the friendly lift attendant who helped you through the first dozen times until you finally got the hang of the lift, to the first couple of times you taught your children to ride the lift, to the fantastic high-altitude terrain that was formerly only accessible by drag lift... Drag lifts have been with us through every step of the way, and they just seem so much more personal and real than a high-speed gondola designed by a famous car company or bedecked with glittering crystals! You can love them or hate them, but you have to admit our ski resorts won't be the same if they disappear.
Born and raised in the ski paradise of Vancouver, Canada, I learned to ski before I can remember, balancing precariously on my parents’ skis as they sailed down the hill. I started snowboarding in my teens and am now delighted to be exploring everything Europe’s ski scene has to offer!
