[fatlazyless]

Seems like the modern high speed quads have taken some of the fun & friendliness out of ski areas!

Used to be that getting on and off the old two seat lifts was more of a challenge and there were loaders who were positioned to help you on & off the lifts. Now, the modern four-seater quads slow down for getting on and slow down for getting off the lift and no longer need loaders to assist people onto the chair. The new quads can be run by one person sitting inside the nearby control room, at the bottom and top of the lift. Just seems like something is missing now without that friendly loader hovering behind the chair.

And, the old two seaters were pretty much 10-15 minutes of forced confinement with a total stranger which almost always lead to 10-15 minutes of pleasant conversation. With the four seater quads....those dynamics have changed.

Waterville Valley still occaisionally runs the original 1966 two seater, High Country chair, up top the mountain, but frequently it's closed due to winds or due to lack of customers. It is the slowest chairlift ever built, in the history of snow, and I sure would like to see it be replaced with a retro-1950's style rope tow. Powered by an old Model A engine up the top, and running a 1" diameter, brown sisal rope; it could be terrific fun to get pulled up the top, lose your grip, and back down through a five person pile up......that's real skiing...that's what skiing used to be!