As fall turns to freezing and aspen yellows turn to blankets of white, Colorado is gearing up for a great season in skiing, snowboarding and a host of winter activities. As a domestic destination that is world class in its peak offerings the region is seeing a lot of interest from cooped up families to head to the slopes where, from the stunning heights, you are free to social distance on as you find your personal speed on some of the world’s most sought after ski mountains.
However, guests should visit ski area websites, social media and other channels to ensure they have the most up-to-date information on any COVID-19 protocols. Colorado Ski Country’s COVID-19 webpage will be updated throughout the winter with tips, information and the most current resort protocols.
Also, as an added note, many ski areas will be requiring prepurchase of lift tickets, ski school reservations, rentals and other activities and guests should check with the ski area they plan to visit before and leading up to their arrival.
Ski parties will be allowed to load lifts and gondolas together at full capacity. Parties that are not together will have at least one seat between them on lifts. Up to two unrelated parties can load a gondola together up to 50 percent capacity. Parties that are uncomfortable riding with other parties will be allowed to ride as a single party.
Ski school classes will be limited to under 10 students. In fact, most ski areas will limit class sizes to between four and six and offer half day lessons.
Below is a summary of Colorado Ski Country USA member ski areas and their plans for the winter of 2020-2.
Arapahoe Basin Ski Area
Arapahoe Basin will not require reservations for season pass holders and will have contactless “skiosks” in the base area where guests can pick up pre-purchased daily lift tickets, which will be required. To-go food and beverage options will be the norm and the Beach will remain closed until further notice. Indoor facilities are open for bathroom use or to purchase food only. Guests are encouraged to avoid weekends when possible, enjoy afternoon skiing and avoid historically busy days.
New for this season, Arapahoe Basin replaced two of its lifts: Molly Hogan, serving the learning area, and Pallavicini, serving some of A-Basin’s most famous, expert terrain. A-Basin also added RFID pass scanning technology.
Aspen Snowmass
Aspen Snowmass will sell tickets onsite at lift ticket windows, but pre-purchasing online is highly suggested to guarantee access. Rental, retail stores and restaurants will have capacity limitations to maintain social distancing in accordance with state and local guidelines. Additional outdoor dining and grab-and-go options will be available across all four mountains and guests can use the Aspen Snowmass app to order food to go. Aspen Snowmass passholders do not need a reservation at this time, but Ikon pass holders will need to make a reservation before their visit. The Aspen Highlands snowcat will not be operating this winter.
New for winter 2020-21, Aspen Snowmass has replaced the quad Big Burn lift at Snowmass with a new $10.8 million high-speed, six-passenger lift. At Aspen Mountain, 28 new state-of-the art energy efficient snowmaking guns will allow for top-to-bottom snowmaking for the first time this winter. Snowmass will also welcome snowmaking to 28 acres, offering more reliable early season skiing and riding conditions. Two new restaurants, High Alpine and Alpin Room, replace longtime Snowmass favorite Gwyn’s offering market style options at High Alpine and sit-down dining, including breakfast, at Alpin Room.
Cooper
Cooper will feature several new food and beverage outlets for winter 2020-21 including a pizzeria at Katie O’Rourke’s, a new grill on the base area deck, the Shamrock Snack Shack and the revamped Base Camp Cafeteria offering grab-and-go options. These new options will help lunch time flow more smoothly. Also new this year is streamlined access with the Cooper Port of Entry, which all daily guests will need to enter for mountain access. Once a guest has entered, they will rarely need to scan tickets again, reducing contact and improving mountain access.
Copper Mountain
Copper Mountain will be implementing a parking reservation system this winter to help manage volume at the resort. Guests can book up to seven advanced reservation days throughout the season and, once the season begins, make an unlimited number of reservations within a rolling seven-day window. As advance days are used, guests will be able to book additional advance days. Copper will open on November 30, to ensure that more acreage and lifts will be available on opening day. Copper’s three villages and naturally divided terrain will allow guests to spread out on the mountain and in base areas.
A new 127-room, four-story hotel will open at Copper in late 2020. Element 29 is located in Center Village allowing guests optimal access to the slopes, activities and dining outlets in the Village. The hotel will also feature an outdoor patio along West Ten Mile Creek complete with firepits and hot tubs.
Echo Mountain Resort
Echo Mountain does not have a reservation system planned for this winter, but online ticket purchases will be required in advance of a visit. Parking will be staggered to provide adequate space for guests and rentals will require a reservation online in advance.
Eldora
Eldora will be implementing a parking reservation system this season to help manage access at the ski area. Guests can make up to seven reservations throughout the season. Touchless transactions will be available for all food, beverage and retail purchases.
