Winter is on its way, and this winter seems like it’s going to be a much colder one. It looks like B.C. will be getting a stormy and snowy winter this year as stormy weather shifts southward. The bad news is, much like the rest of this year, the added snow could prove challenging for many B.C. residents. There have been warnings from BC Hydro to prepare survival kits in case of power outages and be ready to be snowed in. The good news, however, is that all this extra snow is going to provide a fantastic ski season.
Snow has already been seen on the local mountains even before November hit. And while it came and faded in October, it seems that now it is here to stay until the season is over. Fingers crossed that it does. Skiing and riding has already opened on some of the local mountains. Grouse Mountain started allowing people onto the mountain on November 20th. The Director of Mountain Operations, Grant Wahl says “We are happy to safely welcome skiers and riders back to the slopes for the start of the winter season at the Peak of Vancouver”. Cypress Mountain opened even earlier on November 13th due to the snowfalls and a little help from their snowmaking machines. The Cypress President states “Our Snowmaking and Snow Grooming team have done a superb job with the recent cold weather and natural snowfall, which demonstrates our continued commitment to our guests to provide the best possible snow conditions whenever possible with the most terrain on the North Shore”. The third local mountain, Mount Seymour, is looking to open up to skiing and riding on December 1st this year.
The good snow will not be as accessible as in previous years however. Like most things this year, COVID-19 has dampened the mood of skiing and riding as well. The three mountains have their rules and conditions set out for anyone who wants to venture on and start shredding that sweet fresh powder.
Image from Notrth Shore News
Grouse Mountain is already open and operational, but in order to actually be allowed up, skiers and riders will have to book in advance in order to access the Skyride. The capacity for the Skyride is also reduced. Ticket purchases are recommended to be bought in advance online in order to reduce lineups on the mountain. While actually on the mountain, face coverings are required inside all Resort Facilities and anywhere where social distancing cannot be maintained. Anywhere inside the Resort, there will be hand sanitizing stations available and scheduled cleanings will be increased. The chairlifts themselves will have individual chairs limited for families or household groups riding together. “The health and safety of our guests is our top priority,” says Grant Wahl.
Image from Vancouver is Awesome
The other local mountain currently open, Cypress, follows a similar mandate. The mountain staff urges anyone not feeling 100% or who has been in contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 within 14 days. If guests feel they pass this test and can’t wait to get up on the mountain, they will have to book their tickets online in advance much like on Grouse Mountain. The mountain staff is restricting the availability of tickets in order to better manage how the number of people on the mountain at peak operating hours and allow for social distancing. They will also be actively managing the amount of guests entering the indoor facilities at a time. Routes have been altered to help support the flow of people. Face coverings are also mandatory everywhere on the resort and at all times, the only exceptions being while traveling on ski trails and while eating or drinking with an acceptable distance of two meters or an alternate barrier. There have been five new and conveniently located handwash stations throughout the Cypress Creek Lodge for guests and employees alike. As for the team themselves, all Cypress Team Members will be screened before every shift, trained in to use proper PPE, wash hands regularly and have training sessions to ensure they understand the role they play in keeping the resort safe and open. Cleaning procedures will be more rigorous and conducted throughout the day, as well as one final deep clean after closing to prepare for the following day. Cypress is also introducing contactless/cashless payments as much as they can.
Image from Mt Seymour
The last local mountain, Seymour, has its set of new guidelines in place as well for when it opens at the beginning of December. Face covering will be mandatory everywhere: lifts, chairs, lineups, the magic carpet, and in buildings, no exceptions. Anyone not wearing a face covering will be asked to leave the mountain. Sanitization stations are available throughout the resort, and regular sanitizing of surfaces will occur throughout the day. As for tickets, they will be pre-purchased online for all activities, this includes skiing and riding, snowshoeing, tobogganing, tubbing, and the shuttle bus. There will be three automated ticket machines for guests without a renewable pass. The lift lines will be socially distanced, with the exception of traveling with your own bubble. When riding as a single, there will be two allowed on the Mystery lift, and one on the Lodge Chair and Brockton Chair. All rentals for the mountain will require to be pre-purchased online. The ski and snowboard rental shops are reconfigured to promote social distancing. The new rental system will be digital and contactless. And a quarantine and sanitization program will be implemented for all rental equipment.
So if you are looking for the short version of all the new protocols on the three local mountains, all three require ticket purchases in advance to be allowed up on the mountain, and face coverings are mandatory.
COVID-19 certainly put a dark light on what is looking like it should be a phenomenal winter season. Let’s hope the additional protocols implemented keep everyone safe, and maybe next season there will be more people allowed up on the mountains. And who knows? Perhaps this new super snowy weather is here to stay in the years to come.