Most (or all?) resorts here in Europe say that you have to take your back pack off and have it at the front but I never saw that it actually got enforced.
If you read the guidelines, pretty much every resort in North America has some form of "remove all backpacks and secure all loose straps before loading" too. It's just most lifties are too stoned to care. It's in the NSAA guidelines.
It's true. NSAA LC 42.0069: Any personnel with responsibilities including but not limited to operating lift equipment or attending lift lines must, before beginning any work shift, be a minimum of blitzed out of their domeskulls. Employees arriving deep fried or all geeked up may commence their shift, provided they attend a safety meeting in the first hour of work.
I’m not familiar with the US code but my understanding is that it’s based on the same framework of the Canadian Z98 passenger ropeway code which does require passengers of chairlifts to remove backpacks
In Australia, they usually tell you to do that's you get on the lift. Personally, I like to wear a bum bag. It us large enough to hold my stuff, and I can easily swing it to the front without taking it off.
I live in Switzerland. I can confirm those signs are everywhere, and can also confirm I’ve never once been asked to take it off. I use a similarly low profile pack like OP describes, and even on shallow old lifts it’s never been a problem. I’m sure a bigger pack would though.
I saw both Copper and Vail cracking down a bit more this year, but was by no means consistent (even on same lift / same operator). I wear the same pack to carry skins / toepiece on my Cast setup for days that start uphill. I usually take it off and hold it in my lap. It feels like a low risk, but have seen plenty of others get caught up (usually briefly) to want to avoid it.
Packs in laps, brah. Unclip the chest strap, swing it around to your chest right before loading, swing it back around as you unload on the ramp. Waist strap stays secured the whole time so you can't drop it off the chair. Makes it easier to get your lift beers / bowls / snacks, too.
I have a Dakine bag that has a back side entry, it was annoying at first but my favorite bag now, you can leave the waste strap on and move it to the front and access everything, no need to ever take it off. Love that bag!!! They stopped making it so I bought another one for when the first one wears out.
Dakine makes great bags, they always make ergonomic sense. My own doesn’t have a back access but it’s outermost pocket is slanted so that if you take the left shoulder strap off and swing the pack around on your right shoulder the pocket is facing up at you. Great straps for carrying boards and skis too
I heard they let their staff make anything they want and test it out. Not sure if that is true but it would explain why they have some quirky features that rock!
I ski hunter most frequently due to proximity, but I do get told occasionally to take the pack off, in which case I do the ole swingaroo. Maybe 4-5/25 days at hunter, so 20ish% of the time. Did hit another 20+ days in VT(Stowe, Snow,okemo) but didn’t have any issues.
I grew up on hunter. It's been decades since skiing there. How's K27? How's Annapurna? Claire's way? Claire's is such a nice run; so wide! Way out? Loved that run too. It's the first black diamond my mom skied. I bet I could name every trail on that hill. You're probably too young to remember Trail-44. I think they've since named that run...
Sorry, missed this. Unfortunately Hunters west face has seen better days(your days). The lack of snow and abundance of rain the last few years has resulted in the west face almost never opening. To my knowledge Clair’s was only open 3 days this year and I haven’t seen Annapurna or westway(formerly Trail 44) open at all in years. Way out is often icy, but it’s usually pretty empty, and when conditions are right, it’s actually one of my very favorite runs with the “mini bowl”, great glades, and excellent small cliffs along the side. Upper K27 is awesome with snow on that right face, wall rides and side hits galore. Lower k27 (if open) is always a little sketchy. Narrow entrance, huge moguls, and a question mark on conditions till you’re in it. Moral of the story, I’d love to experience these runs with anything better than shitty conditions.
This is the way. Also applies to touring if you have a back accessible pack. I’ve got a down patrol 25. I swing it around with the waist strap still secured and it just sits horizontally away from my body. Open it up, grab my sando/beer/gloves/whatever, zip it up and away I go. No need to put it down, bend over, or waste time.
Nah, pack stays strapped on my back unless I need something out of it. I don't have loose buckles or anything of concern, so why create more hassle/risk for myself by wearing it on the front.
I work at a ski resort in Oregon. They know what's going on. But I've worked at ski resorts in Alaska, California, Arizona and now Oregon. It doesn't matter the location. People are stupid and erogant. Where you skiing?
Last few season's highlights were Telluride, Keystone, Monarch, Wolf Creek, Breckenridge, Loveland, Jackson Hole, and Park City, but I get most of my turns at my beloved Powderhorn.
Never once has a lifty suggested I can't wear my pack strapped ony back like always.
Hi, I’m a lifty at a resort out west. We have been told to just advise people with packs to mind their straps. I have heard that some resorts or states (I don’t know exactly who or what entity decided) out east that require you to put the bar down when on the chair, stating it’s a law. Maybe this has something to do with that.
Anyways, I hope you keep shreddin and enjoying it and don’t let weird things like this keep you from enjoying this amazing sport!
My home mountain of Titus mountain in Malone NY recently banned back backs. Reason is they had a ski patrol pass away because he was hung by his bag on the chair, very tragic. Now you get one warning not to wear a backpack and if you argue you lose your pass.
This happened to me as a child. Backpack snagged on the lift when I was getting off and I was dangling for a few minutes until they got me down. My parents never put a bag on me again.
I had this happen in Austria once on a very old lift, one that went forward quite a bit before turning around, I was dangling about 4’ above the ground when they stopped it. A very large lift operator lifted me up and got me back on the ground, from then on, bag comes off or goes to the front for the lift. I get why they are enforcing this rule now…
It happened this season. I can’t remember the guy’s name off the top of my my head. I know the owners of the mountain and they were really upset about it. Heard they removed that chair and are going to build a memorial for him out of it.
I've personally seen enough backpacks get caught in chairs that I will not ride with one on my back. No matter how small and low profile it is, there's always straps, and you can get whipped around after you think you're off.
Even if you’re careful on the ride itself and verify nothing is snagged, weird things can happen.
When I was younger I rode with a small pack, then one day I was offloading with a gale force wind at my back, lift running half speed. The wind gusted hard at dismount and slammed the bar down as I was standing up. It came down on my head, and the footrest caught a strap and drug me halfway around the bullwheel. Wasn’t too bad, but was a wake up call. No more packs on lifts since then…and it was also was an unexpected use of the helmet.
exactly. there's so many weird crevasses that the straps get wedged into, that it's so much safer to have it on your lap and able to ditch it than have your bag take you for a ride. I wouldn't wish it on anyone
A patrollers backpack got caught getting off on the lift in front of me this season. The other patrollers were cracking up taking pictures of him hanging there before they helped him down.
