A magic carpet is a type of surface lift (like rope tows, T-bar lift

T-bar lift

A T-bar lift, also called T-bar, is a mechanised system for transporting skiers and snowboarders uphill, along the surface of the slope...

s and platter lift

Platter lift

A platter lift , platter pull or button lift is a surface lift, a mechanized system for pulling skiers and snowboarders uphill, along the surface of the slope. In Europe they are also known as Poma lifts...

s) installed at ski areas to transport skiers and snowboarders up the hill. The name is inspired by the mythological magic carpets

Magic carpet

A magic carpet, also called a flying carpet, is a legendary carpet that can be used to transport persons who are on it instantaneously or quickly to their destination.-In literature:...

 featured in legends.

Operation

A magic carpet resembles a conveyor belt

Conveyor belt

A conveyor belt consists of two or more pulleys, with a continuous loop of material - the conveyor belt - that rotates about them. One or both of the pulleys are powered, moving the belt and the material on the belt forward. The powered pulley is called the drive pulley while the unpowered pulley...

 installed at the level of the snow, with the machinery and return belt typically hidden underneath. Some also include a canopy or tunnel. Passengers slide onto the belt at the base of the hill and stand with ski

Ski

A ski is a long, flat device worn on the foot, usually attached through a boot, designed to help the wearer slide smoothly over snow. Originally intended as an aid to travel in snowy regions, they are now mainly used for recreational and sporting purposes...

s or snowboard

Snowboard

Snowboards are boards, usually with a width the length of one's foot, with the ability to glide on snow. Snowboards are differentiated from monoskis by the stance of the user...

 facing forward. The moving belt pulls the passengers uphill. At the top, the belt pushes the passenger onto the snow and they slide away.

Advantages

Magic carpets are the least threatening form of ski lift, especially for beginners and children. There is no altitude and little distance to fall, and the perceived risk of falling down is less than with handle tow lifts. They are easier to use than T bars

T-bar lift

A T-bar lift, also called T-bar, is a mechanised system for transporting skiers and snowboarders uphill, along the surface of the slope...

 and Poma lifts and don't require any new skills to use.

Limitations

Magic carpets are limited to shallow grades due to their dependence on friction between the carpet and the bottom of the ski or board. Since skis and boards are naturally slippery and the belt operates in a snowy and wet environment, friction is limited. Their slow speed, limited distance, and capacity confine them to beginner and novice areas.

Controlling the snow to be at proper level for the entrance and exit is a more challenging snow control and grooming operation than a chairlift or rope tow. Overnight snow accumulations must be cleared before operation, typically by hand shoveling or sweeping. During operation, the carpet return device (at the top) must be periodically cleared of accumulated snow and ice.

Variations

Some Magic Carpets are covered for rider comfort and minimizing snowfall accumulation. Some of the longest Magic Carpets are the 560 feet (170.7 m) long installation at Stratton Mountain Resort

Stratton Mountain Resort

Stratton Mountain Resort is a ski area located on Stratton Mountain in Stratton, Vermont.-History:Stratton was established in 1961, and expanded rapidly into one of Vermont's largest ski areas...

, and the nearly 800 feet (243.8 m) carpet at Buck Hill

Buck Hill

Roger "Buck" Hill is an American jazz tenor and soprano saxophonist.Hill began playing professionally in 1943 but held a day job as a mailman in his birthplace of Washington, D.C. for over thirty years. He played with Charlie Byrd in 1958-59, but was only occasionally active during the 1960s...

 in Burnsville

Burnsville, Minnesota

Burnsville is a city south of downtown Minneapolis in Dakota County in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The city lies on the south bank of the Minnesota River, upstream from the confluence with the Mississippi River...

, Minnesota

Minnesota

Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...

, which has an overpass over a ski run.

External links

• R. Fearneyhough vs. Magic Carpet Lifts case report settlement of operator's arm amputated due to ski lift design defect
• * ttp://www.carpetskilift.com/