Chairlift conversation keeps snow community alive
Five good reasons to keep chairlift camaraderie thriving
Earlier this season we posed a simple question: do you chat on chairlifts?
The results? Gratifying, restorative, surprising. Why? because in simply told stories and responses on our social media posts, you told us why having conversations on chairlifts still matters. Why connecting with your fellow human beings, with the backdrop of mountains and snow, is still your preferred operating mode.
And we think that’s something worth celebrating in a world increasingly overrun by gaslighting, trolls, digital gatekeepers, delusional AI companions and social media isolation.
Photo:
Paul Lavoie
Riders enjoying a laugh on the chairlift.
By choosing real human interaction, you are choosing the “platform” that offers real connection, and might just possibly save us from civilization collapse.
Five good reasons to keep talking
Whether you chat on chairlifts or not, check out these stories and inspiring comments to invigorate your own interactions, and perhaps inspire your next encounter.
1. For better ski days
Want to learn where the best stashes are? Find locals who will happily take you for a rip on their fav run? Or learn more about the mountain you’re on? Talk to folks on chairlifts. Often you’ll meet a passionate local.
Photo:
Ember Harper-Fedirko
Making friends in lift lines and on chairs makes the ski day better for many SnowSeekers readers.
"Yes! I chatted with a couple on the lift. It turned out I grew up skiing at the mountain they ski at," wrote WorkHard SkiHard.
"The wife didn’t like to do bumps or trees so I took some runs with the husband. It was nice to have someone to ski more challenging terrain with so I didn’t have to be solo on a powder day!"
Tyler Dixon adds, "I love getting the local knowledge, especially if I'm at a hill I haven't been to before or don't know that well. Makes the day even better!"
2. Learn new things IRL
Yes we all have a world encyclopedia in our pockets now. But it’s way more fun to teach each other things, as Susie Youle points out.
One of the great builders of the Western Canada ski scene, Nancy Greene-Raine, making time to visit wtih skiers on the slopes.
"[I've] met so many interesting people on lifts," commented Susie Youle. "Last week I met a very articulate five-year-old who loved whales and told me all about the whales near her home in Bermuda. Made my day!"
3. Find new volunteer opportunities
Open yourseulf up to the possibility of discovering new things, and you might end up with a new gig. And what’s life if not constant learning, and making a difference to our fellow humans? Friendly volunteers with CADS obviously get this.
CADS Calgary finds chairlift recruitment a useful way to attract new volunteers to its program.
"The chairlift is where many of our new volunteers hear about us!" CADS Calgary comments.
As a volunteer with the Canadian Ski Patrol, I can attest to this as well. The red jacket often prompts chats about what it's like to patrol, and I'm always happy to field questions and share why I think it's awesome.
4. Meet your forever ski partner
Almost guaranteed, fellow chairlift passengers have one thing in common: love for the alpine. Sometimes, that opens up other feelings too. This doesn’t mean you should speed-date every chairlift partner, but make a friend as you ride up and you never know.
The chairlift is a place where you can make new friends, and maybe even find love.
"Always chat on the chair," advises Nathan Davis. "I met my wife on the Comet chair."
"Its cool to see where people are from and ask them questions," says Vernon-based photographer Liane Viau. "One year, I was skiing with my friend Celine and we were being silly and met a man on the lift!"
"We all had a good laugh and then I rode the chair a second time with him by chance later that same day and we connected in the spring for a photo shoot."
Photo:
Lianne Viau
Vernon-based ski photographer Liane Viau (who shot the above image) knows the value of making chairlift connections.
"I got to learn about him and connect with him outside of the hill which was a lot of fun, and a pleasant surprise! That photoshoot also led to him meeting the love of his life and he now has a new baby!
"I'm glad my friend and i were just being ourselves that day and open to talk to a total stranger. You never know who you will meet."
5. Resist the robots
We’ll give the final tip to @StoketheFire, who simply said this: "Talk to your fellow humans, don’t be a robot. The reason we have so much division is definitely linked to our detachment from conversations with others, too much screen time and not enough meaningful interaction with each other."
Point of etiquette
While most of the time being chatty will add to your ride, sometimes you or your fellow riders may want to have a quiet moment communing with the mountains. It’s worth paying attention to social cues, and rolling with it. Here are tips from a few savvy skiing socializers.
"You can tell when people are into a chat or not," advises Viau.
"I like to talk, lol," Danielle Petryshyn says. "But if the other person responds with one-word answers about how their day is going, I let them ride in peace."
Mike Bjerstedt echoes Viau's sentiment adding, "I can tell when someone is up for it... If not I'm good to just close the eyes and be in the moment."
We can dig it.
One thing we can say with certainty, we’re all about human connection here. If you’re not already part of our SnowSeekers community, we hope you’ll choose to join in—whether that’s via social, here online or even better, through our newsletter, where we share the stoke with a community of some 5000 subscribers. We’d love to welcome you there.
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