Luke Bennett
Ski season has officially started again and ski resorts across Colorado are beginning to open over Thanksgiving Break. Arapahoe Basin (ABasin), Keystone, Breckenridge and Loveland have all opened for the 2020-2021 season. Some have limited lifts open, while others, like ABasin, have just one lift open, as Colorado’s mountains still lack enough snow for skiers and boarders.
Although more and more resorts will open, this ski season will inevitably look different due to COVID-19.
Chloe Mundorf, the leader of the UCCS Ski and Ride Club, said, “I think this season is going to look very different from seasons before.”
One major change is a rule put in place by Vail Resorts that requires all riders to make reservations before hitting the slopes in order to limit capacity. This system also gives ticket season holders priority when reserving a day on the mountain over people that are just looking to reserve a spot with a day pass.
“I think it is going pretty well for it being such a huge adjustment, as I know people already going up and saying it is easy to reserve a day to go,” Mundorf said.
If the larger slopes are crowded this season or you do not want to deal with a not-so-straightforward reservation system, Monarch would be your best bet.
Monarch is a smaller ski resort and is only an hour and a half drive from Colorado Springs. The season pass is inexpensive, especially with a college discount. They also do not have a reservation policy.
Mundorf prefers a larger and more popular resort. “I personally enjoy going to [Breckenridge] most but I know people that enjoy going to Vail for back country skiing and getting away from the crowds,” she said.
When asked about what she looks forward to most this ski season, Mondorf said, “I am most excited to still be able to go skiing through this craziness and be able to take a break from reality.”
Even though the season will be unconventional due to COVID-19, the main thing is that there is still a season; for a time, it was uncertain whether resorts would open at all due to COVID-19.
Next semester, we will likely face the same difficulties and uncertainties of COVID-19, but one thing that is for sure is that there will be a ski season. If you need a break from school, go up to the mountains and shred away all your stress.
