In the midst of the pandemic, many industries have had to reevaluate their standards of operation in order to make their services accessible and safe for the public while also adhering to the standards of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Some industries have had to close for the time being, while others have been forced to shut down completely. Ski resorts, which are extremely popular destinations in terms of both one-time excursions and more frequent visits among American families, are one of these industries.

Many resorts were forced to suspend all operations at the start of 2020 so they could reassess their approach to operation. During this winter season in New England, however, many of them have reopened after orchestrating various adjustments to their policies so they can continue to keep skiers safe while allowing them to also do what they love.

An abundance of safety measures have been implemented, such as practicing social distancing, providing disinfectants for use and requiring everyone to wear face masks.

Emma Lincecum (III), who has been skiing for 13 years, mentions some safety measures she has experienced: “My mountain opened really late this year due to COVID, and to access the ski mountain you have to sign up for the days you want to go three days before. Loon Mountain opened last Monday. It is one person per chair lift and you can’t go into or take a break in any of the lodges.”

Many resorts are still monitoring the pandemic in order to better understand the situation and make changes accordingly. Popular ski locations around the world, such as Italy and Switzerland, have many common worldwide restrictions that have come into play. So although most resorts are open, they are collectively doing their best to keep skiers safe.

With all these limitations having been set, many avid skiers are afflicted. Rachel Yates (III) is experiencing the restrictions that have been placed and says, “We won’t get to ski as much this year, the mountain I go to is by reservation only this year, no indoor dining or anything like that, and lots of different states have traveling restrictions, which makes skiing even more difficult.”

Adding on to the setbacks, increasing prices will also discourage some skiers this winter season. Mia Demichele (III), who has skied for eight years, agrees with Lincecum and Yates, saying, “I ski mostly as a junior counselor with an organization, so that is pretty much impossible. It’s also hard to find places that will rent skiing equipment. I know that they have to work at a lower capacity, and some are only selling season passes, which are really expensive.”

Regardless of the inconveniences caused to skiers, the actions that these resorts have taken are reasonable and necessary. They are for the safety of the public and will benefit everyone in the long run. To end on a positive note, many estimates are predicting that ski resorts, as well as various other industries, will reopen near the end of 2020. All we can do now is continue to be responsible and hope for the best until life returns to normal.