It has been quite a season and a challenging one at that. We are now more than two thirds the way through the season and we are still cruising right along. Without a doubt there has been some struggles. I’ve said from the beginning that it would take two to tango for this to work and along the way we have done mostly very well, but certainly have stepped on each other’s toes here and there. Mask policing is just plain frustrating. Seems like all the rest of the protocols are easily attainable, but this mask stuff is rough. Who among us has been perfect with that? Nonetheless, look at where we are now. On this date Monarch Mountain has only one employee quarantining due to having dinner with a suspected positive case. Remember that outbreak business? Even though that word “outbreak” was misleading it had a bunch of folks freaked out. I understand the feeling for sure. Yet if we look clearly into what we as a county have accomplished, it is truly one of the more inspiring efforts in the entire state. With the increased testing applied throughout the county as well as here at the Mountain, we have been able to contact trace quickly and efficiently. Case loads currently are at one of the lowest points since we began this pandemic. Positivity rates are also the lowest in several months. In addition, Chaffee County ranks 5th in the state for vaccinating its population as per the guidelines. The majority of our first responders (including our ski patrollers and nurses) have received both doses of the vaccine and the door has opened a bit wider for those over the age of 60 as well as others. Since Chaffee County is one of the more collaborative populations in the state there has been a wealth of volunteers helping at the vaccine clinics. Our little county and its collective approach is outperforming the big fellas by a bunch … just so you know.
So let’s finish this season out skiing in the sunshine and thanking everyone we come in contact with … virtually of course.
