What will be different for 20/21 Ski Season?

[MEtoVTSkier]

I had an uncomfortable reaction to Shingrix as well. Pain and swelling at the injection site and a mild fever for a few days.

But I would not pass on getting the vaccination based on that. Far better than a full blown case of shingles.

No doubt. I came down with shingles July 2nd. Still dealing with the residual interior pain almost 2 months later. Been on the VA waiting list for the vaccine for almost 2 years. Now that I've had it, they are in a hurry to get me vaccinated before I come down with it for a second time. My Step-brother just got vaccinated after he found out the agony I went thru (and I advise you all to get vaccinated if you had chicken-pox as a child, or as an adult too I guess) and he said it felt like someone whacked him in the arm with a 20lb sledgehammer for a few days.

 

[MEtoVTSkier]

I was in the group that never got the annual flu shot. Hardly ever got the flu. Problem was, when I DID get it, it was absolutely brutal, and would take me down for almost a month, and then turn into a subsequent month or more of bronchitis that would typically last until the weather warmed up in the spring. Started getting the flu shot a couple years ago after a LONG conversation with my Primary Care Doc, and never looked back.

 

[machski]

I was in the group that never got the annual flu shot. Hardly ever got the flu. Problem was, when I DID get it, it was absolutely brutal, and would take me down for almost a month, and then turn into a subsequent month or more of bronchitis that would typically last until the weather warmed up in the spring. StaPrted getting the flu shot a couple years ago after a LONG conversation with my Primary Care Doc, and never looked back.

That's great and I likely plan to get one this year to hopefully have some protection from that virus with Covid out there. But all the "studies" done on the flu vaccine and mitigating or minimizing severity of infection if you do get it all appear to have been observational studies. I haven't seen one scientific study where they isolate the variables out to definitively prove their positions of reduced severity of infection and death rates. With observational studies, for all anyone knows, the years they did them they got lucky that the unprotected strains were a mild(er) variety than those strains vaccinated for. There probably isn't a huge downside to fly vaccinations each year, except for one having blind faith they are truly protected each year.

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[BenedictGomez]

for all anyone knows, the years they did them they got lucky that the unprotected strains were a mild(er) variety than those strains vaccinated for. There probably isn't a huge downside to fly vaccinations each year, except for one having blind faith they are truly protected each year.

Actually, "anyone" does know. Each flu is genomically RNA sequenced, categorized, and has a nomenclature to it, as well as any mutations of a given strain(s) that subsequently present. This is a global collaborative effort on the part of CDC, KCDC, EMEA, WHO, and many others. And if you seriously believe they dont know which strains are more dangerous than others, then, well, I about give up at this point.

 

[dblskifanatic]

So this does not say a lot but ...


https://www.thedenverchannel.com/ne...for-skiing-in-mid-november-as-it-usually-does


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[Edd]

No doubt. I came down with shingles July 2nd. Still dealing with the residual interior pain almost 2 months later. Been on the VA waiting list for the vaccine for almost 2 years. Now that I've had it, they are in a hurry to get me vaccinated before I come down with it for a second time. My Step-brother just got vaccinated after he found out the agony I went thru (and I advise you all to get vaccinated if you had chicken-pox as a child, or as an adult too I guess) and he said it felt like someone whacked him in the arm with a 20lb sledgehammer for a few days.

2 year waiting list for a vaccine? I don’t understand this. I feel like if I want a vaccine I could go to my doc and get it this week.

It also catches my attention because I’ve never had chicken pox. I’ve been vaccinated as an adult at least twice. 10 years in between is what’s recommended the last I knew.

 

[machski]

Actually, "anyone" does know. Each flu is genomically RNA sequenced, categorized, and has a nomenclature to it, as well as any mutations of a given strain(s) that subsequently present. This is a global collaborative effort on the part of CDC, KCDC, EMEA, WHO, and many others. And if you seriously believe they dont know which strains are more dangerous than others, then, well, I about give up at this point.

