A similar text seems to be on all vail owned resorts, hopefully they will link it to the pass.
Can’t wait to see the social media pages.
Yep, people on other forums who use an Epic pass for local skiing are talking about the VR plans for COVID-19 safety precautions. The folks in the northeast who got used to booting up in the car seem pretty happy with the rules. Some are the type who like to have a hot lunch indoors at times. They are also the type who got vaccinated as soon as they were eligible.
What's making the nervous folks . . . nervous . . . is the idea they might have to ride a gondola with strangers. I'll be surprised if people would be forced to do that though. Except for Saturdays and holidays, how much difference would it make?
Surely Vail has done a bit of survey and would rather side on caution since 70% + would be vaccinated.
Northeast is one of the highest vaccinated areas in the USA.
Dark blue on the map is at 70% vaccinated.
Ski school and food/beverage took a bit hit on profits last season.
ZARDOG wrote:
Surely Vail has done a bit of survey and would rather side on caution since 70% + would be vaccinated.
Northeast is one of the highest vaccinated areas in the USA.
Dark blue on the map is at 70% vaccinated.
Most of Vail Resorts with gondolas are not in the northeast. The people wondering about sharing a gondola with an unmasked stranger are thinking about Whistler or resorts in Tahoe or the Rockies.
70% vaccinated really doesn't make any difference if the people that are near someone happen to be unvaccinated. Masking will be required indoors in general. Masking not required on lifelines or in gondolas based on the policies just announced. Employees will be required to be vaccinated.
While Vail Resorts won't be requiring face coverings in lift lines or on lifts (including gondolas), they will adjust their policies locally based on regional restrictions. For example, currently the Provincial Health Authority of British Columbia is requiring face coverings on gondolas, so as of right now face coverings will be required on gondola rides at Whistler Blackcomb.
I published a story earlier today that includes some more details about COVID-19 protocols this winter at Vail Resorts properties.
ZARDOG wrote:
...
Northeast is one of the highest vaccinated areas in the USA.
Dark blue on the map is at 70% vaccinated.
The county that Whitetail sits in is 44% vaccinated. Liberty's is 49%.
camp wrote:
The county that Whitetail sits in is 44% vaccinated. Liberty's is 49%.
Not good. But what matters more is the vax rate for the people who pay to get on the slopes, whether by buying an Epic pass or a day ticket.
My house is part of a metropolitan area that has a high vax rate. But there are places less than an hour of my house with low vax rates and no mask requirements for indoor businesses.
The saying "think global, act local" comes to mind when deciding how to stay safe these days. When it comes to skiing, anywhere outdoors is quite low risk. Whether or not people want to spend more than a few minutes indoors is harder to say, regardless of the public health rules in place.
The social media fallout has been pretty glorious to see. The big 2 questions I have:
1) Will this lead to other resorts taking similar steps? I imagine many of the resorts on the Ikon or Mtn Collective pass will.
2) How much will they actually enforce the vaccine requirement? I've been to a few events this year where vaccines were "required" but the staff didn't care to even try and enforce.
rbrtlav wrote:
Can’t wait to see the social media pages.
Jaxon wrote:
The social media fallout has been pretty glorious to see. The big 2 questions I have:
1) Will this lead to other resorts taking similar steps? I imagine many of the resorts on the Ikon or Mtn Collective pass will.
2) How much will they actually enforce the vaccine requirement? I've been to a few events this year where vaccines were "required" but the staff didn't care to even try and enforce.
The big difference between Vail Resorts and the other multi-resort companies is that VR wants to have the same rules for every location, from small hills in the Midwest to destination resorts in the Rockies or Tahoe. Alterra, Powdr, and Boyne don't work that way. I don't expect any of the independent destination resorts that are Ikon Partners trying to require vaccinations either. Certainly won't happen at Jackson Hole. WY is one of the states that doesn't want employers to be able to require vaccination for employees.
Copper is NOT requiring vaccination for any indoor spaces. That probably means Powdr won't try that at any other of their resorts either. They are having enough complaints because of the Fast Tracks for Copper, Snowbird, Killington, and Bachelor.
I usually am not indoors or dining. I ski for 4- 5 hrs then done.
Most mandated by work will be vaccinated by November 24th. Numbers will change in the next month.