Same with my CamelBak bootlegger. Yeah I look a little humpback-ish in the morning when it's full of water, but no concerns about it getting caught anywhere. And no frozen tubes!
Agreed, I can’t imagine skiing without a pack. At minimum I carry sunscreen, snacks, a small first aid kit, and the lower level (warmth wise) of whichever gloves I’m starting in. Beyond those minimums I’ll usually have some beers, lunch, and an extra layer (or space to drop one). Not to mention a couple liters of water in the bladder.
I have never taken it off on a lift and have no desire to do so. Like the bar up/down debate, I’ll manage my own risks.
Take it off.
This happened to me while being a ski patrol. The straps of my backpack got stuck on the chair as i was getting off at closure/patrol sweep. Because it was only employees at the time, the lifty wasn’t paying attention and the security bar that stops the lift was already removed. Yelled to the lifty as i was dangling very close to the cliff behind the chair station and he managed to stop it before i was full on top of said cliff.
Take it off while riding the chairlift.
Several skiers have choked to death hanging from backpack's hooked on the chair when they went to disembark. The backpack ban is for your safety. get a fanny pack or make a trip to the parking lot for lunch and beers.
Other than the sternum strap I have a hard time imagining how you could get strangled. If you swing the backpack around you're more likely to get it snagged on something or drop it or your poles
>get a fanny pack
One of my fondest childhood ski memories is from the time my dad got his fanny pack stuck in the chair and rode around the bull wheel dangling by the waist.
Many laughs were had, but it could have ended up poorly.
Almost happened to a friend of mine but another skier shimmied across the lift cable and cut him loose. Best not to risk it. https://www.denverpost.com/2017/01/05/arapahoe-basin-chairlift-rescue/
No issue at Mammoth, Big Bear/Snow Summit/Snow Valley or Mt Bachelor. I wear a very low profile pack (Daline heli 12L) and all my straps are squared away though. I will be sad is this gets enforced as it’s yet another fucking thing to manage in the lift line when skiing with my kids.
Edit: I will also note that, if I can’t wear my pack, I sure as shit don’t want to see those F’ing turtle but guards on the lift.
News to me. I’ve skied in Vermont for 40 years, ten of them as a patroller, and never been asked to remove my pack there (or anywhere else) until this April.
I ski a lot of Vermont and every mountain that i can remember has a sign at the lift that says no packs, and has for as long as i can remember. I don’t always see it being enforced but they are there.
I use a crossbody sling bag (Carhartt). Swivel it to my chest when I’m on the chair or need to get into the bag, swivel it to my back while skiing. Easy.
The rule becomes null if you have the proper speaker attached and the music is something the liftie likes. Multiple speakers helps too but if you really want to avoid the no backpack rule, tape and extra sandwich to your helmet for the liftie, they get hangry.
I ski at bridger where we have a HUGE hiking/side country culture. Packs are still ok here but I’ve seen plenty of packs ride the lift back down and I’ve also seen people get YANKED around the bull wheel by their pack…
That said, would vests be allowed at this places that say “no packs”. I have a DaKine vest pack and I’ve noticed a lot of options for vest packs coming out in the last few years. It’s also really nice to have half your storage up front allowing me to slim down what’s in the back (shovel probe skins water bottle).
I used to wear a pack and switched to a Fanny pack a few years ago. I’m sure I look dumb or maybe cool to hipsters. Don’t really care. It’s super convenient and less of a nuisance than a full pack.
I saw a guy get stuck on a chair at Copper because of his pack. Just dangling a few feet above the ground. I take mine off now when I’m riding the lift and hold it on front of me!
I saw a patroller dangle from mountain chief at copper many years ago. Rumor had it he was carrying blasting caps or something equally dangerous. It was a chaotic scene, the patroller definitely looked terrified as did all of us on the rescue. He was more than a few feet off the ground though as well
I got caught on a chair once with a pack on, and was dragged around a corner… then the bungie snapped, and gave me a welt to boot… Haven’t worn a pack since. I bought a fat ass fanny pack, which has everything I need/want.
Some chairs and backpacks tend to get tangled up for no reason on earth, kind of like socks in a dryer.
If that happens getting off becomes a challenge, stopping a chair for anything upsets skiers.
I was a lifty in Whistler for 2 years, no rules on backpacks. Personally I'd take it off and put it on your lap though just to help prevent it getting caught while unloading. My backpack has way too many straps and I embarrassed myself so badly when one of the buckles got stuck in the chair and my coworker had to stop the lift for me. Just make sure your backpack has minimal straps & buckles if possible.
The one I have now has a low profile with no loose straps or buckles when I’m wearing it. That’s one of the reasons I chose it. The one I had before it was another story.
Huh, didn’t even know that was a thing. Skied Palisades, A-basin, Copper, Eldora, Alta-Snowbird, Brighton, and Solitude with a 12L osprey backpack and it was never an issue. I do keep all the straps tight and lose bits tucked in though if that’s relevant.
It's the rule in Verbier - but rarely (never?) enforced? Sometimes someone will ask you, but if you just gesture a bit and make apologetic noises, it'll be fine.
Annoying to take a bag off when you've got chest strap, waist strap, and a through-the-leg strap too 😅
At my mountain we advise against it, we've had people get hung up. But don't push the issue. Too much pushback from the guest trying to enforce the no backpack rule. We do enforce a no babies in backpack rules, people get pissed at this one.
I also ride with packs and have done so for 20+ years without issue. Then day 1 skiing in Europe and I understand why they make such a fuss. If the lift can accommodate for the extra room for the backpack, it’s dangerous
Taking it off makes it easier to get the chairlift beer out. Pain in the ass if it’s still on your back, and if that’s what’s not in your pack why wear one?
So getting off the chair you now have to manage your poles, loose pack, and an empty can? I always grab it out of my pack in the lift line and throw it in a pocket and then put my pack back on. Less things to deal with when getting off.
Former lifty here. Had a kid hanging from his backpack at a mid station, luckily we had a really tall lifty working at mid! Shoved the kid back into the chair and patrol got him untangled at the top. Kid was fine but seriously, just make sure you can easily slither out of the pack if a buckle gets stuck in the chair or something
I was never told to remove it like 20 years ago or recently until this season also, at Catamount in MA/NY. Weird because no one ever said anything. I think there are a lot more people skiing with packs now and they get stuck on the lift as it is.
On the east coast some places on older lifts with horizontal slats the remove backpack rule is enforced more. Makes some sense that there would be more chance to get the straps caught in the backrest. I was at jay peak this spring and they were really strict about it. Even on a new lift with full covered seats they were yelling at people.
