In 1945, Victor Hall built his first rope tow. Soon after he installed two T-bars at small ski hills in upstate New York and Hall Ski-Lift Company was born.
A true American entrepreneur, Victor Hall quickly realized that rope tows and T-bars would not be able to satisfy the demand of an exploding ski industry. Thus, Hall began designing and manufacturing chairlifts and gondolas, forever changing the way skiers enjoyed the sport.
Along with the company's engineering ingenious, Clarence Curtis, Hall Ski-Lift Company was the first to manufacture and provide: bullwheel unloading, derailment switches, aluminum lift construction, and self-loading T-bars.
While Victor Hall canvased the country pitching his company's products, Curtis spearheaded continued improvements in safety and performance at the company's facility in New York. As a result of their efforts, by 1963 Hall Ski-Lift Company had installed 54 lifts, 32 T-bars, and 8 J-bars across North America. By 1968, the company had 418 lifts at 266 ski areas.
Victor Hall's business acumen and his company's technical ingenuity allowed the company to survive economic recessions, oil embargoes, and growing competition from abroad. Today, the Hall double-chair is one of skiing's most iconic images.
At SLD, the Hall double-chair, the company's most popular and iconic product, holds a special place in our hearts. Victor Hall and Hall Lift's story of innovation and persistence only strengthens our admiration for this skiing pioneer and his company. With every Hall Chairlift sold, we have immense gratitude for the work done in a converted dairy barn in upstate New York - where it all began.
Click here to for more information and photos about Hall Ski-Lift Company.