Taking the Kids: Planning for ski season during the pandemic

Eileen Ogintz, Tribune Content Agency on Oct 29, 2020

“For the vast majority of days, we anticipate we’ll be able to accommodate everyone who wants to ski and ride at our resorts,” said Vail Resorts spokesman Sara Lococo.

That’s assuming the resorts can stay open, despite the pandemic. (They are offering various guarantees to pass holders should they have to close.) Nor can anyone anticipate how much snow we will have with more than 45 percent of the continental U.S. experiencing drought.

The National Ski Areas Associations has a new “Ski Well, Be Well” website designed to reassure skiers and riders that the industry is committed to providing safe outdoor recreation that will promote health and reduce the risk of infection with “acres upon acres of wide-open natural space,” said Kelly Pawlak, president and CEO of the NSAA

Visitors must do their part too, wearing face coverings inside and out, maintaining at least six feet of distance on lift lines and getting food, and not grousing when lifts and gondolas are limited to just your group.

More families bound for the snow are likely to drive this year and with remote work and school, they may stay longer and not pack all of the on-slope action into a few days, perhaps taking time to snowshoe or snowmobile, zipline or even visit a national park (like Yellowstone) in winter. To that end, the historic Alta Lodge in Utah, one of the few all-inclusive ski resorts in the continental U.S., plans to extend its kids-free offer beyond early season.

Many believe that smaller resorts — like the aptly named 11 Colorado Gems and those in the Midwest and Pennsylvania will have a well-deserved moment with families opting for places that offer significantly cheaper lift tickets, less people, and cheaper lodging. (Consider that with a Gems card, you can get two-for-one lift tickets for just $35.)

The one bright spot: With families not flying or tied to traditional school vacations, they can be more spontaneous.

Let it snow!

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(For more Taking the Kids, visit www.takingthekids.com and also follow TakingTheKids on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram where Eileen Ogintz welcomes your questions and comments. The Kid’s Guide to Philadelphia, the 13th in the kid’s guide series, was published in 2020, with The Kid’s Guide to Camping coming in 2021.)