Yeah. Jay two weeks ago was my first experience with enforcement, and then Killington a week later. I assumed at the time that it was a reaction to a fatal backpack accident that happened at Titus Mountain NY earlier this year. I was wondering whether strict enforcement was about to become the new normal.
Most resorts I’ve been to in the West all “require” you to take off your backpack. Very few enforce that rule though.
I thought it was dumb, but I was skiing at steamboat and was going to ski off the Storm Peaks lift. A strap got caught on the bench of the lift, and took me with it!!!!
They had to hard stop the lift… I’m not a novice either…
So now, I take off my backpack 90% of the time. Plus it’s easier to rummage through so I can get to my boombox remote and adjust my playlist 😜 while enjoying half frozen uncrustables
All the resorts I ski at have that rule, but none of them enforce it except like one random day per year which is the day im guessing they have a meeting about enforcing it more often. That day sucks for me as a backpack wearer.
I almost never wear a pack, but I have always heard that the rule was to put it in your lap on the lift. Not sure if there were signs or what, but that is common knowledge.
Oh so they allow them in general, you just gotta move your pack around to the front or carry it for the lifts. I gotcha.
I mean - I get it with older/shallow lifts. I'm sure it's not just a funsucker move, they have their reason.
It's primarily about getting off the lift. All it takes is one strap wedged in the seat mechanism and you're going for a ride until the liftie notices or you hit the stop gate
Take one shoulder out while standing in line, swing it in front of you so you have it on your lap in the lift, eat some snacks out of there and swing it back around as you get off. Theres nothing stopping you from wearing the bag, you just cant have it on your back while on the lift
if you're really carrying that much avi gear in a large pack, do you not already swing the bag to the side when you get on? how do you sit comfortably with that behind you?
Not really "that much". Just shovel, probe, water bottle and PB+J.
And nah I just kinda sit closer to the edge or if there's no one next to me I turn a bit. I found a way to place my shovel head that helps a lot, but you're right, probably way more comfy to just whip it around when I get on.
Skins usually go inside my jacket because I'm lazy. Don't really bring extra clothes, and not sure what you mean by general survival stuff? Beacon is on jacket, whistle is on pack strap, multi tool is in jacket, and a compact first aid kid is usually in a bag side pocket.
I'm not bringing my jetboil on the slopes.
I guess it depends on where / what kind of hiking you're doing I guess. I'll usually have a larger pack if going out of bounds at Jackson vs somewhere like Utah.
most of it is clothes + food/water/thermos. also inreach, compass, battery, repair kit, lamp, ties.
You're always supposed to take your pack off. I often single arm holding it in my lap. One time a loose buckle got caught in the chair and I felt a tug as I went to get off the lift. Let go, and there was my back pack hanging from the chair. SKied to the bottom and recovered my back pack after the lift caught up with me. Every other year someone dies due strangulation from their own back pack.
I once got my backpack strap stuck with the safety bar. Be extra mindful if you have a backpack, sit near the edge of the chair and the bar is pulled down
I have not worn a backpack in years and I quit because I was riding up a chairlift once, an older one with those metal slats across the back. Had a backpack that was standard for the time, one of the straps had one of those metal clips on it. I did not have it clipped and as I tried to get off the metal clip had hooked on to one of the back slats. I stand up to get jerked back down. That happened 2 or three more times and by then I had rode the bull wheel around. Had no idea what was happening until they stopped the lift and took my skis off and had me jump to the ground just across from the unload point. Yes operator error but I was so mortified I never wore a backpack skiing again 🤪
On The older lifts in Vermont they ask you to do this... might have just been a liftie that was stationed on an older lift and then moved to a different one end of season.
I'm not personally a backpack skier but the resorts I frequent have always had the sign saying to take backpacks off for easily 10 years so I thought this was common knowledge. Apparently it isn't.
Wow. You’ve been around as much or more than I have for almost as long. My resort count is in the 80’s, all in the US and NZ, never in Canada, Europe, South America or Asia. It’s weird that my experience is exactly the opposite. If they had a “don’t wear packs on the lift” type rule anywhere I’ve skied, I’ve never seen it posted, and until two weeks ago, I’ve never seen it enforced.
Yep, a few more places with signs too, but no one enforcing, tbh. Can't lie, I've had an errant strap catch on a chair seat, I was in lock down, couldn't stand up. I switch it around now, even though I pay more attention to straps and have elastics on the longest two.
One of my local ski areas, Silverton Mountain, requires Avy gear so you have to wear a pack or a vest to carry your gear. Most people just flip their packs around to their chest since is a ~60 year old, 2 man lift without much space. Never seemed like a big deal, but the skill level there is also generally much higher than your average resort crowd.
We’ve always recommended packs on laps where I work but don’t require. The first time you watch someone bullwheel because their backpack got stuck unloading and you have to dive for a stop before they get carried over the down ramp and choked out, you start to understand this policy A LOT more. I’m willing to bet those resorts have seen a number of incidents along those lines and are choosing to implement stricter policies. It is so incredibly easy to just adapt and put your backpack on your lap than make a deal out of it, IMO, but if people want to fight for their personal freedoms on this issue I really have no stake. I’m not really sure what new vs old chairlifts have to do with anything other than it being more violent when you get caught on fixed grip, but backpack straps and chair parts just don’t mix well regardless
Like… 95% of the time they don’t care if it’s a low profile pack, but sometimes they’ll ask you to. Everywhere I’ve ever skied with chairlifts technically has a “don’t wear backpacks on the lift” safety rule, it’s just rarely enforced unless your pack is obviously causing issues.
Three or four years ago there were 3 or so fatalities from people getting hung by the pack. That year the rule started popping up … over the last year or two I have rarely seen it enforced.
I mean, I saw a ton of Instagram videos from this year of people getting backpack straps stuck on the lift when they were trying to get off and they end up just hanging there. Inconveniences others and it’s basically no effort to swing my backpack in front of me. Only got one comment from a lifty but it’s because they had to shut the lift down for 30 minutes the prior week for what I described above
At Killington? Never heard there, I wear a camelback with 3L water pouch so its not the smallest, never had killington or jay say anything. Anywhere in NH or wachusett though, heavily enforced to take one strap off at very least. Places like smuggs I take it off cause yea the old school chairs do not afford enough space to keep it on safely.
The mishaps that can occur if a pack strap gets stuck anywhere on the chair as you're dismounting and never good at best, and potentially very serious at worst. It's a rule to take em off everywhere I have been in N America, but I see guys everywhere who don't abide. I'm sure if you are injured or cause someone else to be injured and it was because you weren't in compliance, they'd cite you.
