Cuomo says ski areas in NY to open at 50% Capacity

[Harvey]

Ski areas may need to decide to shut down during extreme frostbite warnings (even if it is a weekend or a powder day).

Or maybe limit the hill to the number of people who can fit inside, or just a small number over that.

Also might have to kill certain lifts on those days.

Could be an interesting dynamic on a pow day if they shut down, uphillers schralp the mountain before the lift riders get a shot at it.

 

[JohnyCatnip]

Yeah, most of these capacity caps sound like bs to me. It seems like a lot of effort to actually enforce with an outcome that knowingly is going to make less money.

whatever. I’m over it.

Indeed. I find it hard to believe that many mountains will be enforcing the restrictions in regards to capacity.

 

[TheGreatAbyss]

"Basing" out of your car only works when you're right next to the lifts. It's gonna be a tough sell when it's 10 degrees out and you're parked in the H lot. Gore better have like 10 more minibuses ready to go this winter. Also, I still gotta poop sometimes...

 

[MarzNC]

The article's first paragraph states that the reduction is 50% capacity for indoor areas. That is going to be hard to enforce on a cold day.

Are they going to tell cold skiers to queue up outside, physically distanced, and wait to come into the lodge to warm up? I've never seen a ski area enforce lodge capacity. But I've been in numerous lodges that were absolutely over capacity, usually due to cold weather.

Pressure on indoor capacity may depend more on the weather than the number of tickets sold or pass holders allowed. Ski areas may need to decide to shut down during extreme frostbite warnings (even if it is a weekend or a powder day).

I've read several winter operations plans in more than one region for smaller mountains that make it clear that people should plan on using their car as their "locker room" when it comes to booting up, or even having lunch. Some have said it will be like it was decades ago before the fancy base lodge buildings became standard.

Not that hard to keep track of the number of people in a building when it's required. Does mean changing the way doors are used and having someone paying attention all the time, or at least during busy times. Heard an interview with one GM (not in NY) who was looking at laser-based counters that track the number of people going thru a door that can then can display the count on a iPad. They are thinking about having one Entry door and making all other doors Exit only. This is for a small drive-to only mountain with only one base building.

Restaurants have figured out how to manage capacity. I have no doubt that ski resorts can figure it out too.

 

[MarzNC]

Indeed. I find it hard to believe that many mountains will be enforcing the restrictions in regards to capacity.

Haven't been following too many NY ski areas/resorts, but in other regions quite a few ski areas capped season passes and plan to limit day ticket sales. They aren't planning on counting people who show up on a given day. But there will clearly be fewer ways to get lift access for non-passholders who don't plan ahead for weekends.

 

[Campgottagopee]

Indeed. I find it hard to believe that many mountains will be enforcing the restrictions in regards to capacity.

I think they'll have to, or at least in NYS. The NYS health department is sending people out to unsure these guidelines are being followed. If not they are fined or closed.

 

[jasonwx]

"Basing" out of your car only works when you're right next to the lifts. It's gonna be a tough sell when it's 10 degrees out and you're parked in the H lot. Gore better have like 10 more minibuses ready to go this winter. Also, I still gotta poop sometimes...

Exactly
No f en way I’m going to walk 1/4 of a mile in ski boots
I imagined the day would would eventually come that I would quit downhill skiing. This might just do it

 

[Thacheronix]

I still gotta poop sometimes...

New regs fine print mandate a 35% reduction

 

[Benny Profane]

The air pollution is going to be pretty bad at the ski hills with all the car engines, aka mini lodges, running out in the parking lots.

 

[Benny Profane]

The article's first paragraph states that the reduction is 50% capacity for indoor areas. That is going to be hard to enforce on a cold day.

Are they going to tell cold skiers to queue up outside, physically distanced, and wait to come into the lodge to warm up? I've never seen a ski area enforce lodge capacity. But I've been in numerous lodges that were absolutely over capacity, usually due to cold weather.

Pressure on indoor capacity may depend more on the weather than the number of tickets sold or pass holders allowed. Ski areas may need to decide to shut down during extreme frostbite warnings (even if it is a weekend or a powder day).

What's probably going to happen is that these rules will not be followed, therefore ski lodges will become spreader vectors, and then Cuomo will just shut it all down. If things get as bad over the next few months as some are predicting (re: Osterholm's interview on Meet the Press yesterday. Hint: Hes not very optimistic, but, he's been right up to this point), then Cuomo and a lot of other governors will have much bigger problems than keeping ski areas open. Time to cut losses and shut down.