Ski Resort Response to COVID-19

[ss20]

Good question about cold temps. I've always poked my head into a ski patrol hut. Ski right up to it/ski out of it. Usually no other guests. Plenty of warm and comfortable places (lots of huts have rigged up heaters for gloves and coats and such). If I'm solo its nice because they're usually happy to check you out for frostbite. I've had a lot of good talks with patrollers this way. I've gotten some odd looks when I ask if I'm welcome just to warm up but no one's given me the cold shoulder yet.

 

[Smellytele]

I'd love to see ski areas set up some sort of tent system with outdoor heaters. But frankly, on real cold and windy days, it won't be much help.

As far as tents what is the difference when it comes to covid. No different than being inside. I see it can add more space.


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[slatham]

As far as tents what is the difference when it comes to covid. No different than being inside. I see it can add more space.


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Most places I've seen have done open air tents, so basically a roof. I agree, if fully enclosed, well then you're inside. Of course the flip side is its going to be colder than an enclosed tent, but with heaters (and maybe the windward side enclosed) warmer than outside.

Magic is looking at some tents for outside this winter (current tent not built for winter) with heaters.

 

[machski]

Good question about cold temps. I've always poked my head into a ski patrol hut. Ski right up to it/ski out of it. Usually no other guests. Plenty of warm and comfortable places (lots of huts have rigged up heaters for gloves and coats and such). If I'm solo its nice because they're usually happy to check you out for frostbite. I've had a lot of good talks with patrollers this way. I've gotten some odd looks when I ask if I'm welcome just to warm up but no one's given me the cold shoulder yet.

This could be the year for that cold shoulder.

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[zoomzoom]

here's the latest seven day increases in covid19 cases, per new england state. we've had 65 new cases in the last week, with 58 dead total.
as colder weather arrives, more cases are expected as folks generally spend more time inside.

https://files.constantcontact.com/a0530340101/8c7e0c80-6295-4200-86e3-100d44c3a94b.pdf

 

[Los]

here's the latest seven day increases in covid19 cases, per new england state. we've had 65 new cases in the last week, with 58 dead total.
as colder weather arrives, more cases are expected as folks generally spend more time inside.

https://files.constantcontact.com/a0530340101/8c7e0c80-6295-4200-86e3-100d44c3a94b.pdf

Patients currently hospitalized... 0 (as in zero, none, no one, not a soul)

 

[kingslug]

Severe weather will definitely affect my wife..she goes into the lodge at the top of Stowe all the time...me..not so much..this should be ..interesting.

 

[mikec142]

Was thinking about logistical issues around skiing last night. I'm pretty sure I've figured out a lot of it. But one major issue really sticks out for me.

A little background. Most of our VT skiing is done in Northern VT. We stay with family in Burlington about 50% of the time (that's not going to happen this year). The other times we get a hotel. If I'm solo, I find a cheap place to stay off the mountain. If I'm with my family, we more often than not stay in Burlington so we can have dinner and shopping options.

This year when with family, we will have to find Air BnB's or hotels. If it's hotels, what are we doing about dinner? We haven't eaten inside at a restaurant yet and currently don't have a big desire to do so. Ordering in to the hotel seems fine for one night but not a couple of nights. Eating outside at night in Northern VT during the winter doesn't seem so great.

Ugh.

 

[mikec142]

Most places I've seen have done open air tents, so basically a roof. I agree, if fully enclosed, well then you're inside. Of course the flip side is its going to be colder than an enclosed tent, but with heaters (and maybe the windward side enclosed) warmer than outside.

Magic is looking at some tents for outside this winter (current tent not built for winter) with heaters.

This is what I meant. Open sided tents (maybe closed on one side) with heaters will make a significant difference.

 

[NYDB]

Was thinking about logistical issues around skiing last night. I'm pretty sure I've figured out a lot of it. But one major issue really sticks out for me.

A little background. Most of our VT skiing is done in Northern VT. We stay with family in Burlington about 50% of the time (that's not going to happen this year). The other times we get a hotel. If I'm solo, I find a cheap place to stay off the mountain. If I'm with my family, we more often than not stay in Burlington so we can have dinner and shopping options.

This year when with family, we will have to find Air BnB's or hotels. If it's hotels, what are we doing about dinner? We haven't eaten inside at a restaurant yet and currently don't have a big desire to do so. Ordering in to the hotel seems fine for one night but not a couple of nights. Eating outside at night in Northern VT during the winter doesn't seem so great.

Ugh.

Maybe I am misunderstanding, but what is wrong with getting take out and eating in the hotel room?

 

[mikec142]

Maybe I am misunderstanding, but what is wrong with getting take out and eating in the hotel room?

Nothing is wrong with it. Especially if it's just me. But a family of four doing it for a couple of nights in a row is less than ideal. Thus, looking for a few out of the box (no pun intended) ideas.

 

[drjeff]

Maybe I am misunderstanding, but what is wrong with getting take out and eating in the hotel room?

