Two French Ski Resorts Shut Down Due to New COVID Restrictions, Others Forced to Push Back Opening Dates
Earlier this week, France mandated a new national lockdown due to skyrocketing COVID cases. These restrictions, which started today, have forced closures or delayed openings for many French resorts.
Colorado COVID Cases Going up, Prompting Uncertainty Weeks Before Major Resort Openings
Colorado’s Summit County Public Health issued a stay-at-home recommendation due to rising COVID cases today, with infections in the state reaching their highest levels yet. This comes only weeks before the anticipated opening dates for many county ski resorts.
New Whiteface Beginner Lift to Be Called “Owl Express”
Last week, updates to Whiteface’s website revealed that its new Bear Den beginner area lift will be called the Owl Express. The new quad will have a loading carpet that allows for faster run speeds, but its “Express” branding is misleading.
Master Plan Deep Dive: Snow King
Last week, Snow King received approval from the USFS to proceed with its master plan, clearing a major hurdle to implement the ambitious expansion. In the wake of this news, we decided to take a look at the plan’s most notable proposals and potential impacts for seasons to come.
Homewood Announces 2020-21 Operational Updates, Confirms Ellis Chair Will Run Next Season
California’s Homewood resort has announced a number of upgrades and operational changes for the 2020-21 season. Most notably, the Ellis chair will return with major refurbishments and a faster ride time.
7 Notable Lift Installations from the Past Half Decade
Over the past five years, dozens of new lifts have been installed at major mountain resorts around North America. While nearly all of these upgrades have provided mountain experience improvements over their predecessors, a few examples have especially stood out in their positive impacts.
Alta Releases 2020-21 Season Details, Will Limit Capacity Through First-Come, First-Serve Parking
Earlier today, Utah’s Alta ski area announced their operating plans for the 2020-21 season. To manage crowds in the wake of COVID-19, the resort says it will limit parking capacity on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Winter Park Express Ski Train Suspended for the 2020-21 Season
In a joint statement today, Amtrak and Winter Park announced the suspension of all Winter Park Express train service for the 2020-21 winter season. Plans call for the Denver-to-resort service to return in January 2022.
Mountain Review: Whiteface
Severe wind problems and unreliable trail openings detract from one of the most unique, challenging resorts on the East Coast.
Off Peak Podcast Episode 9: COVID Ops
The team reconvenes from afar to dive into recently released 2020-21 operations plans from around the skiing world. Later, Sam and Nicole offer some valuable advice for those booking trips with children this season.