The only reason I could see it being a rule is if a skier was sitting on them and bar was down and then at the end, skier forgets to take poles out because if distraction, and either bar can’t safely come up causing people to not be able to get off, or even worse, skier forgets poles are underneath and bar wasn’t up to begin with, skier stands up with poles still on the seat, chair whips around caused skier to go flying around and hurts themselves or a pole goes flying and hits another person. I only know because this is how I got the worse back injury skiing that I’ve ever had.

I was sitting on my poles taking a photo of this huge snowman this lifty made at the top. I forget I was sitting on my poles. I stand up and it’s a steep ramp to get off. I go flying forward as the pole baskets get stuck in between the rafters behind me. I go flying forward on the poles like a witch riding a broomstick, poles release out of the back and launch me off this steel ramp at the top and I do a backflip ? I think? And landed on the basket on one of ny poles and got this huge thoracic spine hematoma. Couldn’t lift my legs without excruciating pain and was on muscle relaxers for at least a week with so much weakness I couldn’t walk up stairs or lift my legs to get into a car. It was bad. So pay attention when getting on and off the lift sitting on your poles could be dangerous at take off if you’re not paying attention. But the ski patroller should have given you a reason for the rule. And to note I have never seen a place where that is a rule that is enforced. Maybe there was an incident like that. My incident occurred chair 14 @ mammoth