So it clearly isn’t a coincidence then.
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Skiing in the Pandemic
- Thread starter ski diva
- Start date
MissySki
Angel Diva
I do miss the singles lines.. Chondola and South Ridge have them still. I think I am more tolerant of lines in general though haha.
Also in fairness I am doing the seasonal program this year, so I get to cut the line from 9:30-12:30 on Saturdays and Sunday now.. by the time I get out the worst congestion is usually gone too since it’s lunchtime. This probably makes me not care as much when I have to stand in lines other times.
Today Barker and South Ridge were packed, but I lapped tempest a bunch due to nice soft bumps starting around lunchtime and was skiing right onto the lift. Once I went back to Barker it was dead and then up to Spruce too for more bumps they left there, also no line. With most lifts open it’s starting to get so you can avoid the worst of it, but we need snow so more can open terrain wise and help further for sure.
All webcams are working at Tremblant. The Gondola cam can be moved so you can see over to the Flying Mile Chair, or even turn it around to see the Cabriolet.
Same here. Was home by noon. Too people-ly.
Same here. Was home by noon. Too people-ly.
elemmac
Angel Diva
I’ve already accumulated more runs on Tempest than I normally ski in a full year...for exactly this reason. Ha!
Après Skier
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
My new year’s message to all: carry a few good quality FFP2s or KN95s in your bag and, until you develop Covid immunity, wear them indoors when sharing the air with others. Even though we cannot rely on the parkrat bros to do the right thing, we can still do our best to protect ourselves.
MissySki
Angel Diva
Haha! They just reopened it yesterday afternoon with whales and today it softened into nice bumps. Really glad they got it back open for this purpose!
Christy
Angel Diva
Crystal still has singles lines, but they are often so long you have to hike uphill to get in one. Once when I was over doing that I stayed in the main lines and when I got up to the front and signaled to the guy directing traffic that I was a single, he said, "you're killing me." 
I think he had a system going and a single in the normal line was not part of it.
I think he had a system going and a single in the normal line was not part of it.
Susan L
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I started skiing Taos on Dec12, a week after their delayed opening. With limited capacity and passese sold, it was quite empty. I chatted with the director of guest services and he said the season will be empty like this, even on weekends and we’d not see the nornal weekend crowd. Boy was he wrong. It was good up until the day after Christmas, Taos was suddenly invaded by a mob of non compliant visitors - chin diapers, large group, no distancing and everything else. Taos have signs up everywhere but these people either couldn’t read or couldn’t care less. Also a coincidence that the parking lot was filled with out of state plates, a majority were from a neighboring state that didn’t believe in safety protocols. Doubt any of them quarantined for 14 days before heading to the mountain.
All the lifts are running with just a small part of the mountain still closed on the back side. I feel that the mountain has more beginners this week as there were plenty of people falling/sitting/laying around and were not too excited to get out of the way as quickly as possible. Witnessed quite a few people hiking down or wedging down Taos legenary steep Al’s Run. Not sure why so many think they will be ok going down Al’s when they have no business being there in the first place.
I also found people congregating indoors when there were signs everywhere telling people to get out. They didn’t care. TSV also noted on their website that if you have no tickets to ski, please do not come up. Nope, that didn’t stop people from coming up. I have counted at least 6 groups of 10+ heads (while sitting in my car charging) heading to the base in regular clothing, obviously not going to participate in any snow activities. Not exactly sure what there is to look at other than a sea of people...
As for parking, it was fine before Christmas - there are no shuttles this year so everyone has to park and walk. The 2 parking lots closest to the base were only 1/2 full until after Christmas and then the lots were so full they had to park along the road outside of the ski valley. I drive electric so I park at the charging stations to charge up. There are only 6 chargers and I have never seen them all taken...until after Christmas.
I felt safe being at the ski valley up until Christmas. I emailed management about my concerns and I could see them making changes the next day to address my concerns. So I am glad they listened. I think TSV has done a great job setting up protocols to make this season happen but unfortunately there are some people who just don’t get it and refused to comply.
I sure hope this rowdy crowd would head home soon and Taos would not be negatively impacted by their bad behaviors from the last few day.
All the lifts are running with just a small part of the mountain still closed on the back side. I feel that the mountain has more beginners this week as there were plenty of people falling/sitting/laying around and were not too excited to get out of the way as quickly as possible. Witnessed quite a few people hiking down or wedging down Taos legenary steep Al’s Run. Not sure why so many think they will be ok going down Al’s when they have no business being there in the first place.
I also found people congregating indoors when there were signs everywhere telling people to get out. They didn’t care. TSV also noted on their website that if you have no tickets to ski, please do not come up. Nope, that didn’t stop people from coming up. I have counted at least 6 groups of 10+ heads (while sitting in my car charging) heading to the base in regular clothing, obviously not going to participate in any snow activities. Not exactly sure what there is to look at other than a sea of people...
As for parking, it was fine before Christmas - there are no shuttles this year so everyone has to park and walk. The 2 parking lots closest to the base were only 1/2 full until after Christmas and then the lots were so full they had to park along the road outside of the ski valley. I drive electric so I park at the charging stations to charge up. There are only 6 chargers and I have never seen them all taken...until after Christmas.
