California Bars Day-of Ticket Sales at Ski Resorts This Season

With COVID-19 still a factor, California has released a set of public health guidelines for ski areas this winter. Many of these guidelines have already been implemented by resorts, but several others are new.

Most notably, to limit mountain capacity and discourage last-minute traveling, the state will no longer allow resorts to sell day-of tickets this season. Anyone wishing to access resorts and their facilities must hold a pre-purchased reservation, lift ticket or season pass. Resorts are also asked to limit parking to ticket and pass holders only.

The state also advises resorts to contact guests before each trip and ask anyone exhibiting signs of COVID-19 to reschedule. Moreover, resort-wide mask mandates have now become statewide mask mandates—California is now requiring that mountain guests carry a face mask and wear it whenever within six feet of other non-household guests.

Our Take

These guidelines certainly have good intentions. We think the pre-trip contact recommendation is a smart one; we expect such actions to discourage some risky guests from coming.

We’re not sure how much banning just “day-of” lift ticket sales will do when most people buy their tickets in advance already—or hold a season or multi-day pass product that doesn’t require much notice to use (especially at a resort that doesn’t require passholder reservations). We fear that those who don’t receive their physical passes in the mail may have to stand in long, inadequately-distanced pickup lines once they get to the resort. It’s also unclear how these new regulations will affect partner-day and buddy-pass redemptions on many season pass products.

It’s worth noting that these guidelines lack facets mandating resort closures, even in California’s highest COVID risk tiers. This suggests the state intends to keep its ski season going in some form or another this time around, regardless of the pandemic’s case count.