It’s a mixed bag of conditions based on aspect and elevation. Some of our north and east facing slopes look good and are primarily covered in snow with a settled base of around a foot. Other areas are a bad mix of thin or patchy conditions and some are downright ugly with bare ground exposed from wind, sun or both. We picked up a bit of snow overnight and there is a shot of additional accumulation on Monday and Tuesday. There is another chance of a Thanksgiving storm and one more in the first few days of December. Hoping all of this brings more good news.
On another note, the COVID-19 ski season is showing some good, bad and ugly. The good…we have worked hard over the entire off-season to make changes and plan for operating the ski area in a COVID environment. Our COVID plan was approved by the County and State health department agencies. We have trained our staff and implemented these new protocols. After this LONG off-season, winter and ski season will soon be upon us. Some Colorado ski areas have already opened. It is possible.
The bad…case numbers are climbing. Resources are beginning to show signs that they could soon be overwhelmed. Many counties situation on the COVID dial are climbing and putting a further strain on businesses to operate. The ugly…if we don’t all take some personal responsibility and do everything we can, the next few months may not look like we want them to.
Cases in Chaffee County are primarily spreading in small group settings with people who know each other. Thanksgiving is a perfect environment for this thing to explode even further and wreak havoc on December and into the new year. What is more important to you? Having dinner or hanging out with people outside of your immediate group of cohorts (i.e. family or roommates)? Or keeping schools, businesses and ski areas open?
Let’s all do our part so that we can get through the winter in a reasonable fashion until we can hopefully turn the corner for good on this virus in 2021. Stay home when possible, wear a mask, social distance from others, isolate when sick, get tested and quarantine when required. Let’s all work as hard as we possibly can to make sure we can ski and ride this winter.
