Breckenridge Ski Resort opened its slopes to skiers and snowboarders on Friday, drawing large crowds even as Colorado鈥檚 COVID-19 numbers and hospitalizations climbed to
Hundreds lined up to ride the resort鈥檚 gondolas and lifts. Resort staff stressed mask-wearing and social distancing around the sprawling mountain property, which was shut down early last season as the pandemic first took hold.
鈥淲e knew we鈥檇 still be dealing with COVID-19 throughout the winter season and that would include rises and declines in cases,鈥� said Sara Lococo, a spokeswoman for the resort. 鈥淲e really tried to set ourselves up with protocols we can keep consistent through the season even as cases ebb and flow.鈥�
To try to control crowd sizes, skiing will be by reservation only, Lococo said. Indoor dining is also reservation-based. On lifts, skiers from different households will be spaced at least one chair apart.
The resort did not say exactly how many reservations were made on opening day.
Skiers are supposedly only sitting with members of their household on lifts.
— Matt Bloom (@matthew_bloom)
As a novice skier, I would have a hard time maneuvering away from the line if I accidentally got paired with a stranger. 馃槄
On Friday, people from around the country came to make the most of two feet of fresh snowfall.
Crystal Opara smiled as she posed for a photo in the snow. She and her husband, K.C., traveled to the resort from Texas to celebrate their honeymoon.
The pair said they appreciated the dozens of signs reminding visitors to wear masks and other safety measures the resort put in place to limit the spread of COVID-19.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e okay, it just depends where you are,鈥� Crystal said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 kind of hard (to social distance) in this environment. But it looks like everyone is wearing their masks for the most part, so that鈥檚 cool.鈥�
Nick Jones, a Breckenridge resident who skis around 100 days a year, said the new safety measures were unusual, but easy to adapt to.
鈥淓nd of the day, we鈥檙e still snowboarding and skiing so I can鈥檛 really complain,鈥� Jones said. 鈥淗opefully it stays open.鈥�
The resort鈥檚 opening day came as elected officials and local public health departments urged Colorado residents to reduce their social interactions. Colorado saw 5,689 new COVID-19 cases on Friday, its highest daily number since the pandemic began.
In a news conference on Friday, Polis called the current period of the pandemic some of the 鈥渄arkest days we鈥檝e had as a state and nation.鈥�
鈥淲e need to do better,鈥� Polis said.
Breckenridge is just one of dozens of Colorado ski resorts moving forward with opening plans this month. Several have delayed their opening dates due to a variety of factors, including insufficient snowfall, wildfire damage or evolving public health restrictions.
The industry took a major hit in March, when most areas were forced to end their seasons early.
According to the National Ski Areas Association, a trade group, U.S. resorts saw annual visitation because of the pandemic. The lost revenue added up to around $2 billion nationwide, the NSAA said. The group projects losses could total $5 billion by the end of the upcoming winter season.
Colorado resorts see more than 7 million visitors each year, according to Most skiers come from out of state.
Prior to reopening, resorts worked with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment to create a set of industry-wide best practices. , the agency released the list, regulating everything from parking procedures to warming spaces and ski school.
Sara Lococo said Breckenridge would do everything it could to keep guests safe.
鈥淲e all want to see this season to be successful,鈥� Lococo said. 鈥淲e have the framework in place, but it鈥檚 going to take everyone adhering to the new protocols and focusing on those new safety rules.鈥�
An updated list of resort reopenings is available on Colorado Ski Country USA鈥檚