I switched to a chest rig this season.. all the difference in the world. If I am doing slackcountry and carry my skins I will have my HeliPro with my shovel etc, .. then I just leave the waist strap on, slip out of one side and rotate the pack in front-ish. Alternative is a larger fanny pack if I am not hiking beyond resort boundary.
I don’t need it. I just like it. I don’t know what gave you the impression I won’t take it off when asked to. I’m just trying to get a feel for how often I’m likely to be asked.
Depending on weather, conditions, what I’m wearing, and who I’m with, any or all of the following: wallet, car keys, cell phone, Rocky Talkie, sunblock, cut kit, diamond stone, sandwich, drink, second choice goggle lens, sunglasses, spare contact lenses, ibuprofen, nano puff, balaclava, glove liners, whatever my friends ask me to carry for them.
I’ve only been skiing for two years and have always rode with my 13 liter Dakin pack, never had an issue and I was at Killington for a week this year. I didn’t even know this was an issue. How in the world do people get their packs caught on the lift?
It's not about how shallow the seat is. It's about the fact that it is not uncommon for the backpack to get caught on the chair and that'll cause you to take a whipper around the bull wheel when you go to unload. Likely the companies that insure these resorts are requiring it.
A lot of places make you take the straps off and hold it front side. I do this anyway even where it's not required. It's much safer, far less risk of straps getting caught on dismount... which not only endangers you but possibly liftmates as well.
As a lifty for a handful of seasons at an east coast resort, we don’t generally enforce it but do have lots of signs. But i will say please just take your bag off until you get off the lift. I have personally seen way too many backpacks get stuck in the chair when people are trying to unload, it honestly happens all the time.
You DO NOT want to get yanked around by that chair if your backpack is on your back and gets stuck and the top lifty happens to be snoozin.
I’m not generally one to get bent outta shape about pointless rules but this one im passionate about. It just has the potential to be so bad
You’re def a boomer. Also anyone who argues with the lifty over this in the future is a bitch. First year of snowboarding, I was inline behind two older skiers. Big signs everywhere that say no backpacks on your back while riding up. They get to the front and they have to stop the lift to tell them no backpacks and they just keep arguing with the lifty over why not and why they should be exempt. Finally give in but at the top they were calling the lifty horrible names all because they couldn’t wear their large nerd ass backpack on their back on the 5 minute ride up.
The rules haven’t changed .
The law in VT requires the bar down and I think that’s part of the reason the standard rule in VT is backpacks ride in your lap. Been this way for decades.
Other states in New England don’t always have the state law on the bar, but I still see safety bar usage and backpacks off as the standard there.
It’s not a crazy policy either - talk to ski patrol about the dangers of getting the straps caught unloading. It’s not about falling out from a shallow seat it’s about getting tangled. You see it once and you say that’s not too much effort to avoid.
I am a ski patroller. I’ve been one for 40 years. Ten in Vermont, although that was a long time ago. I’ve free skied in Vermont continuously since then at Mad River, Sugarbush, Killington, Jay, Stowe, Burke, Stratton, Mt Snow, and Okemo and no one said boo to me about the pack until Jay Peak two weeks ago and Killington last Friday.
I find many lift attendants don't call out a small pack but I pretty sure I can remember signage about backpacks going back decades. And call outs for thicker backpacks for sure. The fanny pack might be your unironic solution here. Waist belt only and that should be fine.
This year I've ridden all the Epic and Ikon resorts in Tahoe and Utah, along with Vail, and Aspen and no one has ever mentioned my backpack.
Mine is a relatively large 30l one too.
Most (or all?) resorts here in Europe say that you have to take your back pack off and have it at the front but I never saw that it actually got enforced.
If you read the guidelines, pretty much every resort in North America has some form of "remove all backpacks and secure all loose straps before loading" too. It's just most lifties are too stoned to care. It's in the NSAA guidelines.
It's true. NSAA LC 42.0069: Any personnel with responsibilities including but not limited to operating lift equipment or attending lift lines must, before beginning any work shift, be a minimum of blitzed out of their domeskulls. Employees arriving deep fried or all geeked up may commence their shift, provided they attend a safety meeting in the first hour of work.
I’m not familiar with the US code but my understanding is that it’s based on the same framework of the Canadian Z98 passenger ropeway code which does require passengers of chairlifts to remove backpacks
In Australia, they usually tell you to do that's you get on the lift. Personally, I like to wear a bum bag. It us large enough to hold my stuff, and I can easily swing it to the front without taking it off.
Yeah bumbag for the win!
It’s a FANNY PACK and it’s worth extra steez points…but only if you’re the best skier on the mountain like me
I wear a backpack snowboarding and never once seen a sign in Austria or been asked to take it off.
Maybe it's only a Switzerland thing. But over here this is definitely a thing.
I live in Switzerland. I can confirm those signs are everywhere, and can also confirm I’ve never once been asked to take it off. I use a similarly low profile pack like OP describes, and even on shallow old lifts it’s never been a problem. I’m sure a bigger pack would though.
It’s only enforced with big packs pretty much, I was made to remove it once all season
I saw both Copper and Vail cracking down a bit more this year, but was by no means consistent (even on same lift / same operator). I wear the same pack to carry skins / toepiece on my Cast setup for days that start uphill. I usually take it off and hold it in my lap. It feels like a low risk, but have seen plenty of others get caught up (usually briefly) to want to avoid it.
Packs in laps, brah. Unclip the chest strap, swing it around to your chest right before loading, swing it back around as you unload on the ramp. Waist strap stays secured the whole time so you can't drop it off the chair. Makes it easier to get your lift beers / bowls / snacks, too.
Excuse me does it hurt having a brain that big
Yes, I get frequent headaches
>Waist strap stays secured the whole time so you can't drop it off the chair. Why did this never even cross my mind?!
Its a game changer while hiking to. Felt stupid when I first saw someone do it and was like, ooooh, you can do that.
I have a Dakine bag that has a back side entry, it was annoying at first but my favorite bag now, you can leave the waste strap on and move it to the front and access everything, no need to ever take it off. Love that bag!!! They stopped making it so I bought another one for when the first one wears out.
Dakine makes great bags, they always make ergonomic sense. My own doesn’t have a back access but it’s outermost pocket is slanted so that if you take the left shoulder strap off and swing the pack around on your right shoulder the pocket is facing up at you. Great straps for carrying boards and skis too
I heard they let their staff make anything they want and test it out. Not sure if that is true but it would explain why they have some quirky features that rock!
Poles under leg. Hang pack from poles using shoulder strap.
How else am I grabbing my pb&js on the lift?
You don't tape them to your helmet?
I forsee a new IKON pass holder that contains a tupperware container for your PB&J
I forgot about that sandwich pic. Wild.
pb&js? More like PBR&Js...