I felt safe being at the ski valley up until Christmas. I emailed management about my concerns and I could see them making changes the next day to address my concerns. So I am glad they listened. I think TSV has done a great job setting up protocols to make this season happen but unfortunately there are some people who just don’t get it and refused to comply.
I sure hope this rowdy crowd would head home soon and Taos would not be negatively impacted by their bad behaviors from the last few day.
Susan L
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I forgot to mention that my goggles really fogged up on cold/snowy days. I ordered an Abom goggles that should be arriving soon. In the meantime my ski buddy finds that if he layers a kleenex at the top edge of the mask where the nose is, it will prevent fogging and it worked!!!
Forgot to mention this too. My ski buddy at Taos has 2 friends who ski with him regularly. Not a good idea this year.
First guy is from TX and he just flew back to TX on 12/24 and flew back to NM on 12/28. He was already out skiing on 12/29...
The other guy, also from TX, brought his grandkids to the mountain on 12/28. While chatting at the line, he disclosed that the reason why he was out with the grandkids was because his son, the father of the grandkids, tested positive a day earlier and was really sick, so he couldn’t bring the kids. WTH?! THEY ALL LIVE UNDER THE SAME ROOF IN TAOS!!!! SMH...
Forgot to mention this too. My ski buddy at Taos has 2 friends who ski with him regularly. Not a good idea this year.
First guy is from TX and he just flew back to TX on 12/24 and flew back to NM on 12/28. He was already out skiing on 12/29...
The other guy, also from TX, brought his grandkids to the mountain on 12/28. While chatting at the line, he disclosed that the reason why he was out with the grandkids was because his son, the father of the grandkids, tested positive a day earlier and was really sick, so he couldn’t bring the kids. WTH?! THEY ALL LIVE UNDER THE SAME ROOF IN TAOS!!!! SMH...
SallyCat
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Crystal still has singles lines, but they are often so long you have to hike uphill to get in one. Once when I was over doing that I stayed in the main lines and when I got up to the front and signaled to the guy directing traffic that I was a single, he said, "you're killing me."
Ha ha, there used to be a liftie at the Blue Mountain six-pack that had his own jazz-like system for filling chairs. It was fun to watch.
"One, three, two!"
"Three, three!"
"Two, two, two!"
"One, one, one, one, one, one!"
Susan L
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
But no one is enforcing it. TSV asks guests to sign a pledge that they will comply with all state and ski valley safety protocols/restrictions...but are we really able to trust people to the right thing?
marzNC
Angel Diva
Unfortunately, the flip side of NM trying to have travel restrictions when the neighboring states are not thinking similarly is that the people who don't care about the travel restrictions seem more likely to not care about other safety guidelines such as distancing indoors and mask usage any time they are around strangers.
In the southeast, even when a few Governors put in a state-wide mask mandate back in the late spring or early summer there were local authorities who said point blank that they weren't going to enforce such a rule. In some cases, not even within their own departments. That included a few sheriffs and police departments.
marzNC
Angel Diva
Grand Targhee and Alta are making use of food trucks to supplement Grab-and-Go food. Alta also made modifications at Watson's and Alf's to create an ordering window where people can order drinks and snacks without having to go inside. Alta Java at Albion was already set up as a take-out window only.
The locker rooms at the Albion base at Alta are still available. There are pay in/out lockers and a few small free cubbies. Some $1 (4 quarters) one-time only lockers were moved outside on the porch of the Alta Ski Shop. Since there isn't a public locker room at the Wildcat base, people who park there pretty much have to boot up in the parking lot. That base has lifts that only serve intermediate and advanced terrain.
The locker rooms at the Albion base at Alta are still available. There are pay in/out lockers and a few small free cubbies. Some $1 (4 quarters) one-time only lockers were moved outside on the porch of the Alta Ski Shop. Since there isn't a public locker room at the Wildcat base, people who park there pretty much have to boot up in the parking lot. That base has lifts that only serve intermediate and advanced terrain.
Jenny
Angel Diva
This isn’t the only WTF in your post, but wow, WTF?!
Susan L
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
No kidding. Lots of WTF moments on the mountain this week. I am surprised I haven’t lost it yet...
snoWYmonkey
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
About every twentieth guest is wearing one of the neoprene masks with holes cut out for the mouth and the wedge cut out for the nose. A bit annoying really. Not sure who they think they are fooling.
Other than that I do feel quite safe at Jackson Hole. Side to side distancing in lift lines is not 6 feet, but with very limited real estate and longer lines, they have done the best they can. Lifties and RFID staff and volunteers have been amazing and most guests kindly reposition their masks/buffs when reminded to.
Grateful to be skiing!
Other than that I do feel quite safe at Jackson Hole. Side to side distancing in lift lines is not 6 feet, but with very limited real estate and longer lines, they have done the best they can. Lifties and RFID staff and volunteers have been amazing and most guests kindly reposition their masks/buffs when reminded to.
Grateful to be skiing!
ilovepugs
Angel Diva
based on the number of comments I see on social media about quarantines being optional and not enforced... no.
Based on how nuts Ludlow, VT, is this week and the zillion cars in the area with out of state plates, I'd say no, too.