The issue may not be as much with take out in the hotel room, as it may be with how aggressively/passively a hotel in VT will be enforcing the travel quarantine regulations if one's home residence is in a yellow or red county on the VT Travel Restrictions weekly map. If one isn't from one of those counties, than there is zero issue with take out for the family in the hotel room.

 

[ss20]

Nothing is wrong with it. Especially if it's just me. But a family of four doing it for a couple of nights in a row is less than ideal. Thus, looking for a few out of the box (no pun intended) ideas.

Does the hotel have a microwave? Make a sheet of lasagna at home, freeze it, and thaw/heat with the hotel microwave.

Freeze some soup/stew, bring a crockpot, and heat it up at the hotel.

Something I plan on trying this year is using a 12v immersion coil to heat water and enjoy ramen/cup-o-noodles in the car if that's where my "lodge" is going to be. Lot's of these "just add water" meals aren't the crap they used to be and taste pretty good. Maybe give that a try.


Best story I have about this was I was at Turn of River Lodge (the cheap Killington hostel) on a real shitty April weekend 2 years ago. It's a hostel so naturally a lot of the folks there are trying to save money. A few guys drove into Rutland, went to the Walmart, bought a small Coleman propane stove and a few burgers. They had a lot of trouble setting it up and I think iirc they FINALLY got it working just as I was retiring to bed at 10pm at night. The things people do...lol

 

[NYDB]

Nothing is wrong with it. Especially if it's just me. But a family of four doing it for a couple of nights in a row is less than ideal. Thus, looking for a few out of the box (no pun intended) ideas.

yeah, it kind of sucks but there are going to be alot of things that suck about this upcoming ski season. Especially for families.

 

[NYDB]

The issue may not be as much with take out in the hotel room, as it may be with how aggressively/passively a hotel in VT will be enforcing the travel quarantine regulations if one's home residence is in a yellow or red county on the VT Travel Restrictions weekly map. If one isn't from one of those counties, than there is zero issue with take out for the family in the hotel room.

I was assuming he is coming from someplace without travel restrictions or had already quarantined at home and took a test. Otherwise, how could he even book the hotel for a week or weekend? I think the hotels are required to check where you are coming from

All out of state travelers utilizing lodging, camping and short-term rental properties in Vermont must sign and complete a Certificate of Compliance or affirm a compliance statement via a digital check box at the time of reservation and check-in to attest that they meet the quarantine requirement, have traveled from a county with similar active COVID-19 caseload per the Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development, or are an essential/authorized worker.

I know of some friends who tried to do a group summer trip from Lawnguyland and were rejected by a resort in SoVT.

 

[Edd]

On a few western ski trips I’ve eaten outdoors at tables with those standalone heaters. I wonder if some eastern areas are looking at this option. It wouldn’t work some days but it doesn’t always work out west either.

 

[VTKilarney]

The issue may not be as much with take out in the hotel room, as it may be with how aggressively/passively a hotel in VT will be enforcing the travel quarantine regulations if one's home residence is in a yellow or red county on the VT Travel Restrictions weekly map.

Most hotels are more than happy if a customer signs the form and says that they quarantined pre-trip. Which in 99% of cases is a lie.

 

[mikec142]

On a few western ski trips I’ve eaten outdoors at tables with those standalone heaters. I wonder if some eastern areas are looking at this option. It wouldn’t work some days but it doesn’t always work out west either.

We have two of those restaurant style patio heaters in our backyard. After 10+ years of benign neglect, we spent a few bucks on our backyard in April/May after realizing that having some usable outdoor space would be really helpful during these times. My wife read an article about outdoor dining being extended in NYC and NJ and immediately said there's going to be a run on those outdoor heaters so we bought two. They work great and will come in handy over the next few months. That said, when it's dark and windy and 20 degrees in VT at 7pm, you're going to need more than heaters.

 

[gittist]

My grandmother used to say "you made your bed, now lie in it" which was her way of saying deal with your own decisions and don't expect someone else to bail you out.

That's good advice for all of the states that rely on some sort of tourism and have instituted quarantines or 'runny nose' policies. Those states need to work their own way out of the economic hole they're in. I feel for the ski areas in those states because they're going to be in a bind.

I hope I'm wrong but I can foresee the snowiest season in years with empty slopes because people aren't willing to travel for hours only to find out they can't stay in lodging, or ski because they have a runny nose. To add to my dilemma, my wife doesn't ski so I call her my lodge bunny. I don't expect her to stay in the car or sit in a hotel room IF I'm able to ski that day.

The ski areas will then have to make a business decision. Stay open with what few skiers there are and make up for lost revenue next year by increasing the prices, or shut down to cut the losses.

I bet that the morbidity rate would be pretty close to the seasonal flu if some entity would do random sampling using antibody testing and make an estimate of how many people actually have had COVID. I don't think the world's leaders want to know this, and don't want us to know either.

No I don't wear tin foil on my head but I don't trust the numbers in my state either. The number that was reported on October X, 2020 is not the same number that shows up for October X a few days or weeks later. It's intentional obfuscation. IMHO.

Let's hope that it's discovered that two aspirin and a Mai Tai will cure COVID!

 

[JimG.]

It has become quite the drama.