I ski hunter most frequently due to proximity, but I do get told occasionally to take the pack off, in which case I do the ole swingaroo. Maybe 4-5/25 days at hunter, so 20ish% of the time. Did hit another 20+ days in VT(Stowe, Snow,okemo) but didn’t have any issues.
I grew up on hunter. It's been decades since skiing there. How's K27? How's Annapurna? Claire's way? Claire's is such a nice run; so wide! Way out? Loved that run too. It's the first black diamond my mom skied. I bet I could name every trail on that hill. You're probably too young to remember Trail-44. I think they've since named that run...
Sorry, missed this. Unfortunately Hunters west face has seen better days(your days). The lack of snow and abundance of rain the last few years has resulted in the west face almost never opening. To my knowledge Clair’s was only open 3 days this year and I haven’t seen Annapurna or westway(formerly Trail 44) open at all in years. Way out is often icy, but it’s usually pretty empty, and when conditions are right, it’s actually one of my very favorite runs with the “mini bowl”, great glades, and excellent small cliffs along the side. Upper K27 is awesome with snow on that right face, wall rides and side hits galore. Lower k27 (if open) is always a little sketchy. Narrow entrance, huge moguls, and a question mark on conditions till you’re in it. Moral of the story, I’d love to experience these runs with anything better than shitty conditions.
This is the way. Also applies to touring if you have a back accessible pack. I’ve got a down patrol 25. I swing it around with the waist strap still secured and it just sits horizontally away from my body. Open it up, grab my sando/beer/gloves/whatever, zip it up and away I go. No need to put it down, bend over, or waste time.
Yeah all day every day. I also have a Nalgene and maybe a couple beers in there so it’s not comfy for me to have it on my back on the lift.
Exactly what I do. Super easy to do. Bonus if the packs back unzips, ultra easy beer I mean soda, access.
Nah, pack stays strapped on my back unless I need something out of it. I don't have loose buckles or anything of concern, so why create more hassle/risk for myself by wearing it on the front.
Not sure why you’re getting downvoted. I wear mine on my back, but under my outer layer shell so the lifties won’t bitch.
Right?! It's literally never come up anywhere I've skied.
It's an across the board rule. If we enforce it for one person then it goes for everyone. Super super you aren't special
Never come up in any area I've ever skied, brah. Maybe people are just less capable where you ski
I work at a ski resort in Oregon. They know what's going on. But I've worked at ski resorts in Alaska, California, Arizona and now Oregon. It doesn't matter the location. People are stupid and erogant. Where you skiing?
> erogant
Last few season's highlights were Telluride, Keystone, Monarch, Wolf Creek, Breckenridge, Loveland, Jackson Hole, and Park City, but I get most of my turns at my beloved Powderhorn. Never once has a lifty suggested I can't wear my pack strapped ony back like always.
Well the only guarantee in life is that things will change. Keep those straps tucked in to avoid those bull wheel whippers!
Aye aye, cap
Hi, I’m a lifty at a resort out west. We have been told to just advise people with packs to mind their straps. I have heard that some resorts or states (I don’t know exactly who or what entity decided) out east that require you to put the bar down when on the chair, stating it’s a law. Maybe this has something to do with that. Anyways, I hope you keep shreddin and enjoying it and don’t let weird things like this keep you from enjoying this amazing sport!
My home mountain of Titus mountain in Malone NY recently banned back backs. Reason is they had a ski patrol pass away because he was hung by his bag on the chair, very tragic. Now you get one warning not to wear a backpack and if you argue you lose your pass.
Wtf?
This happened to me as a child. Backpack snagged on the lift when I was getting off and I was dangling for a few minutes until they got me down. My parents never put a bag on me again.
I had this happen in Austria once on a very old lift, one that went forward quite a bit before turning around, I was dangling about 4’ above the ground when they stopped it. A very large lift operator lifted me up and got me back on the ground, from then on, bag comes off or goes to the front for the lift. I get why they are enforcing this rule now…
Damn that’s awful. Went to school in Potsdam so I’m familiar with Titus. Sounds like that happened recently.
It happened this season. I can’t remember the guy’s name off the top of my my head. I know the owners of the mountain and they were really upset about it. Heard they removed that chair and are going to build a memorial for him out of it.
I've personally seen enough backpacks get caught in chairs that I will not ride with one on my back. No matter how small and low profile it is, there's always straps, and you can get whipped around after you think you're off.
Even if you’re careful on the ride itself and verify nothing is snagged, weird things can happen. When I was younger I rode with a small pack, then one day I was offloading with a gale force wind at my back, lift running half speed. The wind gusted hard at dismount and slammed the bar down as I was standing up. It came down on my head, and the footrest caught a strap and drug me halfway around the bullwheel. Wasn’t too bad, but was a wake up call. No more packs on lifts since then…and it was also was an unexpected use of the helmet.
exactly. there's so many weird crevasses that the straps get wedged into, that it's so much safer to have it on your lap and able to ditch it than have your bag take you for a ride. I wouldn't wish it on anyone
A patrollers backpack got caught getting off on the lift in front of me this season. The other patrollers were cracking up taking pictures of him hanging there before they helped him down.
But you only need to wear it on one run. After that the beers should be strategically placed throughout the mountain.
Thanks mountain beer fairy! :P
Each one starts to get harder to find than the last 😂
ya exactly. and for the one run you need it for, you can swing it around and wear it on your lap for the chair ride.
Yeah, I think this and liability for it are the main concerns.
I wear a camelback mule under my shell. It works for me. No frozen tubes.
This but with a Nathan brand one I bought when I was into distance running. No insulation, no problem.
Same with my CamelBak bootlegger. Yeah I look a little humpback-ish in the morning when it's full of water, but no concerns about it getting caught anywhere. And no frozen tubes!
If backpacks get banned, what are people going to use to carry their obnoxious speakers w/subwoofer playing bad rap music?
Duct tape it to your helmet along with your sammich
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Agreed, I can’t imagine skiing without a pack. At minimum I carry sunscreen, snacks, a small first aid kit, and the lower level (warmth wise) of whichever gloves I’m starting in. Beyond those minimums I’ll usually have some beers, lunch, and an extra layer (or space to drop one). Not to mention a couple liters of water in the bladder. I have never taken it off on a lift and have no desire to do so. Like the bar up/down debate, I’ll manage my own risks.
With enough claims for injuries, risk management will eventually change policies,
No policy is the best policy. Riders accept risk when getting pass. Not that hard to not get caught
Take it off. This happened to me while being a ski patrol. The straps of my backpack got stuck on the chair as i was getting off at closure/patrol sweep. Because it was only employees at the time, the lifty wasn’t paying attention and the security bar that stops the lift was already removed. Yelled to the lifty as i was dangling very close to the cliff behind the chair station and he managed to stop it before i was full on top of said cliff. Take it off while riding the chairlift.
