How a Chairlift Works

How a Chairlift Works

1A chairlift is a machine that carries people up a mountain. Skiers ride it so they do not have to walk up the steep, snowy hill. Riders sit on seats that hang high in the air.

2The most important part is one very long steel cable. It runs from the bottom of the hill to the top and back down again, so it makes a loop. At each end, the cable wraps around a huge wheel. A motor turns one of these wheels, and that makes the whole cable move.

3Tall towers stand in a line up the hill. They hold the cable high above the snowy ground. The chairs hang from the cable. Each chair is held on by a strong clamp.

4Riders sit down at the bottom station. The chair carries them up one side of the loop. At the top station, they get off and ski away. The empty chair goes around the big wheel and travels back down the other side.

Diagram: A Chairlift (described in words)

The picture shows a snowy hill with a station at the bottom and a station at the top. Each station has a small booth with a worker inside. Each booth is labeled lift operator.

A long loop labeled cable goes from one station to the other. Each end of the loop wraps around a big wheel. A box next to the big wheel at the top station is labeled motor.

Three towers stand under the cable. They are labeled Tower 1, Tower 2 and Tower 3.

Arrow A points up the hill along one side of the loop, where the chairs have riders. Arrow B points down the hill along the other side, where the chairs are empty.

A close-up circle shows one chair. The part that holds the chair to the cable is labeled grip. The bar in front of the seat is labeled safety bar.

At the top station, a spot where the snow slopes down is labeled unloading ramp.