Chairlift Safety | Palisades Tahoe

Skiing and snowboarding are sports that guests of all ages can enjoy. In order to participate, skiers and riders, including children, must ride chairlifts to access the slopes.

If children are riding lifts without a companion, we encourage children pairing with an appropriate companion who can manage the restraining bar. However, while there are restraining bars on chairlifts, using the bar does not guarantee the safety of the passengers.

Always use the chairlift restraining bar when you can do so safely. Sit back, hold on, look forward, and don't fool around are universal chairlift safety rules.

POLICIES

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Ride With Me Program

Our Ride With Me program is our safety initiative to encourage qualified riders to ride the chairlift with our youngest ski school and ski team members wearing kindervests with the "Ride With Me" logo. If you see a child wearing a vest with this logo, please offer your assistance to them on the lifts.

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Electronic Devices

Palisades Tahoe strongly discourages the use of electronic devices including cell phones, personal entertainment devices, communication devices, and any other electronic equipment that utilizes head/earphones while skiing or snowboarding, or loading and unloading lifts.

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No Babies in Backpack Policy

Transporting a child in a backpack or front pack on any chairlift at Palisades Tahoe is prohibited. This is for the safety of the child. There are no exceptions to this policy.

Kids on Lifts – U51” Program

Small children under 51” may have difficulty loading, riding and unloading a chairlift. Therefore, we recommend that small children wear a Kinderlift vest, ride with an appropriate companion and follow Best Practices.

U51" Program: Best Practices

Behave, be aware, and be respectful of others when you are in line, loading the chair, riding the chair, and unloading the chair.
When you are loading the chair, move promptly from the WAIT HERE board to the LOAD HERE board when the chair in front of you passes. Keep your skis or board straight.
Ask the Lift Operator for instructions or to SLOW the lift if you need help

Loading a Chairlift

Skis/Board Straight - When loading, a child’s skis/board must be straight-ahead in-line with the direction of the chair. When skis/board are at an angle the edge of the ski/board can catch the snow and pull the child off the seat.
Seat Positioning - Load small children next to the armrest or next to an appropriate companion.
Sit Back - The child’s back must be on the back of the chair. No arching of the back. Children must not lean on the bar. Remind children to scoot back until their back is against the seatback.
Lower Bar - Signs may be posted a few towers from the lower terminal, encouraging passengers to lower the bar.

Riding a Chairlift

Hold on tight - The child should either hold the armrest if seated on the outside or hold the back of the seat if seated in a middle position.
Look forward - The child must always face forward.
Don’t fool around - Children on the lift must behave. Zero tolerance for horseplay on the chairlifts
Don't lean on the bar - The child must keep their back on the back of the seat.
Keep the bar down - The restraint bar should be down and should remain down after leaving the loading area.

Unloading a Chairlift

Raise the bar - It’s imperative that the safety bar is not raised until the chair is even with the Green “Raise Bar” sign or the last tower directly before the unloading area.
Move forward and prepare to unload - After the safety bar has been raised, and directly before the “unloading ramp” ask the children to move forward on the chair and prepare to unload.

Kindervests: Rent or Buy

Kinderlift vests are available for FREE at the main Palisades and Alpine Rental shops. A deposit is required.

Kinderlift vests are sold at Parallel Mountain Sports in The Village at Palisades Tahoe and Estelle Sports at Alpine Meadows.

For more information, visit http://www.kidsonlifts.org/.