Anyone who has tried climbing monkey style on a greasy steel cable that is inclined at a rather steep angle? I've done it for fun with ropes made of nice comfortable natural fibers of comparable diameter. They were also aligned in the horizontal direction. That was great fun and not really difficult (of course, I would not fall very far if I let go of the rope). I would not be inclined to try the same trick on a ski lift cable.

Realistically, I think your options are limited to
1) wait,
2) signal for help,
3) jump. Jumping imposes a great risk for injury. Which do you prefer - waiting for rescue while laying immobilized and in great pain in the snow, or waiting for rescue in the chair lift?


As several has pointed out, paracord isn't rappelling gear. If that is all you have, consider it as a form of jumping: At best, your paracord-rappelling attempt will bring you a few feet closer to the ground before it breaks. The result will be the same: You are immobilized and waiting for rescue beneath the chair lift, but at least you're 2 feet "less hurt" than if you had just jumped straight off.


I love to visit ski resorts. How do I prepare for the given scenario? By hydrating so my brain cells keep functioning. That should keep me from straying onto the wrong chair lift at the end of the day.