Wednesday, November 4, 2020

How to Plan a Ski Trip During the COVID-19 Pandemic

"I've always tried to squeeze in a few ski days when home for the winter holidays. This year is no exception, but the planning stage will require more effort and research than in the past."
TRAVEL TODAY

Winter Sports
How to Plan a Ski Trip During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Temperatures are dropping, snow is either falling or in the forecast for many places, and my winter wardrobe is ready for its season premiere. Winter is coming, and along with it, one of the best times of the year: ski season.

Growing up in Colorado, my family was only about an hour or two from some of the best ski resorts in the country. That meant lots of day trips, weekends, and holidays were spent in the mountains together. Since moving away to college and then to NYC, I've always tried to squeeze in a few ski days when home for the winter holidays. This year is no exception, but the planning stage will require more effort and research than in the past.

With many states seeing surges in positive COVID-19 cases, ski resorts around the country are implementing new policies for a safer visitor experience. In short, that means resorts are restricting the amount of people on the slopes each day (through reservation systems and reduced lift ticket sales), closing or operating lodges at reduced capacity, changing the way chairlifts and gondolas are loaded, and requiring masks. Plus, some policies or restrictions are likely to change throughout the season as needed to maintain a safe environment.

I talked to experts and leaders from resorts around the country to get their advice for planning a ski trip during the 2020-21, pandemic-era ski season. The most important takeaways? One, book early, and that goes for everything: lift tickets, lodging, ski school, rental gear, and any other logistics. And two, research, research, research; know the most up-to-date information about where you're heading to so that you're prepared and have a stress-free trip.

Fortunately, within the context of the current pandemic, skiing is one of the safer activities you can take part in this year due to the fact that it fully takes place outside (with minimal indoor needs), resorts have hundreds of acres of land for distancing from others, and standard ski gear (such as gaiters, goggles, and gloves) pulls double duty as safety gear.

The bottom line here: If you do your research and plan ahead, your only concerns upon arrival will be which run to tackle first and where to find the best après-ski at the end of the day.


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Jame Hergenrader
Senior Editor, Tripsavvy

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