system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
How are the ends of a ski lift cable joined to make a complete loop?

Was skiing today, and a friend and I were wondering how they make the steel cable into a complete loop. We didn't notice any particular joint while watching the cable for a while, though we could certainly have missed it. Also relevant, what are these things made of, specifically?
gpt
Unwrap the strands that make up the ends of the rope, for a couple of meters on each end.  Cut off half of the strands from each end.  Wrap the remaining strands together to form one same-thickness rope again.  Weld the ends.  The strength is mainly in the friction of the strands being wrapped around one another.  If the splice is long enough, the frictional forces can be stronger than the regular strength of the wire rope.

If you notice a painted spot on the ski lift cable, that's the join.