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Mount Baldy in California is re-opening!

ski diva

Administrator
Staff member
Yes, believe it or not, Mount Baldy in Southern California is re-opening. They may be the first in the nation to do so.

Here's their Operating Plan, according to their web site. What are your thoughts?

We are taking the COVID-19 crisis very seriously. Mt Baldy Resort is a unique all season mountain resort and is well designed to accommodate social distancing guidelines. In addition, we are implementing several policy changes that will help to ensure the safety and health of our guests and staff. Similar to how a golf course operates Mt Baldy will check-in a maximum of 4 individuals at 10 minute intervals. 1 Day Alpine Ticketed guests will have access to Lift #2 and #3 from that time until closing. In stark contrast to a golf course (150 acres), Mt Baldy Resort (800 acres) has more than 4x the area and will be operating at less than 10% of occupancy under this plan.

Mask or face covering consistent with Order of the Health Officer of the County of San Bernardino County for the Control of COVID-19 must be worn at all times.

TICKETING & GUEST SERVICES
Only guests with reservations for 1 Day Alpine Lift Ticket and Mt Baldy Season Pass Holders will be granted access within the resort boundaries. Guest Services is NOT available at the resort. Do not come to the resort with promotional tickets, vouchers, expired purchases, applications, partner resort passes or any other inquiries. All these matters must be addressed online or by telephone. Please be patient with our very limited guest services team while we facilitate your requests.


UPON ARRIVAL
All visitors to Mt Baldy Resort will be at greeted at their vehicle upon arrival to parking lot. 1 Day Alpine Lift Ticket reservations will be checked in no earlier than their reservation time. Early visitors please queue up in your vehicles and sit tight until your reservation time. With proper identification Season Pass Holders, Scheduled Staff or Certified Government Agency Personnel will be permitted on to the property. All others will be turned away.


PARKING
To eliminate congregating all vehicles must be parked at a minimum of 3 vehicle width apart. Any vehicle not parked at least 20′ away from any other vehicle is subject to tow. Mt Baldy Resort staff will be on hand to identify vehicles not in compliance to direct tow trucks accordingly.


RESTROOMS
To avoid unnecessary contact we ask that you take care of your restroom breaks before you get to the mountain. Restrooms will be available for use at the base of Chair #1 and in the Top of the Notch Restaurant. Bathrooms are maintained and sanitized according to a vigorous schedule.


RIDING THE LIFT
All lifts at Mt Baldy Resort are fixed grip double seat carriers. We suggest that you ride by yourself unless you decide to ride with someone you are in quarantine with. Mt Baldy Resort is not the ‘Quarantine Police’ and does not intend to be. We ask that you treat this matter with the respect that it deserves and only ride with individuals you are quarantined with. Individuals will be loaded with skis or snowboard and one small carry along bag only.


FOOD & BEVERAGE
Pack a lunch. The Counterweight Cafe & Top of the Notch Restaurant will be closed until further notice. Sporadically refreshments may be available at the bottom of Lift #3 (Thunder Mountain) as we continue to improve operations under these scrutinous circumstances.


SKIING & RIDING
Experienced advanced and above skiers and snowboarders only. Rentals will not be available. Guests must bring their own gear. Ski & ride with caution and do not take unnecessary risks. Injuring yourself puts you and everyone involved in helping you at risk. At all times and especially when standing in line maintain a healthy distance of at least 10 feet.


Our ability to operate under these circumstances rely heavily on cooperation from everyone. If you are not feeling 100% or have any intention of not treating this situation with the respect that it deserves, stay home. Mt Baldy Resort would not be going through the difficult process of opening during these difficult times if we did not love operating this special mountain and YOU our stakeholders. Unfortunately with the limited amount of access our modified operating plan permits, we have limitations to what we can accommodate: Partner resort passes, promotional tickets sold at pre-season snow shows or any other pre-purchased online tickets will be addressed on a case by case basis prior to arrival.
 

gingerjess

Angel Diva
It's unclear to me how they're getting around the standing statewide shelter-in-place order. I saw some golf clubs in Riverside are reopening, so they might be justifying it based on that, especially since they mention golf a couple times in the information above.

From their site it sounds like they're not doing any grooming, so that's why experienced skiers only; conditions might be rough.
 

MissySki

Angel Diva
Very interesting point, if there is still a desire to keep people home, why are places for golf and skiing being allowed to open?? I’m kind of shocked, but also intrigued to have the experiment play out somewhere this season. Might give us some hints of next season if some places can successfully manage things this year.. or not. Hopefully it’s not a huge failure that could impact decision making for places being able to open next season..
 

marzNC

Angel Diva
Anyone know when Mt. Baldy usually closes? Late April or does it usually make it into early May?

Screen Shot 2020-04-22 at 12.30.38 PM.png
 

gingerjess

Angel Diva
Very interesting point, if there is still a desire to keep people home, why are places for golf and skiing being allowed to open??

I spoke to my partner whose mother used to run public health for Sacramento County; apparently enforcement of the state order is entirely in the hands of county health services, who often just serve at the pleasure of the board of supervisors. So basically if enough of the supervisors of Riverside County want to golf, they can just pull in the county public health director and say "either let golf courses open, or you're fired." :eek:
 

MissySki

Angel Diva
I spoke to my partner whose mother used to run public health for Sacramento County; apparently enforcement of the state order is entirely in the hands of county health services, who often just serve at the pleasure of the board of supervisors. So basically if enough of the supervisors of Riverside County want to golf, they can just pull in the county public health director and say "either let golf courses open, or you're fired." :eek:

Wow, not exactly the check and balances one would hope for with this decision making!! Yikes..
 