You're missing the broader point I tried to make that the studies all seem observational and thus aren't exactly solid scientific evidence. But keep drilling in to the finer points and miss the forest, that's fine.

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[Newpylong]

Have you ever heard of a blind placebo ie Random Controlled Study? If not, look them up because it is customary for influenza vaccines (like all others) to use them.

 

[skef]

https://airbandmask.com/products/unisex-airband-gaiter

I ordered a few of these and they arrived this week. I tried one out today on a run. It wasn't bad: more effective than a plain old gaiter/tube and easier to raise and lower when needed. Should be OK for skiing.

 

[Smellytele]

I ordered a few of these and they arrived this week. I tried one out today on a run. It wasn't bad: more effective than a plain old gaiter/tube and easier to raise and lower when needed. Should be OK for skiing.

Why on earth would you use a mask while running? Do you run with a lot of other people or through a city?


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[skef]

Do you run with a lot of other people or through a city?

To the extent that Cambridge MA is a city, yes. The general local practice is to pull one's mask up when in close proximity to others, and let it down when not. Mine is up < 10% of the time. But to be able to put it up at all is just a common courtesy.

 

[BenedictGomez]

Why on earth would you use a mask while running?

I see people wearing a mask while riding a bike.

In the country.

No words.

 

[Bumpsis]

I see people wearing a mask while riding a bike.

In the country.

No words.

Just let it be. May be they have got used to wearing one. Granted, riding solo and in the country, wearing a mask doesn't do anyone any good.
There are bike riding masks that will filter our dust, allergens. These masks have outflow valves, so they are not exactly protecting others but they designed to keep stuff out for the rider. I ride quite a bit (Boston burbs) and in spring, when pollen is heavy, they make a difference. Now, ragweed is spiking high.
Still, riding a bike with a mask is a PITA and for the most part, not necessary.

 

[Newpylong]

You can tell out of staters here because they're wearing masks hiking and when you pass they literally go 20 feet into the woods.

There's being safe (I am an avid mask wearer when required by law, business, by request, or common sense). But that just seems ridiculous to me. Maybe I should just be happy they are coming here and being considerate.

 

[ss20]

Wachusett- https://www.telegram.com/news/20200815/pandemic-challenging-slope-for-wachusett-mountain-ski-area

Wachusett and ski areas across the country are considering a wide variety of options for operating with social distancing requirements. Likely scenarios include capacity limits of up to 50% and restricted loading numbers on chairlifts and gondolas, reservation systems, outdoor gear rentals and heated outdoor areas with seating and food and beverage service

This season, Wachusett tentatively plans to run four separate day, evening and night skiing and snowboarding sessions, with customers limited to one session. Ski areas will sanitize dining and lift equipment in between sessions

“We do not know at this time what our capacity will be,” Meyers said. “We are awaiting final determination from the governor’s phased reopening plan both on the mountain and in the base lodge.”

Another likely big change is a reservation-only system to help the ski area manage capacity limits, Meyers said.

Capacity limits could be 50% or 75%, he said. “We don’t know yet how the demand will impact the supply,” he said.

Still another likely scenario is that Wachusett will move to an online-only ticket purchasing system, according to Crowley. That would be a natural move since most customers already buy season passes and day tickets online.

Also, Wachusett is looking at outdoor gear rentals and changing the way the ski and snowboard school runs by spacing out learners and maybe curtailing group lessons, Meyers said.

Wachusett also anticipates more demand on normally low-traffic weekdays with more people working from home and many school-age skiers and snowboarders either partly or full-time at home.

LOTS of stuff to digest here. Honestly all of this is a positive sign given how Mass has been INCREDIBLY strict when it comes to leisure activities and COVID. Six Flags can't open at all. A racetrack was open without fans until the state required the track test all participants (a lot from Rhode Island), I think they were able to patch something back together after a few weeks off.

