Life as a Lift Op

The end of the season has been tough on keeping our staff around. Since I work in HR, fingers have been pointing at us on getting more staff to keep the lifts moving. So my boss decided to sign me and a coworker up to help out on top of all the work we have to do in the office with HR and Payroll! So against our will we got trained and were put to work as "liftys". Ironically the day before we were told we are being forced to do this, I was talking with another coworker, joking that I have been living in a ski town for many years and done various jobs around resorts... but that I could go through life and say that I never had to be a lift op!! I ate my own words! Unfortunately, Liftys have gained a bad reputation as a shitty position and known as the "lowest life form" in a ski resort. After my days as a lifty, I beg to differ that assumption. Yet, it sometimes is a very melancholy position, it has some demanding aspects, like starting an auxiliary motor and pumping the E brake! This is what happens when you are bored out of your mind, that day I was at the top shack by myself. The day before I was stuck at a shack all day on a lift that no one used with no breaks to take runs, but I didn't mind because it was the sunniest day of the season. I happily entertained myself the whole day while in the process of severely burning my face. It has mellowed out to a nice tan now!