2020 Skiing

By Ramon Gomez, Jr.

Oct 20, 2020

Judy and I are taking to the mountains with our dog Zorro and enjoying hikes as we wait for the snow to start falling in Park City. This week we are sharing Conde Nast Traveler's article What to Expect at U.S. Ski Resorts This Winter and how mountains across the country are getting creative to keep you safe. Ski towns were among the first U.S. destinations affected by the coronavirus as the 2019-2020 season hit its stride. Now, as this year's ski season fast approaches, resorts are working hard to ensure that skiers, snowboarders, instructors, and everyone else can stay safe on and off the slopes. Ski resorts across the U.S. recently began unveiling their operating plans and we took a closer look to see just how different they will be. From planning ahead and making reservations for just about everything to big changes to the après scene as we know it, here’s what to expect at U.S. ski resorts this season.

Don’t expect day-of lift tickets - ski resorts are capping access by as much as 50 percent with walk up tickets being mostly eliminated at all 15 Alterra Mountain Company resorts (Deer Valley, Big Bear Mountain, and Winter Park among them). Most resorts are releasing a limited number of lift tickets in advance that must be purchased online or via the resort’s app. Even those who still have valid undated lift tickets saved from last year’s shortened season will need to plan ahead as many resorts are requiring mountain access reservations. While new 2020-2021 lift tickets will come with mountain access included, those with undated tickets will need to contact their resort to make a reservation.

Season passes are the golden ticket - Season pass holders get the biggest benefits all around, including unprecedented refund options, priority reservation days, and even unlimited skiing. Season pass products also offer the most flexibility this winter—important in light of constantly changing COVID-19 surges and travel restrictions. Ikon will roll the purchase price paid for an unused pass to the 2021–22 ski season, while Epic will extend a full or prorated refund depending on the reason for cancellation. But that doesn’t mean you can roll up to any lift as a season pass holder to take on the slopes. Just like with lift tickets, many season pass holders will need to book mountain access reservations in advance in order to hit the slopes.

The main disparity this season is between Vail Resorts' destinations, which are on the Epic Pass, and Alterra's Ikon Pass resorts. This season, all 33 of Vail's owned and operated U.S. resorts—including Breckenridge, Stowe—will require mountain access reservations. The thinking is that the new system will deliver consistency across its own destinations while also making it easier for skiers to plan. Epic season pass holders get an added bonus with the chance to lock in seven priority mountain access reservation dates during a passholder-only booking window (November 6–December 7). Independently operated Epic Pass partner resorts don't have to require reservations and a few are already opting out, including Telluride, Snow Basin, and Sun Valley.

Alterra Mountain Company, which operates 15 U.S. resorts with the Ikon Pass, will not require reservations across all of them. Instead, Alterra is leaving the decision to each of its mountains to decide based on the local environment. (You can find an updated list of what resorts are requiring Ikon pass reservations here.) Right now, most Ikon partner ski areas are not planning to require reservations, including Steamboat and Winter Park in Colorado; Snowbird, Solitude Mountain, and Deer Valley in Utah, and Montana's Big Sky Mountain Resort.

Regardless of the season pass you buy, be sure to check your preferred resort’s site to find out when you can start booking your 2020-2021 dates, if required. Count on reservations for everything else, too and get your phone ready for digital transactions. At minimum, expect to pay with credit cards, as many resorts, including Park City, are going entirely cashless.

Remember - Masks are at required at lifts, in lines, and in town! And, Aprés now translates to “get your group outside”. The once-wonderfully packed après ski scenes, delightfully loud bars, and cozy restaurants we love from seasons past will not look the same this winter. The saving grace is that these things are not entirely going away, but shifting towards more socially distant, outdoors options. Breakfast buffets will be a thing of the past, while new food trucks will make appearances. And sadly, the days of saddling up at the bar for a drink are over, at least for now at most resorts. You’ll still be able to hit the bar to pick up beer or wine (many bars at resorts we spoke to won’t be selling cocktails), but you’ll have to keep your party moving, either to a reserved table outside or back home to your rental condo or mountain home. Check your favorite ski resort’s site for more updates and CLICK HERE for Conde Nast Traveler's complete article.

On a high note - here are 100 Things to Look Forward to This Fall and Winter from the team at Apartment Therapy. If the chillier months approaching has you wondering what there is to do and look forward to when it’s not as nice outside, you’re not alone (especially in 2020). But there’s some great news for you: there’s plenty going on in the months of October through March—you just have to do a bit of looking.