Definition of ski tow

The term "ski tow" is derived from the original method used to transport skiers up a steep slope before skiing back down. In the early 20th century, ski resorts experimented with various methods of uphill transportation, such as sledges pulled by horses or experimenting with primitive forms of rope tows. The first practical ski lift, the T-bar, was invented in 1935 by French engineer Henri Deutsch de la Meurthe. However, prior to this, in the late 1920s and early 1930s, ski resorts frequently used small trailers pulled by cars or tractors to transport skiers uphill. These trailers, which could carry up to six people, became known as "ski tows". The use of ski tow trailers grew in popularity in the 1930s and remained a common means of transportation for skiers until the widespread adoption of modern ski lifts in the 1950s and 1960s. The term "ski tow" has remained associated with these older methods of ski transportation, and the use of tow ropes (as opposed to more advanced ski lifts) continues to be employed in some low-capacity or low-altitude ski areas.