Few inventions have shaped skiing more than the chairlift. Chairlifts have made skiing what it is today, carrying skiers up the mountains and allowing resorts to open some of the most incredible terrain in the world. Today, chairlifts have become an engineering marvel, pushing the boundaries of speed, size, and elevation. So, we wanted to know what SnowBrains readers think: which are the world’s most impressive ski lifts? So we turned to Facebook to find out.
We received nearly 500 responses, with readers naming dozens of unique lifts from various resorts. From old, wooden chairs with out-of-date safety bars to high-tech gondolas with glass bottoms, SnowBrains readers had a lot to say about chairlifts that impressed them. Here are some of the most popular.
The World’s Most Impressive Ski Lifts
PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola, Whistler-Blackcomb, BC
By far, Whistler Blackcomb’s PEAK 2 PEAK gondola was the most popular response, with 25 people mentioning how impressive it was in their responses. “Peak to Peak. You know where,” one respondent wrote.
PEAK 2 PEAK was officially opened at Whistler Blackcomb in 2008 after a $36.55 million ($51 million CAD) investment and over a decade of planning. Today, it holds the world’s longest unsupported span with 1.88 miles (3.024 kilometers) between towers. It also holds the record for the world’s highest lift, hovering 1,427 feet (436 meters) above the ground at its highest point.
To make the gondola that much more impressive, some cars were given a glass bottom, offering skiers a bird’s-eye view of the forest below.
“Caught Peak to Peak at Whistler on a clear day this season … amazing. I’ll admit, I was way too nervous to get on the glass-bottom cabin,” one respondent commented.
Leissières Express, Val d’Isère, France
One of the most-liked responses we received was the Leissières Express, which received 50 likes and eight comments voicing agreement.
Built in 2003, the Leissières Express is known for its “up and over” design, carrying skiers over the razor-thin Crête des Leissières ridge at 9,934 feet (2,723 meters). The lift steeply climbs one side of the Ouillette peak, before reaching the peak and swiftly dropping over the ledge on the other side. Its design has coined it the nicknames “rollercoaster” and “scare chair.”
“Going up and down from one valley to the next one. The change of view at the peak is sudden and beautiful,” one commenter wrote. “This gets my vote too!!” another added.
Aiguille du Midi Cable Car, Chamonix, France
Not close behind the Leissières Express was the Aiguille du Midi Cable Car, which reeled in 33 likes and five comments in agreement. For some SnowBrains readers, the Aiguille du Midi Cable Car was the obvious response: “This is the correct answer,” one respondent wrote.
The cable car begins its journey at Chamonix’s center before traveling up the mountain to its upper station at 12,605 feet (3,842 meters) above sea level. It holds the record for the highest vertical ascent of a cable car, traveling 9,209 vertical feet (2,807 meters) in just 2o minutes. At the top station lies the “Step into the Void” experience, where visitors can enter a glass box, staring down at over 3,200 feet (1,000 meters) of emptiness below.
The Aiguille du Midi Cable Car was completed in 1955 after over four years of on-and-off construction.
Aspen Gondola, Aspen, Colorado
A non-specific gondola at Aspen was mentioned, and it garnered 58 likes–the most of any other chairlift mentioned. But this gondola ride impressed for a different reason.
“Felt less like a ski lift and more like a LinkedIn networking event at 11,000 feet. One guy talking about his startup, another casually namedropping his third chalet, and I’m just sitting there wondering if my Costco gloves are giving away my tax bracket,” the respondent wrote.
With 58 likes, we think that this might not be an isolated incident at America’s most bougie resort. “Happened to me too,” one SnowBrains reader responded.
Matterhorn Glacier Ride, Zermatt-Matterhorn, Switzerland
With 32 likes and three comments in agreement, the Matterhorn Glacier Ride was the fifth most popular response. This 12,352-foot (3,765-meter) long gondola takes visitors to Europe’s highest mountain station, 12,740 feet (3,883 meters) above Zermatt, Switzerland. The gondola operates in two phases: Matterhorn Glacier Ride I takes visitors from the Trockener Steg mountain station to Matterhorn Glacier Paradise, and Matterhorn Glacier Ride II takes visitors from Matterhorn Glacier Paradise to Testa Grigia, a mountain in Italy near Breuil-Cervinia. The glacier ride offers a seamless connection between Switzerland and Italy.
In total, the Matterhorn Glacier Ride takes about 40 minutes across its phases.
“Awesome feat of engineering when you go all the way to the top and ski down the glacier,” a respondent wrote.
Chair 23, Mammoth Mountain, CA
With 53 likes across seven total votes, Mammoth Mountain’s legendary Chair 23 was another popular choice. This triple chair climbs 1,119 vertical feet (341 meters) to the resort’s highest point, accessing its expert-only double-black diamond runs and open bowls. Its steep ascent over a spine of jagged rocks and cliffs makes Chair 23 a thrilling ride, even before skiers drop into some of Mammoth Mountain’s most challenging terrain.
Chair 23 was built in 1982 under Dave McCoy, who founded Mammoth Mountain in 1942. What started as just a rope tow grew into one of North America’s most popular resorts, drawing over 1.3 million skier visits per year. When McCoy and his team built Chair 23, it was the steepest lift they had built. McCoy retired in 2005 after running Mammoth Mountain for 68 years. He passed away in 2020 at 104 years old.
“Chair 23 at Mammoth. They said it couldn’t be done, but Dave McCoy built it anyway.”
Other Popular Responses to the World’s Most Impressive Ski Lifts
We received mentions from plenty of other incredible chairlifts around the world.
Niseko, Japan’s “pizza box” chairlift, received eight votes. This popular one-seater chairlift is known for its flat, wooden square shape that resembles a pizza box.
Whistler Blackcomb’s Peak chair also received multiple votes and over a dozen likes. “For chairlifts, hard to beat the peak chair at Whistler,” one commenter wrote.
The Peruvian Tunnel at Snowbird, Utah, received 29 likes in support.
Many, many other chairlifts were mentioned. From legendary steep lifts to high-tech gondolas, SnowBrains readers found themselves reminiscing on the lifts that impressed them the most. We look forward to exploring more legendary lifts and trying new ones as resorts build them.