I've beaten this to death but again, what jumps out at me is 75% capacity figure. Wachusett probably hits that regularly (total guess given their location). But what about a place like Killington or Okemo or Sunday River or any other major mountain that can handle 10,000+ skiers a day? How many days are the parking lots beyond 75% FULL to their design capacity in a season? A single-digit number unless it's a banner snow year.

 

[boston_e]

I've beaten this to death but again, what jumps out at me is 75% capacity figure. Wachusett probably hits that regularly (total guess given their location). But what about a place like Killington or Okemo or Sunday River or any other major mountain that can handle 10,000+ skiers a day? How many days are the parking lots beyond 75% FULL to their design capacity in a season? A single-digit number unless it's a banner snow year.

Likely true... and beyond that. How is that capacity limit determined for each resort? One number I heard is "capacity" was defined as the number of skiers per hour they could bring up the hill, but no idea if that is accurate or not?

 

[BenedictGomez]

COVID19 spells the death of the lift ticket sales job. They were already greatly thinned from online sales, but this will likely take it down to another level at a lot of places. Lift ticket machines can't be far behind i imagine.

 

[ss20]

Likely true... and beyond that. How is that capacity limit determined for each resort? One number I heard is "capacity" was defined as the number of skiers per hour they could bring up the hill, but no idea if that is accurate or not?

Who knows. There's CCC (Comfortable Carrying Capacity) which takes into account trail acerage, lifts, and a reasonable lift line wait to determine capacity.

Here's some analysis I did on parking capacity at Mount Snow that shows IF we go with 75% capacity based on parked cars they'd run out of parking a single day a season...and if it was capped at 50% capacity you'd only have to be concerned on the busiest of Saturdays.

Some great detail I found to back-up my above post. I dug through Mount Snow's old master plan files from the 2005-2015 era. Everything you could ever need to know about Mount Snow and/or ski resort master planning is burried on the Act 250 database, btw.

As of 2011 Mount Snow had exactly 4,004 parking spaces.

View attachment 26991

So on an average Saturday they're just over the 50% mark. Figure 12 Saturday's Christmas-March they'll technically hit 50% on 8 or 9 out of 12 of them. It's a function of these major resorts having so much flex capacity to maximize those 12,000 skier visit days that if they ran at their true maximum capacity they would be totally overrun. And our idea of a "busy Saturday" is really nowhere near that maximum.

 

[drjeff]

Who knows. There's CCC (Comfortable Carrying Capacity) which takes into account trail acerage, lifts, and a reasonable lift line wait to determine capacity.

Here's some analysis I did on parking capacity at Mount Snow that shows IF we go with 75% capacity based on parked cars they'd run out of parking a single day a season...and if it was capped at 50% capacity you'd only have to be concerned on the busiest of Saturdays.

With respect to the Mount Snow parking situation, one thing to remember, and I'm sure this applies for other ski areas who have a local community based shuttle service, is if they can't run the shuttles, or do so at a reduce capacity due to social distancing issues, then you will see many more second home owners and renters, who usually travel to/from the mountain, driving themselves instead of taking the shuttle.

I know that for my own family, our condo complex has shuttle service every weekend starting at Thanksgiving and running through the last weekend in March. My family, essentially never drives our own vehicle to the mountain if the shuttle is running, and we know numerous families who are the same way.

Also, with respect to the social distancing and shuttle buses, my condo is about 2/3rds of the way through the loop the shuttle makes through our complex. There are many weekend days where by the time it gets to our unit, there may be only a few seats open, and if it's one of the big Holiday weekends, then it's not uncommon for it to be standing room only by the time it gets to our place. I doubt that is going to fly right now

 

[skiur]

COVID19 spells the death of the lift ticket sales job. They were already greatly thinned from online sales, but this will likely take it down to another level at a lot of places. Lift ticket machines can't be far behind i imagine.

You have never seen an automated ticket machine?