The snow magic carpet is a concept that combines the childhood wonder of sledding with the fantasy of flying on a magic carpet. It is essentially a rectangular piece of plastic or fabric that is designed to glide smoothly and effortlessly over snow-covered surfaces. The main idea behind the snow magic carpet is to provide a fun and exhilarating experience for people of all ages. It allows them to zoom down slopes, twist and turn through trees, and explore the winter wonderland in a unique and exciting way. The snow magic carpet is easy to use and requires minimal equipment. All you need is the carpet itself and a snowy hill or slope to slide down.
All you need is the carpet itself and a snowy hill or slope to slide down. This makes it accessible to everyone, regardless of skill level or age. Unlike traditional sleds or toboggans, the snow magic carpet allows for greater speed and maneuverability, giving riders a thrilling ride down the mountain.
Magic carpet ski lifts a boon to novice skiers, snowboarders
When my kids were little, they learned to ski at the Blackhawk ski hill on the west side of Madison, with its whopping 100-plus feet of vertical descent and several rope tows — which shredded numerous pairs of gloves and mittens.
They enjoyed the experience on the slopes and making s'mores in front of the ski club cabin fireplace immensely, but over time they begged me to take them to resorts that had chairlifts.
Eventually, we bought a family season pass at Tyrol Basin, which has three chairlifts.
The resort near Mount Horeb also had a rope tow and a cable tow with a handle serving its beginner areas.
Both of those lifts are gone now, replaced by a 500-foot magic carpet lift that serves the Trollway and Gentle Ben beginner slopes.
The new surface lift greatly improved the learning experience for novice skiers and snowboarders.
Tyrol still has one rope tow, however, which serves the terrain park on the Barnyard run.
Josh Faber, the new general manager at Tyrol, said his resort purchased the surface lift — which is much like the conveyor belts travelers find in airports — for this winter because he wanted to make the learning experience "as easy and positive as possible for our new skiers and snowboarders."
"To be honest, it's hard to learn this sport at first and rope tows are hard to manage if you are trying to negotiate one to get up the beginner hill the first few times. But a magic carpet is about as easy as it gets because you just stand on it and it takes you up the slope. That really helps with the experience. No one falls and nobody's gloves or mittens get mangled because you're not holding onto anything."
It's been more than 15 years, but this writer remembers all-too-well a painful snowboard lesson at White Pass resort in Washington.
I tried as hard as I could to get to the top of a bunny run via a rope tow on my rental snowboard, but I kept catching the front edge of my board and getting knocked down.
I got in the way of 5- and 6-year-olds behind me and ended up finishing the lesson early — bruised and humiliated.
On my skis, I would have been able to easily find my balance. But on the snowboard, because I was a newbie and both feet were strapped to one plank, I was clueless. I haven't snowboarded since.
Faber said he's convinced that Tyrol's magic carpet surface lift entices novice skiers and snowboarders to come back. It also gets them to try his resort in the first place, he said.
"Ever since our carpet opened, we've had great reviews, hands down, of how much more pleasant it is for beginners and instructors alike," he said, noting that it goes another hundred feet higher than the old handle tow and gives access to more novice terrain.
"It cost several hundred thousand dollars, which wasn't cheap for an area our size, but we think it's a good investment and will pay off by getting school and other beginner groups to come back out here again. People will go where it's easier to learn and the resort is more accommodating. They've been going elsewhere in recent years and we want them back.
"I myself have little kids, and my little girl is 21/2 years old. She can now ride the magic carpet all by herself and that says something."
Joe Vittengl, who runs Devil's Head near Baraboo, said his resort has had two conveyor-type surface lifts for about a decade and installed them to improve the beginning skier and boarder learning experience.
One is 400 feet long and the other is 300 feet.
"They were a tremendous addition to our area," he said. "Rope tows destroy gloves and mittens and they can be hard to use for beginning skiers. For new snowboarders, they can be almost impossible.
