Industry News
IT’S HARD TO BELIEVE THAT IT’S ALREADY SEPTEMBER! Summer will soon be coming to an end and winter will be just around the corner. As with any season, we plan to open as soon as the mountain has enough snow and are looking forward to providing the winter escape that so many in our area have come to love. The entire Summit team has been working tirelessly to develop plans and find solutions that will enable you to have a safe and fun season. Although we aren’t ready to share all our operational plans for winter 20/21, we wanted to give everyone an idea of where things are headed at your home mountain.
We have created a new COVID-19 information portal on our website that will continue to be updated as we release more information and details about this season. All of the information below has been added to those pages as well. As you look for the latest information this fall and winter, be sure to check that section of our website.
Operational Outlook & Your Safety
The Summit aims to provide the safest and most enjoyable experience possible for our staff and guests this winter. In order to do that, many parts of our business will change accordingly and there will be new expectations of skiers and snowboarders.
Face coverings will be required for all guests and team members indoors, in lift lines, on chairs, and any outdoor spaces where physical distancing cannot be maintained. Social distancing measures will be in place in all parts of our business as well. Lift ticket sales will be limited and daily visitation will be reduced, primarily on peak days – weekends and holidays from late December to early March. If you have a flexible schedule, consider making a weekday your regular day for skiing or riding. Fewer people, more laps, and far more enjoyable.
At this time we do not plan to implement a reservation system for pass holders. However, several crowd reduction tactics are being explored should the need arise for greater restriction on peak days.
Looking at the calendar, our goal is to stick as close as possible to our typical operating schedule this winter and currently do not expect any substantial changes. However, we must be real and acknowledge that challenges could arise that force a change in schedule at times. We’ll also continue to assess and consider the need for changes to better accommodate demand when possible.
At The Summit we always prioritize our most loyal guests as we make plans – our pass holders and multi-week lesson guests. That principle will continue to guide our decision making as we finalize plans for this unique season.
Season Passes
Thanks for hanging tight while we paused pass sales to evaluate and plan. We’re happy to announce that season passes are now back on sale. Our usual September deadline has been moved to September 22. All passes purchased prior to Sept. 22 will continue to include Worry-Free Winter Assurance, providing pass holders with two layers of protection. Prices will increase after September 22, so we highly recommend shopping before the deadline. We may opt to take passes off sale for a short period after the deadline in order to assess sales and determine the next steps. If we need to limit or cut off pass sales earlier than normal we will provide an update.
Season passes will only be available for purchase online and will not be available for pickup at the mountain this fall. All passes will be mailed.
Ski/Ride Responsibly
At The Summit at Snoqualmie, the health and safety of our guests, Team Members, and community is our highest priority.
- WEAR A FACE MASK
- PRACTICE SOCIAL DISTANCING
- IF YOU FEEL SICK, STAY AT HOME
Planning For Winter – Online Only
This winter, lift ticket sales will be limited (primarily on peak days) and may not be available for purchase at the window. In order to better manage visitation and guest flow, the majority of our products and services will only be available for purchase online. So whether you’re interested in snowshoeing or booking a lesson with rental gear, be sure to visit our website to book your trip in advance. Look for more information and products to come online as we get closer to opening day.
Base Areas, Rentals, & Lessons
While your favorite lifts and trails will be right where you left them, many elements of the mountain experience you have become familiar with will be different this winter in order to provide the safest environment possible for our guests and staff. As you might imagine, the biggest operational changes will be in the base areas – restaurants, rental shops, and skier services.
In our lodges, seating will be limited and based on current state and county guidelines. Our limited indoor seating will be prioritized to customers of our restaurants and food courts this winter, no brown-bag space will be available in any of our base lodges. Face masks will be required in all indoor spaces.
Equipment rentals will be available but may be limited or require advanced reservations in order to control the number of guests in our rental shops at any given time. We plan to continue to sell Rental Season Passes and Take-Home Season Rentals, please consider these options if you plan to rent more than twice in a season. Fitment and pickup of season rental products will be scheduled pre-season; more information coming soon.
All lessons will be limited and must be reserved in advance – walk-up lessons will not be available. Lesson group sizes will be reduced and determined by current state and CDC guidelines. We are currently assessing daily lesson programs like Kids Club and our First Class Beginner program and may have more changes to how these lessons are sold and provided. More lesson information will be released as we get closer to opening.
YOUR HEALTH IS PARAMOUNT. The Summit is committed to following best practices and state guidelines, utilizing industry resources and finding innovative solutions to make your home mountain as safe as possible this winter. We will embrace socially distancing and face coverings to the highest level as we know this is the key to a safe and full winter operation.
Stay tuned for more details as plans and procedures are put in place.
