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What will be different for 20/21 Ski Season?

boston_e

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Posted this at first in the ski resorts response to COVID 19 thread but thought it was worthy of its on.

As we approach ski season 20/21 it will be interesting to see what evolves as far as procedures / operations / process etc for the resorts.

A preview of perhaps what is to come.... Magic offers a first hint of what 20/21 season could be like:


https://magicmtn.com/alpine-update/


Some highlights:
- likely skier visit restricted capacity (50% of hourly uphill capacity)
- online reservations (with pass holders getting first dibs)
- reservations for table space inside lodges
- expanded outdoor seating etc.


I'm sure all are subject to change, but I'm guessing we will see similar start to emerge at most resorts.
 

cdskier

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Refreshing to see someone not simply sugar-coating things and trying to pretend that everything other than lodges will be normal.
 

Newpylong

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I haven't really seen any sugar coating - but responses from people who have yet to really formulate a plan, or disseminate that plan. I can't really blame them, things are still very fluid and may change before winter. Magic has a more defined audience and they can a draw a line in the sand before most others. Eventually those lines will all need to be drawn however unpopular though.

I wouldn't want to still be in the industry having to figure this out. No thanks.
 

mister moose

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... responses from people who have yet to really formulate a plan, or disseminate that plan. I can't really blame them, things are still very fluid and may change before winter.

I wouldn't want to still be in the industry having to figure this out. No thanks.

Decisions like how many per chair, how many in the parking lot can change easily and adapt to the latest guidelines. Decisions on changing software for RFID, managing reservations, new pass holder limitations probably need to be done now or very soon. Contracts for temporary buildings in normal times might only need 30 days, but what if there aren't enough to meet demand, then you need to be booking them now. Add in the likelihood that some COVID procedures and travel requirements will be different in 3 months. I'm not sure anyone can figure it out accurately, it's more like throwing a bunch of darts and hoping your pattern is somewhat close.
 

dblskifanatic

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So when A Basin reopened they used a lottery system. Over three weekends we got one day. My bet is some sort of systematic approach will be used to limit people. The lodge was closed but is open during the summer with limited access. Lodge rats will probably not be allowed. They were not allowing tailgates at vehicles not sure why. But you may have to eat and drink on the run. Smaller places will have greater success at controlling everything where the big resorts depend on lodging sales, food and beverage sales and touristy sales as well. It will be interesting to see how they deal with it. Vail village is like a funnel for in and out. Breck in town is already pretty busy and shut down the Main Street for our door dining but winter will not allow that.


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mbedle

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While smaller ski areas will get away with restricting the number of days a skier with a season passes will be allow on the hill, I would take a wild guess that Vail and other larger operators are seriously looking at the legal aspect of enacting such policy. I haven't been able to locate a copy of the T&C for the epic pass, so not sure if they changed them to include the ability to restrict the number of days you may ski on the season pass due to capacity restrictions. Anybody have any info or thoughts on that problem.
 

ghughes20

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Pure speculation here, but if they restrict lodge access, that will severely reduce daily visitors. Families with young children won't come. No apres scene will limit young adults. I think you'll be left with people that have on mountain or local housing. I'd guess that limits crowds by 40%, making limited lift capacity less of an issue

That said, with full ski gear - googles, masks, gloves, etc, we're probably the least at risk group there is. Crowded indoor spaces are the problem.
 

NYDB

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Only thing that concerns me is kids/wife having to go to the bathroom. Otherwise, I don't plan on setting foot in a lodge all winter.

Ive always been a show up early, skip lunch break, be done by 2-3 anyway so I don't anticipate any issues.

With the family, I guess if they need a warm up we can head back to the vehicle for 20 minutes.

Maybe I'll have to wear a pack next year to carry family food and beverages.

Anticipating no development program for the youngest so maybe we'll do a private here and there?
 

machski

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Well, some resort operators have already partially addressed the passholder issue. Boyne for example shut off all winter pass product sales mid June and it remains to be seen when and with what products they will reopen sales with later summer or fall.

I am betting that use of lodges will require a reservation ahead of time, at least on weekends and peak holiday times to limit capacity and set guest expectations. I'm not sure if the larger resorts with multiple access portals will need to Cap skiers per day, but they may institute 1st chair time slot reservations to limit morning crowding at the portals.

Regardless of BG's gondola concerns, those will run but likely be limited to seating only members of the same family/party. I think wide open on the way down, especially if they can keep the doors open downhill, should mitigate any issues for the next group.

Finally, Trams. JHMR has not been running theirs this summer even but have announced they plan to this winter but at vastly reduced capacity. For any other Tram that is the only way to the very top (Big Sky), I would think they will be doing reserved tram ride slots ahead of time. You get a slot and need to be ready to ride the Tram at that time or you miss out. Seems the only way they could run it without mega crowds at its base.

No matter what, this season is likely to be a very unique one and something that will be told in tales to the coming generations years from now.

