Since many resorts have fewer Covid agreements, guests can expect shorter cable car lines and less outdoor shelter. However, policies vary from region to region, so please understand before you go.

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In early February last year, Michelle Harris, a physical therapist from Erie, Colorado, planned to go to Jackson Hole, Wyoming for a week-long ski trip later this month. She knew that she needed to use the Ikon Pass to make reservations, but when she checked online, due to the capacity constraints caused by the pandemic and the snowy February, all February locations had been booked. Ms. Harris went anyway, because she knew she had a place to live with friends and planned to go skiing in the wild near Jackson until the last-minute cable car ride was open.

"I didn't plan a few months in advance," Ms. Harris said. "And there is no spontaneity available."

The good news for this winter is that most resorts have resumed fully operating cable cars, trams, and cable cars, and cancelled ski resort pass reservations (although Jackson Hole and Taos Ski Valley in New Mexico still require Ikon pass holders If you book a ski resort)). In addition, outdoor masking and social distance have been basically eliminated, so the outdoor part of the skiing experience is more like the carefree days before the epidemic than the worrying atmosphere of last year.

Perhaps the biggest story is the benefits of measures caused by the pandemic, such as less time required for cable car tickets and leased routes, more take-away food on the mountain, and new outdoor dining areas with reduced crowds. Some resorts also choose to actively manage the daily number of skiers, because the number of people on the mountain decreased last winter, resulting in a better guest experience. The influx of new residents into the mountain city may even change the traditional pattern of skier visits.

But this does not mean that skiers can-or should-be as spontaneous as they were before the pandemic. The policy this winter may not be so strict, but the policies of the various resorts are not uniform, so it is important to prepare in advance. Sara Lococo, spokesperson for Vail Resorts, said: "This year's Covid agreement really focuses on indoor experiences." In many-but certainly not all-areas, this means that masks are required internally; some even require proof of vaccination to dine in mountain restaurants. , Including all 34 ski resorts of Vail Resorts in North America.

If the resort has conveyed a piece of advice to guests this season, it is to know before you go, this sentence may now be ingrained. Molly Mahal, president of the Vermont Ski Trade Association, pointed out that even if you plan to visit the same ski area again at the beginning and after the season, the Covid agreement may change between the two, depending on local and state hygiene Regulations.

From a pure skiing perspective, ski resort operations have returned to normal-a particularly welcome change for employees who had to enforce mask requirements last winter. Nathan Rafferty, President and CEO of Utah Ski Trade Group, said: "The resort staff are happy not to worry about wearing masks." "This is a huge relief."

In addition, as elevators are now a thing of the past with standard capacity and "ghost lanes" (used to separate elevator lines), last year's longer-than-usual waiting time should decrease.

The courses have also returned to the traditional format, with private and group options again available, and professional clinics reappearing on the menu.

Although skiers no longer need to wear masks on cable cars, some resorts still need to wear masks on cable cars, such as Deer Valley in Utah. Others have mixed policies. For example, in Jackson Hole, tram riders must wear masks, but cable car riders do not. The Mammoth in California does not require passengers to wear masks on its two cable cars-unless unrelated groups of skiers share the same car.

After skiing in Keystone, Colorado, when it opened on October 22, Ms. Lococo of Vail Resort conveyed the general atmosphere. "Not only does it feel really good to snow again, but everyone is looking forward to a more normal season this year."

The interior is another scene. As for whether it is mandatory to wear masks or just to encourage wearing masks, the policy varies from mountain to mountain. Some people part ways, such as Winter Park, Colorado, which needs to wear masks for unvaccinated guests and sell it to others.

The concept of using cars as base huts last winter still applies because the ski resort aims to reduce congestion in real base huts. The Waterville Valley in New Hampshire has built ski trails from the base area to the parking lot so that guests can more easily pick up their cars throughout the day. Olivia Rowan, publisher of Ski Area Management magazine, said that instead of allowing skiers to store bags under the tables and benches of the cabin, many areas have installed more quick-access indoor lockers and created outdoor storage areas. For example, Sun Valley in Idaho implemented outdoor bag storage in its River Run base area.

Traditional pinch points such as dispersing skiers in restaurants on the mountain have become more important. "The new crown pneumonia has given us a very keen look at the issue of managing the flow of people," said Mr. Lafferty of the Utah ski resort.

In fact, many areas with only a few restaurants, such as Powder Mountain in Utah, did not even open a dining area last winter. "We are very, very conservative," Fanshan spokesperson JP Goulet said. This season, indoor dining will be held again in all resorts, most people are full, but Fanshan will continue its conservative approach with limited seats. Other regions are counting on guests to take advantage of the outdoor dining options that were added last winter. Vail Resorts aims to reduce congestion by requiring skiers to make reservations at any of its mountain restaurants 24 hours in advance through the app launched last season.

Vail Resorts also requires children over the age of 12 to provide proof of vaccination until dining on the mountain, whether it is full-service or cafeteria style, Vail Resorts has one of the most comprehensive safety policies (no proof is required to use the restroom). Taos also requires guests to be vaccinated when dining in most resort-owned restaurants; Aspen skiers only need to show proof of vaccination at a full-service restaurant on the mountain.

As the temperature drops, many people look forward to skiing or cycling along snow-covered trails. The following is to make the most of the knowledge of the season.

As for staff who help guests indoors, employees working for employers such as Vail Resort, Aspen Ski Company and Utah Snowbird must be vaccinated. At the very least, most ski resorts that do not require employees to be vaccinated will undergo regular testing.