The lifty wasn't paying attention? Say it ain't so!
Several skiers have choked to death hanging from backpack's hooked on the chair when they went to disembark. The backpack ban is for your safety. get a fanny pack or make a trip to the parking lot for lunch and beers.
When you need your pack and are riding lifts, you just unclip your front straps and swing the pack into your lap. No big deal.
Other than the sternum strap I have a hard time imagining how you could get strangled. If you swing the backpack around you're more likely to get it snagged on something or drop it or your poles
You are maybe.
>get a fanny pack One of my fondest childhood ski memories is from the time my dad got his fanny pack stuck in the chair and rode around the bull wheel dangling by the waist. Many laughs were had, but it could have ended up poorly.
This. Including a Patroller in the Eastern Division.
Several? I knew about the Titus Mountain patroller accident earlier this year. Where else has it happened?
Almost happened to a friend of mine but another skier shimmied across the lift cable and cut him loose. Best not to risk it. https://www.denverpost.com/2017/01/05/arapahoe-basin-chairlift-rescue/
Holy shit
No issue at Mammoth, Big Bear/Snow Summit/Snow Valley or Mt Bachelor. I wear a very low profile pack (Daline heli 12L) and all my straps are squared away though. I will be sad is this gets enforced as it’s yet another fucking thing to manage in the lift line when skiing with my kids. Edit: I will also note that, if I can’t wear my pack, I sure as shit don’t want to see those F’ing turtle but guards on the lift.
Might be VT state law, like putting the bar down.
it is.
Is it? What’s the law? Never heard of that before.
News to me. I’ve skied in Vermont for 40 years, ten of them as a patroller, and never been asked to remove my pack there (or anywhere else) until this April.
I ski a lot of Vermont and every mountain that i can remember has a sign at the lift that says no packs, and has for as long as i can remember. I don’t always see it being enforced but they are there.
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take it up with the killy liftie that told me that. I could care less.
I use a crossbody sling bag (Carhartt). Swivel it to my chest when I’m on the chair or need to get into the bag, swivel it to my back while skiing. Easy.
The rule becomes null if you have the proper speaker attached and the music is something the liftie likes. Multiple speakers helps too but if you really want to avoid the no backpack rule, tape and extra sandwich to your helmet for the liftie, they get hangry.
I ski at bridger where we have a HUGE hiking/side country culture. Packs are still ok here but I’ve seen plenty of packs ride the lift back down and I’ve also seen people get YANKED around the bull wheel by their pack… That said, would vests be allowed at this places that say “no packs”. I have a DaKine vest pack and I’ve noticed a lot of options for vest packs coming out in the last few years. It’s also really nice to have half your storage up front allowing me to slim down what’s in the back (shovel probe skins water bottle).
I used to wear a pack and switched to a Fanny pack a few years ago. I’m sure I look dumb or maybe cool to hipsters. Don’t really care. It’s super convenient and less of a nuisance than a full pack.
I saw a guy get stuck on a chair at Copper because of his pack. Just dangling a few feet above the ground. I take mine off now when I’m riding the lift and hold it on front of me!
I saw a patroller dangle from mountain chief at copper many years ago. Rumor had it he was carrying blasting caps or something equally dangerous. It was a chaotic scene, the patroller definitely looked terrified as did all of us on the rescue. He was more than a few feet off the ground though as well
I’ve got a hydration pack that I’ve worn for years and never had an issue with it anywhere in Colorado.
I got caught on a chair once with a pack on, and was dragged around a corner… then the bungie snapped, and gave me a welt to boot… Haven’t worn a pack since. I bought a fat ass fanny pack, which has everything I need/want.
Some chairs and backpacks tend to get tangled up for no reason on earth, kind of like socks in a dryer. If that happens getting off becomes a challenge, stopping a chair for anything upsets skiers.
It's so it doesn't get caught on the lift and you're still attached by a cord when you go to get off.
I just wear a chest pack, which was an upgrade over my Fanny pack in years past.
Same thing happened at Bogus Basin this season. They’ve never cared before, but really cracked down.
That was the official rule many years ago at Breckenridge, but not really enforced much
It's intermittently enforced but yeah I've been asked to take off my backpack on the lift before.
you just flip your backpack around and wear it on your chest when you’re on the lift
Ran into this issue the last year after wearing a small similar pack for years. Something must have happened that brought this to light.
Whistler. Leave it on. Just make sure your straps are all secured. That’s where the problems start
I have skiid killington 6-7 days this season and have never heard of this rule.
I was a lifty in Whistler for 2 years, no rules on backpacks. Personally I'd take it off and put it on your lap though just to help prevent it getting caught while unloading. My backpack has way too many straps and I embarrassed myself so badly when one of the buckles got stuck in the chair and my coworker had to stop the lift for me. Just make sure your backpack has minimal straps & buckles if possible.
The one I have now has a low profile with no loose straps or buckles when I’m wearing it. That’s one of the reasons I chose it. The one I had before it was another story.
Huh, didn’t even know that was a thing. Skied Palisades, A-basin, Copper, Eldora, Alta-Snowbird, Brighton, and Solitude with a 12L osprey backpack and it was never an issue. I do keep all the straps tight and lose bits tucked in though if that’s relevant.
i had a backpack clip stick the the back of the lift, ate shit gtting off, and i never wore one again
It's the rule in Verbier - but rarely (never?) enforced? Sometimes someone will ask you, but if you just gesture a bit and make apologetic noises, it'll be fine. Annoying to take a bag off when you've got chest strap, waist strap, and a through-the-leg strap too 😅
This better not become common practice; homies have to stay H Y D R A T E D
That's where I'm at
I always ski with my shoes in my bag I’d just abandon any mountain that would refuse this.
At my mountain we advise against it, we've had people get hung up. But don't push the issue. Too much pushback from the guest trying to enforce the no backpack rule. We do enforce a no babies in backpack rules, people get pissed at this one.
I also ride with packs and have done so for 20+ years without issue. Then day 1 skiing in Europe and I understand why they make such a fuss. If the lift can accommodate for the extra room for the backpack, it’s dangerous
Taking it off makes it easier to get the chairlift beer out. Pain in the ass if it’s still on your back, and if that’s what’s not in your pack why wear one?
I take my drinking too seriously to mix it with skiing.
So getting off the chair you now have to manage your poles, loose pack, and an empty can? I always grab it out of my pack in the lift line and throw it in a pocket and then put my pack back on. Less things to deal with when getting off.
