How do ski lifts hang on to the lift cable?

You wait until the people in front of you have skied up to a line in the snow and stopped. Once the chair lift swings by for them, follow it slowly, and ski up to the line that shows through the snow...

you just sit there or talk while you wait to get on the hill

Depending on the type of lift you could get mauled by the machinery or you could go back down the lift in the cabin...

Jim Curran

Not compared to the Space Shuttle but some ski lifts are more complex than others. Rope tows are simple, detachable grip chair and gondola lifts are more complex. All lifts have some basic systems....