Snow sports amidst a pandemic

How will the slopes change to accomodate COVID-19?

Leanna Gower

The Bay Area is known for its winter culture, with many residents traveling upwards of three hours to Tahoe Donner resorts for the snow season. However, the ongoing pandemic raises questions about this tradition and how it will be done safely.

It’s estimated that some 10 million people visit Tahoe during the winter season, adding to the 15-20 million total throughout the year, according to the Tahoe Transportation District Manager, Carl Hasty. Out of the estimated 10 million people, Hasty said people from the Bay Area, Sacramento, and Reno make up a large part of Tahoe’s traffic. “My family and I usually go up to Tahoe to snowboard whenever we have time, so some seasons we’re up in Tahoe nearly every weekend, and others we’ll only visit once,” Lucas Calenda, a junior, said.

This season was cut short due to the pandemic, but COVID-19 cases in Tahoe were relatively low, while many California cities were sheltering in place. The cases spiked to roughly 12,000 in late July due to tourism. With the previous snow season cut short, the ski resort industry is taking precautions to avoid another closure.

Some resorts have been open for summer activities like mountain biking or hiking, while others have remained closed, brainstorming ways to reopen safely.

The sudden closure of ski resorts left many avid skiers and snowboarders wondering how the resorts could reopen safely because lodges are limited and often very crowded, which doesn’t easily allow for social distancing.

Resorts communicated with the National Ski Areas Association (NSAA), the California Ski Industry Association (CSIA), the state of California, and other Tahoe ski resorts, to create a plan of action for reopening while abiding by all local and state mandates. Many resorts represented by Ski California, a trade association, have chosen to follow the national “Ski Well, Be Well” guidelines set by the NSAA.

“While we’re living with COVID-19, we have to do all we can do to ensure everyone has a safe experience,” Mike Reitzell, the Ski California president, said.

Visitors will need to wear a mask when inside and within six feet of people outdoors. Some resorts decided to implement social distancing on the chair lifts, while others banked on the airflow to keep their lifts full.

With the gear most skiers and snowboarders wear—gloves, goggles, and

Art by Maddy Ting

often a face-covering during cold weather the coronavirus. Many resorts don’t have an —many resort workers think guests will be estimate of how many people will purchase safe on the slopes. season passes or even how many people to

“The beauty of the ski industry is that expect. social distancing is already there. The chair While guidelines differ from resort to lift is moving; you have airflow. Once you’re resort, many have similar plans based on on the hill, you can spread out, and you’re their size and popularity. already wearing goggles, masks, face cover- Three well-known ski resorts, Heavenly, ings, and glovers as a part of normal attire,” Northstar, and Kirkwood, finalized plans to Travis Bennet, the marketing specialist at combat overcrowding during the pandemic. Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe, said. They will require reservations for a specific

Often, a chair lift seats three to six time arrival for each person or party, that people, but this year the skiers need to will favor season pass holders. maintain social distance; so there will only Along with the reservations for the entire be one person per lift. resort, the three resorts will monitor their

The decision to distance guests will restaurants and lodges and regulate how likely create a backup traveling up the many people can enter at once. In contrast, slopes and limit the people who can go up other resorts like Sugar Bowl and Boreal on the mountain at once, making the lines will limit indoor access and only allow longer. 15-20 minute warming periods or restroom

“Even though we’re in a pandemic, I am use. still going to go to Tahoe with precautions While regulations will be implemented taken. Hopefully, it will still be safe to ski indoors, the snow season is about being on on the slopes, and I plan on social distanc- the slopes, where people can easily social ing whenever I can,” Riley Baum, a junior, distance and enjoy the snow as usual. said. Baum said, “As long as we all practice

Like Baum, some Carlmont students social distancing, wear a mask, and follow plan on going to Tahoe for the season, precautions, this ski season will be fun, while others don’t want to risk contracting despite COVID-19.”