Ski area guidance released Monday by the state health department didn’t come as a surprise to the ski industry, though it might lead to some tweaks to operating plans that were previously released by each resort.
The state guidelines ask ski areas to provide numerous details about their plans for the upcoming season, and the ski areas are required to undergo an approval process prior to opening.
Ski area leaders are working with Summit County public health officials to develop a plan. Once a plan is developed, ski areas must submit them to the local public health agency for approval. Once approved locally, public health officials will submit the plan to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment for the final thumbs up.
County Manager Scott Vargo said the county and its ski areas got an early start on the process and that public health has received plans from all four Summit County ski areas. He said Arapahoe Basin Ski Area’s plan has been submitted to the state but that the state has requested additional information prior to approval. Copper Mountain Resort’s plan has been approved locally and is on its way to the state, Vargo said.
While the county has received plans for Breckenridge Ski Resort and Keystone Resort, they have not yet been submitted to the state because the county has requested additional information, Vargo said. After state guidance was released, Keystone and Breckenridge spokesperson Nicole Stull wrote in an email that the resorts will update their operating plans, including their approach to loading lifts, to align with state guidelines.
Over the past few weeks, local ski areas have discussed changes that will be made for the upcoming season regarding mask-wearing, reservations, protocols for lessons and physical distancing. However, the state guidance also asks ski areas to obtain regular community feedback on what is and isn’t working, to work with the community to provide isolation housing and to enforce health protocols.
