Gray Rocks Abandoned Chair Lift

The rusting chairlift is one of the most striking remnants of Gray Rocks, the resort that gave Quebec its first ski lift in 1934 and grew into the ski capital of the Laurentians. When the hill closed in 2009 after more than a century of operation, the lift was left in place, its towers and cables now standing silent against the slope of Sugarloaf (Le Pain de Sucre). For photographers this is a classic subject of decay and line. The lift towers march up the hillside in strong receding perspective, ideal for leading lines, and the weathered steel, frayed cable and stopped chairs reward close work on texture and detail. Backlight through the structure at sunrise or sunset is especially effective, and a misty morning turns the line of towers into something ghostly. Access is on foot up an exposed slope, so plan for wind and changing conditions and bring layers. Take care around aging metal and cabling, and shoot the structure rather than climb it. (Mont-Tremblant, Quebec, Canada)