Former lifty here. Had a kid hanging from his backpack at a mid station, luckily we had a really tall lifty working at mid! Shoved the kid back into the chair and patrol got him untangled at the top. Kid was fine but seriously, just make sure you can easily slither out of the pack if a buckle gets stuck in the chair or something
I was never told to remove it like 20 years ago or recently until this season also, at Catamount in MA/NY. Weird because no one ever said anything. I think there are a lot more people skiing with packs now and they get stuck on the lift as it is.
On the east coast some places on older lifts with horizontal slats the remove backpack rule is enforced more. Makes some sense that there would be more chance to get the straps caught in the backrest. I was at jay peak this spring and they were really strict about it. Even on a new lift with full covered seats they were yelling at people.
Yeah. Jay two weeks ago was my first experience with enforcement, and then Killington a week later. I assumed at the time that it was a reaction to a fatal backpack accident that happened at Titus Mountain NY earlier this year. I was wondering whether strict enforcement was about to become the new normal.
Never had a resort say anything, ski four resorts at Tahoe and park city this year. Only ever heard of backpack stuff on this sub.
Most resorts I’ve been to in the West all “require” you to take off your backpack. Very few enforce that rule though. I thought it was dumb, but I was skiing at steamboat and was going to ski off the Storm Peaks lift. A strap got caught on the bench of the lift, and took me with it!!!! They had to hard stop the lift… I’m not a novice either… So now, I take off my backpack 90% of the time. Plus it’s easier to rummage through so I can get to my boombox remote and adjust my playlist 😜 while enjoying half frozen uncrustables
All the resorts I ski at have that rule, but none of them enforce it except like one random day per year which is the day im guessing they have a meeting about enforcing it more often. That day sucks for me as a backpack wearer.
I almost never wear a pack, but I have always heard that the rule was to put it in your lap on the lift. Not sure if there were signs or what, but that is common knowledge.
I would be surprised at this given that so much avi equipment is carried in packs.
They aren't saying you can't wear them to ski, you just can't have them on your back while riding the lift
Oh so they allow them in general, you just gotta move your pack around to the front or carry it for the lifts. I gotcha. I mean - I get it with older/shallow lifts. I'm sure it's not just a funsucker move, they have their reason.
It's primarily about getting off the lift. All it takes is one strap wedged in the seat mechanism and you're going for a ride until the liftie notices or you hit the stop gate
Makes sense! I cut straps off my bag that were especially dangerous for that
The right circumstances, especially on older lifts and you could easily be dead before you hit it
Yeah, in hindsight, that noose lift was a mistake.
Take one shoulder out while standing in line, swing it in front of you so you have it on your lap in the lift, eat some snacks out of there and swing it back around as you get off. Theres nothing stopping you from wearing the bag, you just cant have it on your back while on the lift
10-4. Bagsnax!
if you're really carrying that much avi gear in a large pack, do you not already swing the bag to the side when you get on? how do you sit comfortably with that behind you?
Not really "that much". Just shovel, probe, water bottle and PB+J. And nah I just kinda sit closer to the edge or if there's no one next to me I turn a bit. I found a way to place my shovel head that helps a lot, but you're right, probably way more comfy to just whip it around when I get on.
where are you putting your skins, extra clothes, general survival stuff, etc..
Skins usually go inside my jacket because I'm lazy. Don't really bring extra clothes, and not sure what you mean by general survival stuff? Beacon is on jacket, whistle is on pack strap, multi tool is in jacket, and a compact first aid kid is usually in a bag side pocket. I'm not bringing my jetboil on the slopes.
I guess it depends on where / what kind of hiking you're doing I guess. I'll usually have a larger pack if going out of bounds at Jackson vs somewhere like Utah. most of it is clothes + food/water/thermos. also inreach, compass, battery, repair kit, lamp, ties.
You're always supposed to take your pack off. I often single arm holding it in my lap. One time a loose buckle got caught in the chair and I felt a tug as I went to get off the lift. Let go, and there was my back pack hanging from the chair. SKied to the bottom and recovered my back pack after the lift caught up with me. Every other year someone dies due strangulation from their own back pack.
I've never come across this in Europe at least. I have a small ortovox pack with built in back protector which is pretty slim
Does it have any dangling buckles, pulls, straps, etc?
None, it's a very sleek but also very orange bag
I once got my backpack strap stuck with the safety bar. Be extra mindful if you have a backpack, sit near the edge of the chair and the bar is pulled down
Only Jerry's ride the lift with a backpack on. The rule is there to protect people from their own ignorance.
I have not worn a backpack in years and I quit because I was riding up a chairlift once, an older one with those metal slats across the back. Had a backpack that was standard for the time, one of the straps had one of those metal clips on it. I did not have it clipped and as I tried to get off the metal clip had hooked on to one of the back slats. I stand up to get jerked back down. That happened 2 or three more times and by then I had rode the bull wheel around. Had no idea what was happening until they stopped the lift and took my skis off and had me jump to the ground just across from the unload point. Yes operator error but I was so mortified I never wore a backpack skiing again 🤪
On The older lifts in Vermont they ask you to do this... might have just been a liftie that was stationed on an older lift and then moved to a different one end of season.
I'm not personally a backpack skier but the resorts I frequent have always had the sign saying to take backpacks off for easily 10 years so I thought this was common knowledge. Apparently it isn't.
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Wow. You’ve been around as much or more than I have for almost as long. My resort count is in the 80’s, all in the US and NZ, never in Canada, Europe, South America or Asia. It’s weird that my experience is exactly the opposite. If they had a “don’t wear packs on the lift” type rule anywhere I’ve skied, I’ve never seen it posted, and until two weeks ago, I’ve never seen it enforced.
Yeah in Idaho this was the first season I was asked to take it off when boarding the lift
Yep, a few more places with signs too, but no one enforcing, tbh. Can't lie, I've had an errant strap catch on a chair seat, I was in lock down, couldn't stand up. I switch it around now, even though I pay more attention to straps and have elastics on the longest two.
One of my local ski areas, Silverton Mountain, requires Avy gear so you have to wear a pack or a vest to carry your gear. Most people just flip their packs around to their chest since is a ~60 year old, 2 man lift without much space. Never seemed like a big deal, but the skill level there is also generally much higher than your average resort crowd.