Mostly depends on the surveys of each resort's current demographics, not the county population.
Grandson would stay outside he likes the cold.
The local resorts can adjust by end of November. Easier to lift restrictions than to add.
For stats the VULNERABILITY LEVEL some of the resorts are in the LOW range but show other stats that are of higher metrics.
Unofficial survey of some long-time local Vail on-snow employees say they will not get vaxxed and will forego their job/season.
I foresee great difficulty hiring enough on-snow staff to open on time.
Gonna be even harder to get local off-snow staff to vax up for a seasonal low-pay job. It was already hard enough to get equipment operators, groomers, snowmakers, and indoor staff hired w/o a Jax requirement.
camp wrote:
Unofficial survey of some long-time local Vail on-snow employees say they will not get vaxxed and will forego their job/season.
I foresee great difficulty hiring enough on-snow staff to open on time.
Gonna be even harder to get local off-snow staff to vax up for a seasonal low-pay job. It was already hard enough to get equipment operators, groomers, snowmakers, and indoor staff hired w/o a Jax requirement.
But, if they also have to get vaxxed to keep their regular full time non ski resort jobs that needle night move the other direction. Regardless, I'm all for paying people, everyone better than wages where they still qualify for food and housing assistance. It's time for Vail and other employers and us customers to pay for that instead of subsidizing it with tax money. Pay a fair wage reflective of the product revenues and more will commit to fulfilling the requirements for that better paying job.
Those abstaining over politics instead of personal or public health concerns won't be swayed by rational pay and health incentives and IMHO don't belong there or anywhere public facing.
Aspen seems to have similar restrictions on places they own and operate
https://www.aspensnowmass.com/safety/covid19-operating-procedures
The list of businesses in the travel and leisure industry that require proof of vaccination has been growing since June 2021. There were restaurants and bars in Raleigh that made the decision to only serve vaccinated customers indoors during the summer, even though there were other places just down the block that didn't have the same requirements. Most places had the alternative of outdoor dining so it wasn't a big deal.
This article from early Oct 2021 is geared towards people who plan to travel and are willing to spend the money to stay in fancier hotels. Presumably that's the market that Aspen Ski Co. and Vail Resorts were thinking about when they came up with their 2021-22 rules related to COVID-19.
More U.S. Airlines Are Requiring Vaccines for Their Employees
Aspen has listed all WHO approved vaccines as acceptable. That's important for any people coming from outside the U.S., including Canadians. Canada is using Astra Zeneca and Pfizer, with some people getting Pfizer after a first shot of AZ.
https://www.aspensnowmass.com/safety/covid19-operating-procedures
"Any of the 7 vaccines currently approved by the World Health Organization (WHO) are accepted. These are Moderna, Pfizer/BioNTech, Johnson & Johnson, Oxford/AstraZeneca, Serum Institute of India. Covishield, Sinopharm, and Sinovac. We will update this list with any changes, however we recommend checking the WHO and CDC websites for the most up to date information.."
What is interesting: 1918 - the second mutation was the worst just like DELTA.
Numbers depend on each state even down to a county.
Case counts are one metric but also look at infection rate below 1.00 and the test positive percent.
Maryland is looking good showing a continued decrease in the case of the count, infection rate, and positive test.
Most states in the mid-Atlantic and northeast are on the same path of decrease.
Vaccination mandates kick in the end after Nov 8 and continue until mid decmeber.
MD as of Oct 28 was at 86.1% 18+ 1 shot min.
USA 12>= is at 77%
Kids 12 - 17 can get Pfizer but expect a full license in 3 months.
Kids 5- 11 very soon for first approval and license in January 2022.
Kids 0-11 = 25 million in USA.
compared to last ski season much better re covid.
I disclose I have J&J and Pfizer supplement/booster.
Zardog
Anyone who prefers masking for indoor settings may not want to go to Jackson Hole this season. Gondolas will be run full capacity and no masking is required.
As a state, Wyoming is going against any vaccination mandates by any private business or government organization.
Colorado is dealing with increasing numbers of detected cases and hospitalizations. Vaccination rates are inconsistent, as is common in all states.
A lot of resorts will be open by Thanksgiving. I'll be watching the numbers in early December. Will be skiing Wolf Creek Dec. 13-17 with a possibility of skiing a day or two in Summit County on the way home.
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