Alright here it is. This is the single most horrifying part of snowboarding. If you have skied before and are familiar with this, it doesn’t seem that bad. But for any first timers going to the mountain, it’s terrifying.

What makes the ski lift so scary? You have to get on and off with your board attached. I have fallen too many times trying to get off of this thing. It takes time to get the right amount of balance and direction to get off properly. The ski lift never stops moving and there is constant pressure to get off and get out of the way due to more people coming right behind you. Falling sucks because everyone at the top will see you tumble and get covered in snow before even going down the mountain. Use these tips to help. this won’t immediately make you a pro, but will help.

Face your board forward.

Where your board is pointing is where you will go. If you try to get off sideways the board will snatch the snow and you will end up falling pretty much immediately. Put your board forward and focus on standing on the board until you are away from the lift.

Plan which direction to go towards.

There will be 2 to 4 riders with you on the lift and sometimes even more. Collisions happen all the time and I have run into my friends a lot. Sometimes it helps and you can use them to push yourself up or use teamwork and hold each other like your lives depend on it. Choosing a way to go will help everyone know where they should go and prevent collisions that could bring on stupid injuries.

Get ready to fall.

These tips are not enough, the best way to learn is hands on practice. So you will probably fall a few times. Don’t be discouraged! This kind of fall isn’t painful and more embarrassing than anything. Take the time to learn how and become a pro in front of friends or family.