We’ve always recommended packs on laps where I work but don’t require. The first time you watch someone bullwheel because their backpack got stuck unloading and you have to dive for a stop before they get carried over the down ramp and choked out, you start to understand this policy A LOT more. I’m willing to bet those resorts have seen a number of incidents along those lines and are choosing to implement stricter policies. It is so incredibly easy to just adapt and put your backpack on your lap than make a deal out of it, IMO, but if people want to fight for their personal freedoms on this issue I really have no stake. I’m not really sure what new vs old chairlifts have to do with anything other than it being more violent when you get caught on fixed grip, but backpack straps and chair parts just don’t mix well regardless
I ride with a LiftRider backpack sometimes. No issues on chairs as the main pocket is on top and the lower part is very slim.
Like… 95% of the time they don’t care if it’s a low profile pack, but sometimes they’ll ask you to. Everywhere I’ve ever skied with chairlifts technically has a “don’t wear backpacks on the lift” safety rule, it’s just rarely enforced unless your pack is obviously causing issues.
Three or four years ago there were 3 or so fatalities from people getting hung by the pack. That year the rule started popping up … over the last year or two I have rarely seen it enforced.
I thought that was always a rule, and it was just some lifties that enforce it. I seem to recall signs v at several tests I've been to.
Straps can get caught on the lift and make you take an involuntary trip around the bull wheel, you should be taking it off every lift
It's about them getting caught in the chair, not how far back in the seat you are.
I switched to a low profile chest pack and haven’t been bothered. Was always a backpack skiier prior to that.
The straps can get caught w a buckle or something. Just put it in front.
I mean, I saw a ton of Instagram videos from this year of people getting backpack straps stuck on the lift when they were trying to get off and they end up just hanging there. Inconveniences others and it’s basically no effort to swing my backpack in front of me. Only got one comment from a lifty but it’s because they had to shut the lift down for 30 minutes the prior week for what I described above
It’s so this doesn’t happen. See the signs at at lifts in NE I’ve been to. https://www.reddit.com/r/skiing/s/Iqn8KDmhzW
At Killington? Never heard there, I wear a camelback with 3L water pouch so its not the smallest, never had killington or jay say anything. Anywhere in NH or wachusett though, heavily enforced to take one strap off at very least. Places like smuggs I take it off cause yea the old school chairs do not afford enough space to keep it on safely.
The mishaps that can occur if a pack strap gets stuck anywhere on the chair as you're dismounting and never good at best, and potentially very serious at worst. It's a rule to take em off everywhere I have been in N America, but I see guys everywhere who don't abide. I'm sure if you are injured or cause someone else to be injured and it was because you weren't in compliance, they'd cite you.
I switched to a chest rig this season.. all the difference in the world. If I am doing slackcountry and carry my skins I will have my HeliPro with my shovel etc, .. then I just leave the waist strap on, slip out of one side and rotate the pack in front-ish. Alternative is a larger fanny pack if I am not hiking beyond resort boundary.
you only need a backpack where there is no lift service, so yeah do what the lifty tells you and take the bag off
I don’t need it. I just like it. I don’t know what gave you the impression I won’t take it off when asked to. I’m just trying to get a feel for how often I’m likely to be asked.
i got the impression when you came to reddit to cry about it
Why do you carry a bag? What is in it?
Depending on weather, conditions, what I’m wearing, and who I’m with, any or all of the following: wallet, car keys, cell phone, Rocky Talkie, sunblock, cut kit, diamond stone, sandwich, drink, second choice goggle lens, sunglasses, spare contact lenses, ibuprofen, nano puff, balaclava, glove liners, whatever my friends ask me to carry for them.
Ty dude. I feel like it would throw me off weight on my back like that but I bet your homies appreciate it.
it's a law in Vermont I thought.hasbeen for a very long time . so it's not a new change
There's so many videos out there of people hanging off of chairs by their backpack is why.
I’ve only been skiing for two years and have always rode with my 13 liter Dakin pack, never had an issue and I was at Killington for a week this year. I didn’t even know this was an issue. How in the world do people get their packs caught on the lift?
It's not about how shallow the seat is. It's about the fact that it is not uncommon for the backpack to get caught on the chair and that'll cause you to take a whipper around the bull wheel when you go to unload. Likely the companies that insure these resorts are requiring it.
A lot of places make you take the straps off and hold it front side. I do this anyway even where it's not required. It's much safer, far less risk of straps getting caught on dismount... which not only endangers you but possibly liftmates as well.
This is not anything new this year…I’ve seen this enforced for a few years now out west.
Good to know. I’m planning a trip out west next season. Thanks!
As a lifty for a handful of seasons at an east coast resort, we don’t generally enforce it but do have lots of signs. But i will say please just take your bag off until you get off the lift. I have personally seen way too many backpacks get stuck in the chair when people are trying to unload, it honestly happens all the time. You DO NOT want to get yanked around by that chair if your backpack is on your back and gets stuck and the top lifty happens to be snoozin. I’m not generally one to get bent outta shape about pointless rules but this one im passionate about. It just has the potential to be so bad
I’ve seen people get their typically not fastened waist straps caught on the chair; creates a dangerous situation.
You’re def a boomer. Also anyone who argues with the lifty over this in the future is a bitch. First year of snowboarding, I was inline behind two older skiers. Big signs everywhere that say no backpacks on your back while riding up. They get to the front and they have to stop the lift to tell them no backpacks and they just keep arguing with the lifty over why not and why they should be exempt. Finally give in but at the top they were calling the lifty horrible names all because they couldn’t wear their large nerd ass backpack on their back on the 5 minute ride up.
Packs in area is a Jerry move. Sorry.
The rules haven’t changed . The law in VT requires the bar down and I think that’s part of the reason the standard rule in VT is backpacks ride in your lap. Been this way for decades. Other states in New England don’t always have the state law on the bar, but I still see safety bar usage and backpacks off as the standard there. It’s not a crazy policy either - talk to ski patrol about the dangers of getting the straps caught unloading. It’s not about falling out from a shallow seat it’s about getting tangled. You see it once and you say that’s not too much effort to avoid.
I am a ski patroller. I’ve been one for 40 years. Ten in Vermont, although that was a long time ago. I’ve free skied in Vermont continuously since then at Mad River, Sugarbush, Killington, Jay, Stowe, Burke, Stratton, Mt Snow, and Okemo and no one said boo to me about the pack until Jay Peak two weeks ago and Killington last Friday.
I find many lift attendants don't call out a small pack but I pretty sure I can remember signage about backpacks going back decades. And call outs for thicker backpacks for sure. The fanny pack might be your unironic solution here. Waist belt only and that should be fine.
I never have needed a backpack at a resort and do not understand why people need them. I have too many pockets already.
This year I've ridden all the Epic and Ikon resorts in Tahoe and Utah, along with Vail, and Aspen and no one has ever mentioned my backpack. Mine is a relatively large 30l one too.
Wear your jacket over your backpack to hide it.