Industry News
Arapahoe Basin, CO COO Alan Henceroth warns on his blog that if Covid cases continue increasing at their current rate in Summit County, CO, the ski season may be over before it has even begun.
Reporting that Summit County has the 6th highest rate of cumulative cases in the state, Henceroth reiterates that if we want to enjoy winter, the time to act is now. Wear your masks, maintain social distancing, and keep to small groups.
Data reveals that Summit County residents are spreading the virus amongst themselves and that tourists are not to blame.
Like much of the rest of the country, COVID rates are going up in Summit County. Over the last two weeks, Summit’s cumulative rate of cases was the 6th highest in Colorado. If this rate doesn’t go down over the next two weeks, more severe restrictions will be put in place, hampering our ability to ski, work, and enjoy life.
Conventional wisdom tells us that these cases are being brought in by outside tourists. Turns out that is almost completely false. Contact tracing has told us Summit County residents are spreading COVID to other Summit County residents. Nearly all of this is happening through socialization – an evening party, drinks after work, hanging too close with too many people. Many of the transmissions have occurred in the late evening, after partying, when peoples’ guards are down. If we want to enjoy winter in Summit County, we are going to have to turn things around quickly. Keep your face coverings on. Maintain your physical distances. Keep your groups small. The time to act is now.
– Alan Henceroth, Arapahoe Basin COO
Arapahoe Basin has been making snow for a week or so now, and following a storm that just dumped a foot of fresh natural snow on the area, opening day can’t be far away now. Let’s just make sure the resorts can open for us to enjoy it…
‘late evening, after partying, when peoples’ guards are down’. Are we talking about STDs?
Dear editor,
This headline is sensational, misleading and bad for an industry that’s collectively trying hard to give people confidence to ski and ride this winter. Assuming these are people and companies you care about as much as this community does, I urge you to think about the message future articles like this sends as it’s shared across social media (116 FB shares at the time of this post). Mr. Henceroth is merely asking locals to wear masks and follow the CDC guidelines. Otherwise, the alternative could end up “hampering our ability to ski, work and enjoy life.”
I encourage you to continue to share facts about the current status of the industry, and I applaud your coverage in general, but please don’t try to scare readers just to get clicks.
See you on the slopes this winter,
Dan Sherman
Ski.com
Thank you Dan for your. All to some restraint here and may I add this question: how much of this “increase” has led to “catastrophic levels of hospitalizations, admissions to ICU and possibly even deaths? And do we have any flu numbers or are they conveniently missing because the symptoms are oh so similar to COVID?
Let’s be cautious and have respect for this virus yet not stupid and fearful. After all skiing is a dangerous sport and just think of how many ski related injuries happen – traveling to and from included – and even deaths, we should all stay home and shrivel up….. I say Hell No!!
Incorrect, Dan. It’s this very attitude that has dragged out this pandemic much longer than was necessary. Other countries have already been able to move on, growing their economies while our numbers get worse and worse.
Steve, what’s incorrect about what I wrote? In Al’s blog, he wrote to the locals of Summit County asking them to be more careful so numbers there don’t get worse. My comment was to point out that he never said anything about the ski season being cancelled, as the headline implies.
I think discussion is good, so thanks for the comment.
Dan
Probably the only exec that’s has and is actually being forthright and logical as.
All a hoax right?? Vote Re-pub-tard no doubt, or as Jane’s Addiction song is titled and says, Idiots Rule.
yeah but, Summit County is 2:1 Democratic/Republican