[TIL] Shawbridge, QC: The first ski lift in the world!
Where is Shawbridge and what was the first ski lift to look like?
First, Shawbridge is now called Prévost. It is a small village located in the Laurentians 50 km north of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Why in Quebec? Because here there are "patenteux". If there is a problem or a need, there is a solution!
Note: the original photos are available on the links below. We can not present them in the text being protected by copyright.
Skiing in Quebec.
![](https://steemitimages.com/640x0/http://www.steemimg.com/images/2016/12/09/Riviere_du_Nord_hiver_Piedmont_19006b1b8.jpg)
In 1927, it was the beginning of the "snow trains" or the "P'tit train du Nord" that transported skiers to the Laurentians.
It was primarily Nordic skiing: jumping and ski touring. Then, with the ski resorts, developed the alpine skiing, the downhill and the slalom. Skiers climbed the slopes on foot.
However, as early as 1926, Mr. Moise Paquette, a garage mechanic in Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts, offered an aeroski service. The activity consisted of towing skiers on Lac-des-Sables in Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts with nothing less than a wingless plane equipped with skiing.
The « folly » Foster.
He liked to do acrobatics and runs at full speed. However, as he measured 6 feet and weighed 200 lbs, he was less inclined to climb the hill for another run. So he often wondered how to save time on the ascent to devote it to the descent.
Mr. Moise Paquette then set up lifts at Sainte-Adèle, at Saint-Sauveur in Sainte-Agathe and at Mont-Tremblant, inspired by Mr. Foster's invention. Paquette received the patent on 27 September 1935.
Developments
The first American cableway was inaugurated on January 28, 1934 in Woodstock, Vermont.
In Isère, Jean Pomagalski, a mechanical engineer of Polish origin, imagined, in 1935, the first system of lift with pulleys, cables and poles. The ski lift, or "tire-fesse", was born! The first is installed on the hill of L'Eclose at Alpe d'Huez.http://voyage.blogs.rfi.fr/article/2014/02/27/la-grande-histoire-du-ski#origines
Subsequently, there were several variations, namely the J-bar, the T-bar, the single, double, quadruple chairs and cabins.
Sources :
http://laurentian.quebecheritageweb.com/fr/node/1716
https://thewalrus.ca/first-on-the-hill/
https://lostskihills.com/2015/02/06/laurentian-invention-caused-a-global-revolution-in-skiing/
http://www.zoneski.com/reseau/lhistoire-du-ski-alpin-le-developpement/
http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/skiing-alpine/
maybe it's the first, but not the last :))
take a look at Iranian Ski resort, Shemshak: https://steemit.com/travel/@honarparvar/ski-destination-think-about-iran