"I learned how to ski using a rope tow in upstate New York and have been skiing most of my 54 years," he said. "I have fond memories of that time because it was fun. But most rope tows are gone now because they aren't easy to use."
He said resorts may have lost some potential recruits to the sport because they had a lousy first experience using a rope tow.
"They may have fallen a few times using the tow and said, 'I don't want to do this.' Frankly, it's a lot harder going up a hill on a rope tow than it is coming down. There's been a movement in our industry for some time to get people to try skiing and snowboarding and making sure they have a good experience so they'll come back. The magic carpet is part of that trend."
Vicki Baumann, operations manager at Granite Peak outside Wausau, said her resort has two conveyor lifts.
One is 200 feet long, while the other, called Blizzard, is 600 feet. She called them "awesome, compared to the old rope tows."
"They couldn't be more simple," said Baumann, who grew up in Minnesota and learned using a rope tow. "You just step on, stand and the belt slowly takes you to the top of the slope where you slide off. It makes that first-time learning experience so much more pleasurable for the novice skier and snowboarder. We've had the smaller one for about a decade and the longer one maybe five years. Everyone loves them and they help keep folks coming back to learn more."
Mike Taft, operations manager at Cascade Mountain, said conveyor lifts can also be a boon for tubing areas. His resort has a 60-footer for "never-ever" skiers and snowboarders and a 550-footer for tubing. It also has a rope tow, installed just last year, for the terrain park area.
"The ski school takes the novices to the short one to get them the feel of sliding on the snow for the first time," he said.
"It starts them out right before they move on to chairlifts. And our long one for tubing replaced two handle tows. The single magic carpet we put in here doubled the capacity of the two handle tows, so it was a great addition."
Brian E. Clark is a Madison writer and photographer.
This is the layer that will help keep you dry and protect against wind. You will want a waterproof jacket and insulated snow pants
The magic of the snow magic carpet lies in its ability to transport riders to a world of adventure and imagination. As they glide effortlessly over the snow, they can imagine themselves soaring through the sky on a magical journey. The sensation of flying combined with the adrenaline rush of sliding down a slope creates a truly unforgettable experience. Additionally, the snow magic carpet can be a great way to stay active and enjoy the outdoors during the winter months. It provides a fun alternative to traditional winter activities like skiing or snowboarding and can be enjoyed by the whole family. In conclusion, the snow magic carpet is a thrilling and imaginative way to experience the joys of winter. Whether you're a child or an adult, it offers a unique and exciting ride that combines the fun of sledding with the fantasy of flying on a magic carpet. So grab your carpet, find a snowy hill, and let your imagination take flight..
Reviews for "Mastering the art of snow magic carpet riding"
1. Anna - 1 out of 5 stars - I was really disappointed with the Snow Magic Carpet. It did not live up to the hype at all. The quality of the carpet was very poor, with the material feeling cheap and flimsy. It also did not glide smoothly on the snow as advertised. It was constantly getting stuck and I had to keep pushing and pulling it to get it to move. Overall, I regret purchasing this product and would not recommend it to others.
2. John - 2 out of 5 stars - I was hoping for a fun and thrilling experience with the Snow Magic Carpet, but unfortunately it fell short of my expectations. While it did slide down the snow, it was not as fast or exciting as I had hoped. The design of the carpet was also uncomfortable, with very little padding to cushion my ride. As for durability, the carpet started to show signs of wear and tear after just a few uses. Overall, it was a mediocre product that did not deliver the thrill I was looking for.
3. Sarah - 1 out of 5 stars - The Snow Magic Carpet was a complete waste of money. It barely slid on the snow, and when it did, it was slow and unimpressive. The carpet itself felt cheap and poorly made, and I doubt it will last more than one season. The carrying bag that came with it was also flimsy and ripped after just a couple of uses. I would not recommend this product to anyone looking for a fun and enjoyable snow activity. Save your money and invest in something better.