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deadheadskier

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Pure speculation here, but if they restrict lodge access, that will severely reduce daily visitors. Families with young children won't come. No apres scene will limit young adults. I think you'll be left with people that have on mountain or local housing. I'd guess that limits crowds by 40%, making limited lift capacity less of an issue

That said, with full ski gear - googles, masks, gloves, etc, we're probably the least at risk group there is. Crowded indoor spaces are the problem.
Good point. I know for me, who will be skiing primarily with my five year old, what that means is I will be avoiding any ski area that involves parking that requires a shuttle bus on cold days. So, a place like Okemo or Sunapee on my Epic Pass will be a no go. I'll want quick access to my van for lunch and snack breaks. Warmer days with outdoor seating will be less of a concern.

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BenedictGomez

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if they can keep the doors open downhill, should mitigate any issues for the next group.

If you held a gun to my head & my life depended on the correct answer, I'd say I doubt it. It's still a relatively static environment with millions of viral particulate trapped in a tiny space & with far more surface area enclosed than open (doors), and I dont believe simply opening the doors would provide much circulation. But there's absolutely no way to know either way without conducting a study, and obviously that study wont happen. So until there's a vaccine, it will be gondolos for thee, but not for me!
 

deadheadskier

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In a hospital in VT with an ICU Covid patient today. The patient was moved to a new room as we are replacing equipment in the room the patient was in. Protocol is two hours worth of negative pressure before cleaning crew goes in. And then we go in.

So, yeah, not sure how a gondola can run.

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boston_e

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In a hospital in VT with an ICU Covid patient today. The patient was moved to a new room as we are replacing equipment in the room the patient was in. Protocol is two hours worth of negative pressure before cleaning crew goes in. And then we go in.

So, yeah, not sure how a gondola can run.

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But, elevators are running everywhere in the country right now, so who knows

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Hard to know what the better comparison is... in our office building the elevator has instructions to load only one party at a time... and short of closing a building down, in many cases there may be no viable alternative to running the elevator.

I wonder if taking off the windows would be viable?

With that said, I'll likely avoid the gondola rides this winter, depending on what the COVID situation looks like once ski season starts.
 

drjeff

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In a hospital in VT with an ICU Covid patient today. The patient was moved to a new room as we are replacing equipment in the room the patient was in. Protocol is two hours worth of negative pressure before cleaning crew goes in. And then we go in.

So, yeah, not sure how a gondola can run.

Sent from my motorola one action using AlpineZone mobile app

Let's be 100% honest with this statement of yours DHS.

I think that we can all agree that the aerosolized viral quantity from a COVID-19 positive patient in the ICU is going to be far different than the aerosolized viral quantity from someone who may be COVID-19 positive, but is feeling healthy enough to go skiing.

So the cleaning standards for a gondola may very well be much closer to say that of a table at a restaurant than in an ICU room
 

JoeB-Z

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I have a locker at Magic and that will be a godsend. I have already verified I can boot up and get out on the slopes. I like to pick my skis also and adjust gear.


Posted this at first in the ski resorts response to COVID 19 thread but thought it was worthy of its on.

As we approach ski season 20/21 it will be interesting to see what evolves as far as procedures / operations / process etc for the resorts.

A preview of perhaps what is to come.... Magic offers a first hint of what 20/21 season could be like:


https://magicmtn.com/alpine-update/


Some highlights:
- likely skier visit restricted capacity (50% of hourly uphill capacity)
- online reservations (with pass holders getting first dibs)
- reservations for table space inside lodges
- expanded outdoor seating etc.


I'm sure all are subject to change, but I'm guessing we will see similar start to emerge at most resorts.
 

skiking4

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Let's be 100% honest with this statement of yours DHS.

I think that we can all agree that the aerosolized viral quantity from a COVID-19 positive patient in the ICU is going to be far different than the aerosolized viral quantity from someone who may be COVID-19 positive, but is feeling healthy enough to go skiing.

So the cleaning standards for a gondola may very well be much closer to say that of a table at a restaurant than in an ICU room

Objectively not true and has not been shown. In fact:

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2769235

"Many individuals with SARS-CoV-2 infection remained asymptomatic for a prolonged period, and viral load was similar to that in symptomatic patients; therefore, isolation of infected persons should be performed regardless of symptoms."
 

jimk

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In a hospital in VT with an ICU Covid patient today. The patient was moved to a new room as we are replacing equipment in the room the patient was in. Protocol is two hours worth of negative pressure before cleaning crew goes in. And then we go in.

So, yeah, not sure how a gondola can run.

Sent from my motorola one action using AlpineZone mobile app

Thanks for doing what you do!
 

jimk

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In a hospital in VT with an ICU Covid patient today. The patient was moved to a new room as we are replacing equipment in the room the patient was in. Protocol is two hours worth of negative pressure before cleaning crew goes in. And then we go in.

So, yeah, not sure how a gondola can run.

Sent from my motorola one action using AlpineZone mobile app

Thanks for doing what you do! You're a hero.
 
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