WaterGirl

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I got the email last night. I thought about buying a ticket for tomorrow. But weighing it out I decided not to. I would only do mid week, not weekend. I think Mt. Baldy has tried to do its best. It is an independent ski hill and can do what it wants as long as it complies with local regulations. They have made it clear when they closed that they intended to re-open if possible.

Since each county in California seems to have vastly higher or lower numbers of Covid positive cases they are staying open or regulating closures based upon said numbers. Ventura is opening some public places friday but keeping parking restrictions in place - the hope is that the entire population from LA County doesn't show up this weekend. Kind of a soft opening for locals only for beaches and parks that have been closed that they can access without having to drive or park. I saw on my morning hike that the parking restrictions in my neighbor hood have now been shortened from June 1st to May 15th. I do not intend on being here that weekend. I do know that there is a huge push to get things open around June 1st for many counties. This includes the Eastern Sierra (fishing openers).
Its a lot of double speak -- stay away don't come here but June 1st book your cabin.
 

VickiK

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Yeah, I'm surprised too. In Los Angeles County, stay at home orders are still in place, and in my city, it's mask-required anytime you're out.
 

santacruz skier

Angel Diva
Beginning sometime this week, it's face masks only when out in public . Heard on the news last night.

Our beaches are open and parking lots closed with a date of July 1 as re-opening.
Keeping it local..... as it should be.
 

VickiK

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
"only when out in public"? That's all the time. At home doesn't count, right?
 

santacruz skier

Angel Diva
"only when out in public"? That's all the time. At home doesn't count, right?
Think it means in public places, not sitting in your own yard..... I see people with masks on while driving alone, but why? Unless you're picking up hitchhikers.
 

vickie

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
intrigued to have the experiment play out somewhere this season
That was exactly my thought -- try it out now when demand may be lower and see how their plan works. They have time then to adjust that for next season.
 

Abbi

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Think it means in public places, not sitting in your own yard..... I see people with masks on while driving alone, but why? Unless you're picking up hitchhikers.

A thought on the 'mask while driving' observation: we are advised not to take the mask on and off to avoid touching the possibly exposed exterior of the mask. If someone is making more than one stop, as I did yesterday to go to the grocery store and CVS (no panic attack!!!), they should keep it on until they are done going into places other than home. Just a risk limiting thing. But I agree, it does look weird seeing someone driving with a mask on.
 

santacruz skier

Angel Diva
A thought on the 'mask while driving' observation: we are advised not to take the mask on and off to avoid touching the possibly exposed exterior of the mask. If someone is making more than one stop, as I did yesterday to go to the grocery store and CVS (no panic attack!!!), they should keep it on until they are done going into places other than home. Just a risk limiting thing. But I agree, it does look weird seeing someone driving with a mask on.
That's true . Hadn't thought of that.
 

SierraLuLu

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
A thought on the 'mask while driving' observation: we are advised not to take the mask on and off to avoid touching the possibly exposed exterior of the mask. If someone is making more than one stop, as I did yesterday to go to the grocery store and CVS (no panic attack!!!), they should keep it on until they are done going into places other than home. Just a risk limiting thing. But I agree, it does look weird seeing someone driving with a mask on.

Yep. I wear my mask driving so as not have to take it off and put it back on, or to avoid taking it off (and subsequently washing my hands) when I get home. In LA we’re required to wear it into businesses (which I think is up to the business to enforce) but not out on walks. I still wear a face covering (usually a scarf or handkerchief) while walking since you do pass people and it’s not as cumbersome as a mask.

I believe Baldy is requiring face coverings, which could just be a ski mask. And I’m very torn about whether to go this weekend (I live an hour from Baldy). Of course I’ve dreamed of nothing but to go skiing again. And if I’m careful (keep distance, keep mask & gloves on and wash hands immediately after removal, bring own food, don’t get hurt) it’s probably low risk of transmission. I hope Baldy’s quota keeps numbers down. But what if someone runs into me? Or something similar? Accidents do happen in ski resorts.

From a purely weather standpoint it’s supposed to be pretty warm this baldy, meaning it could be in the 70s or 80s on the mountain. I can’t imagine that means the snow will be any good.
 

santacruz skier

Angel Diva
Had no idea ski resorts so close to LA. Our closest resort is 4 hours
 

SierraLuLu

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Had no idea ski resorts so close to LA. Our closest resort is 4 hours

Yes, several! I live fairly close to DTLA and we have Baldy (1 hr drive), Mountain High (1 1/2 hours), Big Bear/Snow Summit (2 hours) and Snow Valley (near Big Bear). Mind you, these quotes are without traffic and the skiing is not as good as Mammoth/Tahoe, but great for day trips.
 

WaterGirl

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
From a purely weather standpoint it’s supposed to be pretty warm this baldy, meaning it could be in the 70s or 80s on the mountain. I can’t imagine that means the snow will be any good.

Purchase the 730 am ticket
Sold out for tomm until 1030 now
 

CarverJill

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I want to ski and Baldy has been on my list for a while but during COVID and 80 degree forecast is NOT the time. Also I'm curious to hear from anyone who goes. Is Snow Valley next? They were very reluctant to close and have been saying on their IG that they were not planning to be closed for the rest of the season.
 

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