Californian Ski Resort Reopens After Coronavirus Closure

April 23rd, 2020

 

Photo: Mt Baldy

 

Mountainwatch |News

As the uncertainty as to whether Australian ski resorts will open this winter continues, there has been an interesting development in the US with Mt Baldy, a ski resort in California re-opening after closing as part of the Covid 19 lockdowns. Mt Baldy is located in the San Gabriel Mountains and is only 72km from Los Angeles, the closet ski resort to the city.

The resort closed on March 20 but announced on its website yesterday that with the snow coverage about as “good as it gets for April and golf courses re-opening around Southern California we have decided to follow suit” and the resort reopened this morning.

Mt Baldy will not be running at full capacity with restricted skier numbers, limited facilities and a number of social distancing measures in place, including checking a maximum of four people at 10-minute intervals.  A click through to the site’s Covid-19 Guidelines page listed a full run-down of procedures for ticketing, parking, restrooms and riding the chair lifts etc. and the resort is open for “experienced advanced and above skiers and snowboarders only.”

The site offers this summary for the re-opening:

 “We are taking the COVID-19 crisis very seriously. Mt Baldy Resort is a unique all-season mountain resort and is well designed to accommodate social distancing guidelines. In addition, we are implementing several policy changes that will help to ensure the safety and health of our guests and staff. Similar to how a golf course operates Mt Baldy will check-in a maximum of 4 individuals at 10-minute intervals. 1 Day Alpine Ticketed guests will have access to Lift #2 and #3 from that time until closing. In stark contrast to a golf course (150 acres), Mt Baldy Resort (800 acres) has more than 4x the area and will be operating at less than 10% of occupancy under this plan. Mask or face covering consistent with Order of the Health Officer of the County of San Bernardino County for the Control of COVID-19 must be worn at all times.”

It is an interesting precedent, but at this stage no other US ski resorts are following Mt Baldy’s move to open again for spring skiing. However, no doubt other ski resorts around the world, including Australia,  will be watching closely to see if Mt Baldy’s Covid-19 guidelines work and its guests safely enjoy some late season turns.