Granby Ranch
New this winter, the Granby Ranch Patriot Pass offers all active duty US military members complimentary skiing and snowboarding at Granby Ranch. Granby Ranch will be making improvements to the guest experience with a major overhaul of the snowmaking system to ensure a better early season experience. Also new this year is overhauled pass pricing with season passes priced at $344 and the new Three-Day Pack for $88.
Howelsen Hill
Howelsen’s lodge will be open for food and ticket purchases, but guests will not be allowed to consume food, hang out or congregate inside the lodge this season. Howelsen will have several outdoor warming huts this winter for guests to utilize and an outside lift ticket window to ensure social distancing.
Howelsen Hill is the oldest continually operating ski area in North America and will be celebrating its 105th year of operation this season. It will continue its popular Ski Free Sunday program again this season, with free skiing/riding every Sunday beginning November 29.
Loveland Ski Area
Loveland will offer one of the longest seasons in the state, an average of 400 inches of snow and affordable ticket, rental and lesson options, but there will be operational changes. Guests will be required to prepurchase lift tickets, rental equipment and Ski & Ride School lessons online prior to arrival. The Ridge Cat, Loveland’s free snowcat service, will not operate this winter, but the terrain served by the cat will be open with hike-to access. On-mountain cabins and the Loveland Child Care Center will be closed.
Monarch Mountain
At Monarch, in person lift ticket sales will not be available on weekends or from December 19, 2020 through January 3, 2021 and guests are encouraged to prepurchase tickets online. Guests are asked to avoid weekends, historically busy peak times and be a weekday warrior. Childcare services and locker access will not be available this winter. The Gunbarrel Cafeteria will have grab-and-go options available and a new food truck, Fly-by Burritos, is available for outdoor food service.
Powderhorn Resort
This winter Powderhorn will be prioritizing passholders and may limit the number of daily lift ticket sales dependent on local county restrictions. Rentals and lessons will need to be reserved online in advance. Food and beverage services will include online ordering, grab-and-go and outdoor dining.
New for winter 2020-21, Powderhorn will welcome a new gravity-fed snowmaking system that will offer top-to-bottom snowmaking for the first time in the ski area’s history. Since it is gravity driven, it will be one of the most energy efficient snowmaking operations in North America.
Purgatory Resort
Purgatory will feature additional drop off areas and a general admission plaza where guests will need to be scanned once upon entry and not in each lift line for guest convenience and guest and employee safety. There will also be online food and beverage ordering options.
This winter Purgatory will have three new snowcats to maintain groomed terrain reliably as well as new energy-efficient snowmaking guns that will give snowmaking operations nearly double the snow production power during the early season.
Silverton Mountain
Silverton Mountain will welcome a new reservations platform for 2020-21 reservations and will continue its daily reservation system that guests are accustomed to using. The new platform will help further streamline the reservation process and help provide the most elbow room on the slopes with more than 26,000 acres of skiable terrain.
Steamboat
Steamboat is not requiring reservations for passholders at this time. Advanced purchase lift tickets, packages, and season pass products are the only way to access the mountain currently. Lift tickets will not be available for purchase at the resort ticket office. Stand-alone lift tickets will not be available for purchase between December 23 and January 2. Reservations for ski and ride school, rentals, some restaurants and free clinics are required. Night skiing will only be available on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Steamboat will also feature two unique outdoor dining options, welcoming back the roaming Taco Beast as well as the brand-new Pizza Ranger, which will offer a pizza delivery option in the Bashor area. .
Sunlight Mountain Resort
Sunlight will feature new grab-and-go dining options as well as reconfigured base food stations to maintain physical distancing. Sunlight suggests that your car become “base camp”.
Telluride Ski Resort
Telluride will feature 20 refurbished gondolas offering dining options in Mountain Village as well as expanded yurt and outdoor dining services across the mountain.
Telluride will welcome new air service this winter with Southwest Airlines and Jet Blue adding flights into Montrose Regional Airport (MJT) starting in mid-December. Southwest will fly 2-3 times daily from Denver (DEN) and Saturdays and Sundays from Dallas Love Field (DAL). Jet Blue will operate from Boston Logan Airport (BOS) on Saturdays and select Wednesdays during the season.
Winter Park Resort
New this winter is a mid-week pass that gives guests unlimited access on non-holiday Mondays-Fridays through the season starting at $539 for adults and $299 for children. Winter Park is not requiring reservations at this time. All rentals, lessons, activities and tours will need to be pre-booked in advance of arrival. Winter Park is also working to create as many contactless options as possible in all restaurants and retail areas.
Colorado Ski Country USA
Colorado Ski Country’s COVID-19 webpage, https://www.coloradoski.com/covid-19, will be updated throughout the season with up-to-date information from member ski areas including tips and advice on how to successfully visit to a ski area.
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