Skiers can expect to be more cautious at Canadian resorts. Although proof of vaccination is required to enter the country, provincial health guidelines for Canadians and international travelers determine many ski area policies this winter.

Canadian Rocky Mountain Resorts that own the Fernie Alpine Resort and Kicking Horse in British Columbia and Mont Sainte-Anne in Quebec announced that skiers (12 or 13 years and older, depending on the resort) need to show proof of vaccination to ride the lift This is also true of Tremblant (13 years and older) in Quebec.

Alberta resorts such as Lake Louise, Mount Norquay and Banff Sunshine will require proof of vaccination, or a recent negative test (receiving PCR and rapid test results), not only to enter most indoor spaces and take ski lessons, but also You can take a shuttle bus to the mountains.

Both Sun Peaks in British Columbia and Whistler Blackcomb, a subsidiary of Vail Resorts, require proof of vaccination in order to dine in restaurants. At the same time, Sun Peaks ski courses will continue to be conducted in a smaller team than usual, and still strongly encourage wearing masks and maintaining physical distance on the lines and lifts.

Some measures related to the pandemic last winter, especially those related to food service and outdoor dining, have been widely praised, and the resort plans to implement these measures for a long time. In addition to the convenience of taking out food, consider heated terraces, windshields and multiple fire pits-these facilities allow skiers to experience their seemingly mountainous environment more comfortably.

“The ski resort is really adapted, expanding the outdoor venues and food trucks, and relying on technology so that you can order lunch on the elevator,” Ms. Rowan said. The mobile app from Sugar Bush, Vermont, to Mammoth Resort in California, allows skiers to order food from anywhere and then pick it up at a restaurant on the mountain. In Colorado, Steamboat's Pizza Ranger is a fully equipped snow cat that can provide pre-ordered pies at the pickup point on the mountain. It turns out that it will return in this season's activities and possibly at other times.

The pandemic has also accelerated the use of other technologies that simplify logistics. A few years ago, Killington and Pico in Vermont began testing outdoor pickup boxes, allowing skiers to bypass ticket windows by scanning barcodes and printing pre-purchased elevator passes. Last year, the resort quickly installed 17 boxes, and more were added this winter. Other resorts have followed suit, including Sunday River in Maine, Aspen and Copper Mountain in Colorado, Sierra Leone in Tahoe, California, and Earl Mountain in Oregon.

Before Covid, resorts encouraged skiers to buy lift tickets online and book courses and rentals, a trend that continues to receive attention. During a pandemic, efficiency-and reduced flow of people-is more attractive. Especially the smaller resorts have found a way to bypass the traditional morning base hotel route. When a rental service representative can help, White Pass in Washington will send a text message to the guest. The Blue Mountain Resort in Pennsylvania has completely cancelled the ticket window and only provides elevator passes and online purchase and rental services.

Another by-product of the pandemic: reduced crowds on slopes. Some resorts, such as Deer Valley and Powder Mountain in Utah, and Magic Mountain in Vermont, have restricted the sale of daily lift tickets for many years. But as capacity restrictions were introduced in other regions last winter—whether through reservations, fewer people on elevators, or parking restrictions—people realized this. In Jackson Hole, "We found this to be a better skiing experience," said spokesperson Eric Seymour. Resort. "And the snow lasts longer."

Jackson Hole continues to actively manage the number of skiers by limiting ticket sales during busy times (according to the resort's website, it will be sold out in a few days in late December), and now requires Mountain Collective pass holders to reserve a place. Earlier last year, the resort also started operating three cable cars to spread skiers across the mountain.

Similarly, ski resort spokesperson Ry Young said that after the day pass cap was set in Mad River Glen, Vermont last winter, the skier’s experience has been greatly improved, and the resort has also decided to limit season passes—they are already sold out.

Sun Valley in Idaho also began to monitor skier visits more closely last year, focusing on ensuring that physical distance between elevator lines and cabins can be maintained. Now, even if the restrictions are relaxed, the resort will restrict ticket sales when necessary to prevent overcrowding during peak hours.

In Alta and Snowbird in Utah, both of which are located near the top of Little Poplar Canyon with heavy traffic, Covid facilitated parking adjustments to better serve guests. Last winter, Snowbird managed the number of skiers by requesting parking reservations; capacity returned to normal this winter, but some skiers value the convenience of guaranteed ski resorts so much that in addition to free, first-come, first-served ski resorts, The resort now also offers fee-based booking services.

At the same time, Alta—where there are far fewer parking spaces—last winter, because the parking lot was full, had to refuse guests for several consecutive Saturdays. Now, resorts need to book and charge for parking on weekends and holidays. It is hoped that more skiers will use public transportation and carpooling, and no one will drive to the area just to make a U-turn.

It’s worth noting that some of the smaller resorts not far from densely populated areas-the Blue Mountains, Mount Wachusset near Boston, and Mount Hood Meadows outside of Portland, Oregon-started selling all-day specific last winter Time tickets to help disperse skiers. Similar dispersal may occur organically in other ski areas. The reason is as follows: Although the influx of residents in Johor Bahru due to the pandemic may cause more people to flood into the ski resorts — for example, the number of skiers in Utah last winter hit a record high — but many of them are remote workers or retire The personnel of the migrants have the flexibility to ski anytime and anywhere.

Mr. Lafferty said that in Utah, despite the busy weekends, there were more people who chose to go to the ski resorts in the midweek and afternoon last season than before. "More people, including me, choose to ski at different times. We will see people become more creative when they choose to ski."

Of course, on a good fan day, all bets are closed. Mr. Lafferty said: "The unbroken pattern is people skiing when it's snowing."

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