https://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2020/03/16/coronavirus-ski-resorts-close-down “You can’t go out to eat, you can go to get food. Dolly Parton said she loves Colorado and we nearly fainted. A new public health order issued last week by the Summit County Health Department stipulated the county’s four ski areas are “required to work with the local public health agency to further reduce their daily capacities relative to those designated in their existing COVID-19 operating plans.”. The Post's expert on skiing, mountaineering and endurance sports, John Meyer is a member of the Colorado Ski & Snowboard Hall of Fame and the Colorado Running Hall of Fame. Keystone, Arapahoe Basin and Breckenridge are already open. Our spread in the community right now is out of control. There are four ski areas in Summit County: Arapahoe Basin, Breckenridge, Keystone Resort and Copper Mountain. Vargo said local and state health officials find it “scary” that holiday gatherings could cause a greater surge in virus transmission. “That’s the date we are expecting to have a check-in with the state with regard to where our activity levels are. “We strongly believe that skiing and riding are important not only for our mental and physical wellbeing, but for the economic vitality of our mountain community, and we are doing everything we can to ensure a safe experience for the duration of the 2020-21 season.”. They put it up to keep their business afloat, thinking just 2 more weeks months ago. Big Bear Mountain Resort offers guests insight on snow conditions, weather, and more with webcams located around the mountain. But then people started coming back. Local Ski Resorts Adapt to COVID-19 Pandemic “We are in a crazy time right now and we are doing everything we can to operate safely and stay open!” the resort's account posted on Facebook. Perhaps lose his house like one of these people have as well because of the loss of their business. The latest orders by Summit County health officials are designed in hopes of avoiding Level Purple, which could result in a full stay-at-home order and shut down ski areas. Last hit: When coronavirus hit, Aspen shutdown in the middle of a busy season. By viewing our video content, you are accepting the terms of our. COVID In Summit County: Ski Vacations Have Changed, Both On The Mountain And Off BRECKENRIDGE, Colo. (CBS4) – Those headed to Summit County hopeful for a holiday ski vacation should prepare for a different kind of vacation than they’re used to. A new public health order issued last week by the Summit County Health Department stipulated the county’s four ski areas are “required to work … Despite the rise in COVID-19 cases over the last few months in Summit County, people are still booking vacations. View below for live views and static images from the Snow Summit… In the same way any other industry or business is uncomfortable or frustrated by the different restrictions that are coming as part of these public health orders, they recognize the challenges we face and they’ve been cooperative with us in working toward some additional reductions.”. To view the new Public Health Order issued by the state, click here. “We were hoping to try to avoid restrictions to this degree if we could, but again we just have not seen any sort of a trend downwards in our numbers since really Labor Day is when this started and it just started to rise and has continued to grow exponentially,” said Vargo. Summit County manager Scott Vargo called the reductions “proportionate to the risk” and “meaningful,” but declined to provide specific numbers or percentages. Could COVID-19 shut down Colorado’s ski season before it even begins? The new reductions, coming in response to Summit County being moved to Level Red on the state’s COVID-19 dial, went into effect on Wednesday. Oh, and she wants you to read, too. “We lived through that in March and April and a good part of May,” Vargo said. Prather did not say how many skiers and riders the county will be allowing at Copper, but she noted that on-mountain capacity numbers will change with the amount of terrain that open for skiing and riding. Up next: Essay: When Coloradans can’t gather around a Thanksgiving dinner table, they hit the slopes instead, Copper Mountain adding parking reservation system for upcoming season, Colorado joins Artists Sunday, “a Black Friday for Artists,” to help direct sales during holidays, New incline trail with 132 steps opening for adventurous hikers this Thanksgiving, Your neighborhood guide to 150+ heated restaurant patios around Denver, Summit County reduces ski area capacity to prevent spread of COVID-19, Rent out a Colorado ski area for you and three dozen of your closest friends for a mere $9,900. Snow Summit will open for pass holders on Nov. 18 and 19, and will open to the public on Nov. 20, resort officials announced. “What the latest public health order identified was, we would as a public health agency have some more conversations with the ski areas and talk about making some additional reductions to those originally approved plan numbers. The state has also put together a chart, explaining the capacity restrictions at each level: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Wpq8MrsvtY0_jW07mWCLmVXtv4P_wFR2/view. With Thanksgiving week marking the unofficial beginning of the Colorado ski season and fresh snow blanketing the high country, resorts in Summit County are being hit with reductions governing on-mountain capacity because of new COVID-19 restrictions.