Industry News
Three weeks into the new ski season, Public Health officials in California yesterday issued new coronavirus guidelines specifically for ski resorts that, among other rules, prohibits day of ticket sales.
- Related: California Governor Warns of a Repeat of ‘Stay at Home’ Orders That Closed Ski Resorts in Spring
The rules also require ski areas to limit skier capacity and outline social distancing and mask-wearing expectations. Riders must have a season pass, advanced reservation, or a pre-purchased lift ticket, and parking lots are limited to passholders or visitors who have a pre-purchased ticket or reservation. For chair lifts, the state recommends occupancy should be limited to a single household unless the ride is less than 15 minutes and the people from different households are at least one seat apart.
The guidance recommends encouraging customers to use apps or purchase items online before their visit to minimize lines and paper tickets.
- Ski operators must limit capacity and access to the base areas and all other outdoor recreation areas, which can be achieved by implementing measures including:
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- Requiring all customers to have a valid, pre-purchased lift ticket, season pass, or advanced reservation to receive access to the base areas and use the ski lift and/or gondola;
- Discontinuing day of ticket sales;
- Adjusting parking policies by regulating parking to lift pass holders only;
- Requiring the purchase of a parking pass with lift passes and limiting parking lot capacity to discourage public use of the facilities.
- Consider adjusting parking policies by regulating parking to season pass or lift ticket holders only and requiring a parking pass with season passes or lift tickets. Limit parking lot capacity to discourage general use of the facilities by those without season passes or lift tickets.
As long as resorts adhere to the guidelines, they can continue to operate in all tiers of the state’s covid blueprint. This comes as welcome news following Governor Newsom’s announcement the day before that he will shortly be enforcing ‘stay at home’ orders, similar to those that closed ski resorts in spring.
Nevada, Placer, and El Dorado counties, home to Tahoe’s ski resorts, are in the purple and most restrictive tier, as is Mono County, home to Mammoth Mountain Ski Area.
I love how Californian’s follow their hypocritical overlord. “do as I say, not as I do”
You can’t be too safe. Tickets sold at a window must really be dangerous compared to buying something in a store.
Dont hold your breath. Unfortunately the governors track record has been one of moving goalposts. He gives guidelines, everybody complies, and he still shuts down entire industries, even when there is data and contact tracing to prove that the industry is not where covid is being spread.
I would like to know who suggested pay to park? That sounds like an inside job to me.
Ya we know