Industry News
Solitude Mountain Resort in Utah has been experiencing combative guests who refuse to adhere to new COVID-19 protocols. Guests have been so hostile to employees that Solitude issued a tweet on Sunday, January 12th that reads as follows:
Wear a mask, keep the ski season alive. Regardless of who you are or your political views, we are all bonded by one thing; a mutual love for the mountains and skiing. Around the United States, resorts have been forced to adhere to new guidelines to stay open. The most controversial of these new changes is requiring guests to wear facemasks while in lift lines and other public areas in which appropriate distancing is not possible.
Why refusing to wear a mask can jeopardize the ski season.
Many resorts’ ability to stay open depends on the local ICU capacity. Once the local ICUs around ski resorts begin to fill up, resorts are re-evaluated on whether they can stay open or not. Many of the ICU’s located around ski resorts are much smaller than those located in large cities, meaning they reach capacity much quicker. Since ski resorts bring in guests from outside the immediate area, they carry the risk of bringing COVID-19 into these mountain town communities and devastating the local populations. Because of this, it is essential to strictly follow all COVID-19 protocols on and off the mountain to keep our communities safe and our resorts open.
Tips on how to make wearing face masks more comfortable
While many people already wear facemasks every time they go skiing, others have to get used to this new clothing article.
- Bring multiple face masks! Since face masks get wet due to snow and respiration, they can cause your goggles to fog, especially when standing around in lift lines. This is an issue with just about every face mask on the market. To combat this, I have found that having multiple face masks on deck is a great strategy. Usually, face masks don’t cause much fogging until they are soaking wet, and that doesn’t happen until later in the day. By carrying multiple face masks in your pocket, you can swap them out when they get wet!
- Customize your helmet to fit your ear loop fastened mask. Surgical masks, medical-grade masks, and many other custom masks are fastened to the user with earloops. Since these masks offer the most protection, we highly recommend using them. To make them more comfortable to wear while skiing, you can easily customize your helmet to have the ear loop straps go on the outside of the helmet. I have found that attaching the smallest and lowest profile command hook clips onto the side of my helmet works great. Of course, do not use this method if you feel that it could compromise your helmet’s safety.
- Try different types of face masks. From neck gaiters to balaclavas to medical masks, there are a huge variety of different mask options to pick from. Just make sure that the mask you are wearing abides by your mountains rules.
Why are ski resorts allowed to operate at all right now? I remember how heartbreaking it was last season watching all of my favorite resorts close down one by one as COVID-19 spread across the United States. Fortunately for the 2020-2021 season, ski resorts were classified as outdoor recreation, allowing them to remain open. Since ski resorts are spread across hundreds of acres, as long as risk is reduced by following COVID-19 protocols in common areas, ski resorts will hopefully stay open for the entire season. Therefore, it is completely on us as skiers to strictly abide by these new protocols to keep our favorite activity alive amidst this global pandemic.
Guy comes into Members Locker Room at major Cali resort, which requires Masks and short 15mins visits, max 100 people in big facility at one time.
Says to locker manager ” I have the right to not wear a mask” Locker attendant asks for his credit card. Guys “why” Attendant “so I can give you a refund. Don’t come back” Guy is wearing a mask now, still has locker.
Been skiing every day at Big Sky since early Dec and seen no uncooperative behavior at all. The lifties have been zealous in enforcing the mask requirements when people forget to pull them back up and everyone is doing their part. Terrible to hear other places are having problems.
I’ve heard some resorts will pull the passes of those who repeatedly are caught not wearing masks.
Agree with Bob. Each resort should post on its website that anyone refusing to comply with the Covid protocols of that resort will have his/her pass confiscated, including season passes, without any refunds. Enforce this enough times and the word will get around fast, and such “covidiocy” should end.
Only in Utah. Colorado resorts seem to have zero problem with people wearing ski masks (maybe because they don’t have a problem throwing people out for not listening). If you have a problem wearing a mask like everyone else, leave.
Just skied 210k vertical feet at Vail over 6 days. My 2 tips:
First, my outdoor research ubertube with filter never fogged up once nor got “wet”. Wore it from 815-4pm with pox goggles and only took off to drink a half cup water or clif bar outdoors from away from others 2-3 times a day. I don’t understand the advice in this article of having multiple masks. People spend hundreds of dollars to ski every season. Invest in a good mask built for winter sports that works for your face rather than half measures. If you don’t have the willpower to follow the rules, request a refund and stay away.
Second, if you aren’t comfortable with how others are wearing masks (or not at all), don’t ride with them. Take the next one. Only staff can change the behaviors of others. Keep yourself safe.
Ps: Vail and Beaver Creek had great compliance. Keystone would be an F for mask compliance.
Jerk their pass…get the word out…no respect, no mask and you don’t ski or board.
I was at Wolf Creek for Christmas week.
There were about 30+ snowboarders that were hanging together, shouting, swearing, jumping lines, and refusing to wear masks. All day long, every day. Was ugly.
As always at Wolf Creek, there was no Ski Patrol. They seem to all hang out at the top shack. And the young teenage liftees were helpless.