Ski season is upon us and there are many changes to be hand this year due to the global pandemic and the ongoing cases for COVID-19. I met with the team from Colorado Ski Country this week to learn about the changes that are going to be instituted for those who want to snowboard or ski in Colorado during COVID. The Colorado Ski Country team represents 19 ski areas in the state and gave a preview of what you might expect on the slopes for the 2020/2021 season.
What to know before you go ski in Colorado
THINGS ARE ALWAYS CHANGING
If you’re planning a trip to the mountains, be aware of the new Colorado ski COVID precautions in place to keep people as safe as possible on the mountain. I think this goes without saying, but things are changing all the time. And sometimes they’re changing rapidly. So do you research before any trip to understand the travel restrictions and recommendations in place by the state government and local counties. Check up on things the day before and day-of arrival as specifics may vary by resort and mountain.
The Colorado Ski website is handy to have on hand to check the latest updates at the different ski areas. I always like to check the social media of every place that I plan to visit with in 48 hours of my arrival to make sure that it’s still open. During COVID, I’ve also been proactive about making reservations for everything due to the limited capacity at most places.
Looking for the best ski trips from Texas? Check out my Texas Ski Guide for the easiest way to get to the mountains.
TRAVEL SMART
If you’re proactive about it, skiing or snowboarding is a great socially distant activity. When designing your trip, take extra precaution about thinking through how you’re getting places to not only minimize your exposure, but also exposure to others. Can you road trip instead of fly? Ski during the week instead of weekends? Rent an airbnb with a kitchen? Pack your own food on the mountain? Minimize trips to restaurants? Bring your own gear?
Colorado Ski COVID Guidelines
Bring Your Masks
Expect masks to be required everywhere you go on the mountain. You should wear them in lift lines, on lifts, and in any indoor area. You won’t need to wear them while skiing and snowboarding but you should have face coverings handy for any public area.
Ski Lifts
No one will be required to ride a lift with someone who is not in their party. The lift lines will be reorganized so that there is more lateral space when you’re standing in line. Luckily, skis and snowboards are about 6-ft in distance so are natural reminders to keep your space on the mountains.
Reservations & Lift TIckets
Currently, there are no reservations needed for people with ski passes or lift tickets right now. Some locations like Copper and Eldora have parking reservations in place to moderate the amount of people on the mountain. If you have an Ikon Pass, you may need to make a reservation before getting on the mountain.
You will need to buy your lift tickets ahead of time as all the counters will be closed. Everything will be self-service and no day-of purchases. Aspen-Snowmass has a new app to buy tickets, get rentals with a QR code and even order/pay for food on the app.
Social Distancing
Many ski areas are minimizing the indoor space available to skiers. Rental pick-up and ski school meet-ups will all be outside.
Many locations are remodeling their lodges to encourage social distancing and putting hostesses in place to control the amount of people inside. Telluride is even building custom designed yurts and structures, including refurbished gondolas, to expand outdoor settings.
In some cases, resorts are pushing back their opening dates so they can ensure there’s more runs open on the mountain to help moderate crowds.
Currently, Colorado is banning groups of more than 10 people, so traveling in large groups with people from more than two households may be tough.
Food
If you’ve ever been skiing on a good weather day and pause to get lunch mid-day, you know the chalets mid-mountain are a packed mess! The resorts will look to curb the lunch time rush by creating more outdoor seating, more grab-and-go options and bringing in food trucks. Where applicable you can download the mountain app and order food ahead of time too. A safe bet is always packing your own food.
Some places like Copper Mountain have a waitlist app to reserve spot at their dining locations. You’ll receive a text message when you get in. Copper Mountain will also be providing some take-and-bake options for visitors who are staying in units with kitchens.
Sanitizing
The mountains were open all summer and so the crews do have some practice getting gear and equipment sanitized between uses. For example, they maintained the bike rentals over the summer and similar practices are expected to be used for ski equipment.
BRING YOUR OWN GEAR
Last year, I invested in some googles and a helmet. I’m excited to have those on hand this season so that I don’t have to worry about renting something that someone else has worn on their face.
USE COMMON SENSE
COVID-19 isn’t going away any time soon, so use your commonsense when planning and going out on trips. I’ve traveled a handful of times this summer via road trips to minimize the amount of contact I have with other humans. I pack food in a cooler and book places with full kitchens so I can cook and avoid restaurants.
