Rope tow
A rope tow is the simplest ski lift: a rope running in a loop at about hip height. You hold the rope, or a handle fixed to it, and it pulls you slowly up a short, gentle slope on your skis. It is a lift for children and first days.
- 1Drive end
- 2Moving rope at hip height
- 3Low support post
- 4Village nursery area
At a glance
Typical range- Per carrier
- 1 person
- Line speed
- No published figure
- People per hour
- No published figure
- Grip
- No rope gripOpen · Skis on: Yes
- Wind tolerance
- No published figure
- Beginner-friendly
- Easy
How it works
A small motor drives a rope around a wheel at each end, carried on low posts in between.
Riders hold the rope directly or use handles attached to it. Some modern versions add handles so children do not have to grip the rope itself.
How to ride it
Stand beside the rope
Take hold gently
Ride
Let go
- Stand beside the rope, skis pointing up the slope.
- Hold the rope or handle loosely, then close your hands gradually.
- Let it pull you, skis straight, weight centred.
- Let go at the top and move out of the way.
Where you’ll find it
Scandinavia
Children’s areas and village hills.
The Alps
Village nursery slopes and ski-school areas. France alone counts about 300 low-rope tows.
On PisteWindow
No resort on PisteWindow has a sourced record of this lift type yet. A missing record doesn’t mean a resort has none.
Lift types are recorded for 74 of 247 destinations so far.
Compare with
Magic carpet
You stand on a belt and hold nothing.
1 person
Button lift
A disc pulls you; your hands are free.
1 person · 2.5–4 m/s
| Attribute | Rope tow | Magic carpet | Button lift |
|---|---|---|---|
| Per carrier | 1 person | 1 person | 1 person |
| Line speed | No published figure | No published figure | 2.5–4 m/s |
| People per hour | No published figure | No published figure | 500–900 people/hour |
| Grip | No rope grip | No rope grip | Fixed |
| Enclosure | Open | Open | Open |
| Skis on | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Wind tolerance | No published figure | No published figure | No published figure |
| Beginner-friendly | Easy | Easy | Manageable |
Questions
Do I need gloves?
Yes. A rope moving through bare hands is hard on the skin.
What if I fall?
Let go immediately and roll or step out of the track.
Is a rope tow or a carpet better for a first day?
A magic carpet asks nothing of you but standing still, so most ski schools start there.
Can snowboarders use a rope tow?
Yes, though holding a rope while standing sideways takes practice.
Names in other languages
| Language | Name |
|---|---|
| English | Rope tow |
| Deutsch | Seillift (Babylift) |
| Svenska | Replift |
| Français | Fil-neige (téléski à corde basse) |
| Italiano | Manovia |
| Nederlands | Touwlift |
| Español | Telecuerda |
| Dansk | Reblift |
| Norsk bokmål | Taukrok |
Sources
- STRMTG (French cableway regulator, Ministry of Ecological Transition) · Rapport annuel 2024-2025 (parc au 01/01/2025, annexes 1, 4, 5) · Checked