A few years ago I've been a in similar situation, the difference is that it was a gondola rather than a chair lift. Fortunately I had my lift bail kit with me.

The things I'm going to tell you about are dangerous. It's not an instruction on how to perform similar activities. Again, I must emphasize that it is REALLY important to have a prior training in this kind of procedures, otherwise it's gravely dangerous to perform. I'm a long time rock climber and a ski alpinist, so this is trivial for me. Generally, if you're stuck on a lift it's always better to wait for a professionals to rescue you.

I believe the bail kit is virtually the same setup used by the mountain rescue team, yet lighter and way less user-proof. It consists of UIAA rated (suitable for rock climbing) items: approx. 30m of lightweight rope, dyneema sling for a makeshift harness and a couple of locking carabiners.

So, when the lift staff announced that the evacuation has begun, I decided not to wait because my cabin was quite high up the mountain, so waiting would mean at least 3 hours of doing nothing in the cold. Also I was the only person in the gondola cabin, so I wouldn't need to explain my actions to other gondola passengers. I scouted the area below me, used the bail kit, successfully rappelled and carried on with my day.

Two important things to notice here: firstly is to wait for an official announcement that the lift is not functioning, which gives you a peace of mind that the it will not launch when you're dangling on the rope in mid air. Second one is to ensure that area you're going to lower to is easy observable and safe - relatively flat, free of trees, rocks and similar stuff.

I encourage fellow skiers and snowboarders to get some kind of mountaineering or climbing training, especially in rope work and crevasse/tree rescue, once it may help you or your friends.

Happy Holidays!