Resorts Are Cracking Down On This One "Normal" Ski Habit-Do You Blame Them?

"Saving spots in lift lines has always been "normal" at a lot of ski resorts. However, it's becoming one of the fastest ways to start an argument on a busy day. Lift lines have gotten longer, and weekends have gotten more chaotic. Patience is basically gone by 9:05am. So when someone slides up the maze to "meet their friend," it doesn't feel like a harmless move anymore-it feels like stealing time from everyone behind them."

"You've seen it before. One person gets into line early, while the rest of the crew is "almost there" (parking, bathrooms, rentals, boot issues, lost gloves, whatever). Then two to six people show up later and squeeze through the maze to join the person holding the spot. Sometimes it's genuinely reasonable. However, sometimes it's absolutely not. The problem is that everybody convinces themselves they're doing the reasonable version."

"This is turning into a real issue now because the stakes are different. When the line is five minutes, people shrug and move on. When the line is 45 minutes, people start doing the math in their heads. If one person is 'holding' for four friends, everyone behind them just lost time. Do that a few times in one lift maze, and suddenly you've added an extra 5-10 minutes of waiting. Nobody signed up for that. That's why it's become such a flashpoint."

Saving spots in lift lines has become a frequent source of conflict at busy ski resorts as longer lines and crowded weekends reduce tolerance. Single riders often hold places for absent companions, and later arrivals squeeze through mazes to join them. Small waits are tolerated, but long waits lead people to calculate lost time when multiple spots are held. The practice can add five to ten extra minutes of queueing for others and provokes strong reactions. Opinions split between those who insist everyone must wait together and those who accept logistical delays during ski days. Resorts and lift crews increasingly enforce rules against holding spots.

Read at Unofficial Networks