What You Need To Know Know About Skiing Utah During The COVID-19 Pandemic

Winter is no longer coming. It is officially here. That means it’s finally time to dust off your ski gear and hit the slopes again. Woohoo! Covid-19 has certainly thrown a curveball to the travel world. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t still plan an amazing ski trip in the United States this ski season. I have just returned from a 5-day trip skiing Utah’s Park City and Canyons ski resorts. From lift lines to lodges and restaurants, here is everything you need to know about skiing in Utah during the Covid-19 Pandemic.

The Snow

Many of the slopes in Utah are having a terrible year as far as snowfall is concerned. When I arrived, the base snow depth in Park City was over 100 inches less than the average base at this point of the season. Due to such limited snowfall, several locals said this was the first time they skied all season! However, a winter storm was carrying across the US and did its part to change all of that. Several inches of snow fell each day on the trip. Thursday and Friday gifted us plenty of fresh powder. It almost felt like my friend and I had the mountain all to ourselves. We never had to wait in a lift line, just skied right up and caught the next lift. 

By the weekend, though, the word was out. Skiers flooded the mountain for the first big powder day of the season. The first two days on the mountain, we started skiing from Park City and worked our way over to Canyons. This is something you can easily do since they added a new gondola to connect the two ski areas. The Park City side saw high winds, so the Canyons side of the mountain provided much more enjoyable ski conditions.

Saturday, we decided to catch the free town shuttle to Canyons and start our day there. Big mistake. High winds caused both the gondola and Orange Bubble Express lift to shut down just as everyone arrived to start their day. Lines of people backed up farther than you could see. After an hour and a half, we finally hopped on our first lift, cold and ready to ski.  

Covid-19 Precautions

Limited Ski Days

In an effort to minimize crowds and people gathering, there have been a number of changes made in most major ski resorts throughout the country this year. Utah is no exception. The most notable change involves season pass holder skiing a limited number of days. Season pass holders block off a limited number of specific days they can ski. For all other dates, they request a reservation and hope to get approved to ski before showing up to the mountain. This usually means short Ines, woohoo! However, I saw one poor guy wait in that awful hour and a half line on Saturday, only to be turned away at the lift for not having a reservation that day. Needless to say, he was not happy about his situation.

Skiing with a day pass? The days for which you purchased your day passes are a guarantee that you can ski those days. Having said that, season passes have sold out in most resorts, so be sure to purchase your day passes well in advance to ensure you maximize your time on the mountain.   

Mask Policy

Mouth and nose coverings are required while on the mountain. This was enforced strictly near the base of the mountain, where most people start their ski day. Resort employees walk the lift lines checking for face coverings and ask anyone who isn’t in compliance to please cover their mouth and nose and can even provide a mask if needed. The higher up the mountain you go, the less strict the regulation seemed to be. Overall, though, most people followed the guidelines as no one wants the ski season to end early because people are not following the rules! My Buff neck gaiter was perfect for keeping me nice and warm, and compliant with the regulations.

Dining

All on-mountain restaurants required a reservation. As a result of Covid-19, you can no longer just ski up to a mid-mountain lodge, walk-in, and find an empty table for a warm meal and a cold drink. Reservations can be made through the EpicMix app, and are mandatory this season. To ensure you get a table, be sure to make your reservations in advance. While dining on the mountain, aside from limited seating, Covid-19 has forced another important change; a time limit. Your reservation grants you 45 minutes to eat and enjoy the warmth of the indoors before you head back out. Once your 45 minutes are up, a hostess will politely inform you that it’s time to go.

There is one small exception to this policy. You are allowed to enter any open, on-mountain restaurant without a reservation for up to 15 minutes. So, if you need to use the restroom, grab a meal to-go, or simply warm yourself up for a few minutes, you have the option to do so. You are also free to grab food and drinks to enjoy in the areas just outside the restaurant. Masks must be worn anytime you are moving through the restaurant. Please be sure to have your credit or debit card ready when you arrive at the cashier. To reduce contact between guests and employees, cash payments will not be accepted.

Dining in town has similar precautions in place. Masks are to be worn any time you are not seated at your table. Due to limited capacity, some establishments are also enforcing a one-and-a-half-hour time limit per table. Be sure to call ahead and check the policies of each restaurant before you dine.  

Physical Distancing

While standing in a lift line, your skis or snowboard provides an easy way to keep a safe distance from other people on the mountain. The open-air and winds keep the air circulating, and it generally feels safe. The singles line still exists and helps to speed things up on a busy day.

The gondolas, however, were slightly different. Since you remove your skis or snowboard while in line for the gondola. This results in people huddling together inline in much the same way as years past. Another Covid-19 change is the gondolas only allow people of one party to ride at a time. So if you are on the mountain alone, you have the entire gondola to yourself. This change slows things down, but overall the wait is never too bad.

Après- Ski

While the restaurants are operating at limited capacities, some of the après-ski bars in the villages didn’t appear to know that the current Covid-19 pandemic was even a thing. Seating is first-come, first-serve. While you can’t stand around and socialize freely, tables and bodies are still packed in like sardines. Masks are required to enter, though, under the circumstances, I’m not sure they can offer a level of protection that everyone is comfortable with.

For those people that aren’t comfortable being in a crowded bar during a pandemic (completely reasonable and understandable), you still have the option of outdoor seating areas with live music, portable heaters, and fire pits to keep you nice and warm. The physical distancing, though, is moderate, at best. 

So, is it safe?

In general, yes, it is safe to take a ski trip during the current Covid-19 pandemic. Skiing is an outdoor activity that keeps you naturally distanced from others. I wore my neck gaiter to provide warmth while also covering my nose and mouth in lift lines, while riding the lifts, and during ski runs. It is best to take all the necessary precautions to keep yourself and others safe when indoors and close to other people. You don’t have to just trust me on this, though; you can take it from the results of a recent study conducted by students at MIT.

All in all, my ski trip to Utah during the Covid-19 pandemic was a success, and I would happily go back in a heartbeat to do it all over again!

Here are a few tips to help you stay healthy during your pandemic ski trip:

• To avoid dining indoors during your ski day, pack plenty of water and snacks to keep you fuelled up and energized for the slopes.
• If dining indoors, book your reservations before or after peak hours to avoid even limited-sized crowds. 
• Keep your mask, goggles, gloves, and helmet on as much as possible, especially if you go indoors for a restroom break.
• Give yourself and others as much distance as possible when in lift lines, riding lifts, and checking maps on the slopes.
• Follow all posted ski resort signage for Covid-19 rules and regulations, be respectful, and use your common sense.
• Have fun!