State Ski Area Guidance

[throbster]

About 5% of the population wouldn't lie so what's the point?

[Guy in Shorts]

About 5% of the population wouldn't lie so what's the point?

People will lie. You be you and I will be Me.

[easyrider16]

^ I would think all they have to do is drop that two-sentence digital check-off box in the existing reservation form (same as already required for overnight lodging), plus the new sentence about threatening to lose skiing privileges.

I wonder if the thinking is that these guidelines didn't come out until recently, and Killington figures they shouldn't have to do anything with season passes because those passes were sold months ago before attestation was a requirement. Tickets purchased from here on out will likely have the attestation at point of sale, as will lodging reservations.

[boston_e]

About 5% of the population wouldn't lie so what's the point?

People will lie. You be you and I will be Me.

Maine just added NY and CT back onto the "naughty list"... I wouldn't be surprised to see them add MA and NH if numbers keep moving in the wrong direction.

[Geoff]

Vermont can change the rules as appropriate. If they start seeing ski resort-related outbreaks, they can tighten quarantine compliance declarations and adopt stiff fines. If it’s $500/day like some other states have adopted with $20k fines for house parties exceeding the limit, an awful lot of people will opt out. I’m pretty confident that Killington can operate safely. I’m dubious about what happens after the lifts stop spinning with alcohol and people who ignore quarantine requirements without masks.

[boston_e]

I’m dubious about what happens after the lifts stop spinning with alcohol and people who ignore quarantine requirements without masks.

I agree this is probably the bigger concern for sure.

[Guy in Shorts]

I’m dubious about what happens after the lifts stop spinning with alcohol and people who ignore quarantine requirements without masks.

I agree this is probably the bigger concern for sure.

The bull in the china shop for sure.

[fdskier56]

New VT state rules for all

No more county maps

Quarantine for all


https://accd.vermont.gov/covid-19/resta ... ate-travel

[noknees]

Wow....no more travel to VT. Need to be up there for 14 days to ski for a weekend? How is K going to operate with that requirement.

[TheLurker]

Sounds like we can still quarantine at home.

Residents of other states must adhere to the quarantine guidelines:
Travelers arriving to Vermont in a personal vehicle must complete either a 14-day quarantine or a 7-day quarantine followed by a negative test in their home state and enter Vermont without further quarantine restrictions.

[Jonathan S.]

This "change":
"Due to rising COVID-19 case counts across the Northeast, effective on November 10, 2020, the State of Vermont has suspended its leisure travel map and implemented a mandatory quarantine for anyone returning or traveling to Vermont."

... is unintentionally hilarious in two ways:

1. Of the total population, 83% of residents live in counties that now do not meet the prior VT criteria for quarantine-free travel to VT. Yes, same old punchline as before: that's 83% of *VERMONT* residents who would not be allowed to travel to themselves were the rule applied consistently (i.e., as opposed to xenophobically and hypocritically).

2. Already 99.98% of the U.S. population outside of VT was restricted from quarantine-free leisure travel to VT, so the only impact of the change is for residents of the two counties of -- drum roll please -- Fulton NY & Aroostock ME.

[easyrider16]

Also looks like VT is taking a page out of Maine's playbook and using plainclothes investigators at popular tourist areas to verify compliance.

https://www.wcvb.com/article/vermont-co ... 84?src=app

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[Mistergiff]

Also looks like VT is taking a page out of Maine's playbook and using plainclothes investigators at popular tourist areas to verify compliance.

https://www.wcvb.com/article/vermont-co ... 84?src=app

Sent from my VS995 using Tapatalk

This could get interesting. There's no way they outlay the cash for snowmaking in this environment. Its a lose lose situation. First ski resorts to announce they will not open? My guess goes to Vail's trifecta: Mt. Snow, Okemo, and Stowe. They've got the cash to afford to wait it out. That's exactly what they did in Australia when the State of Victoria announced similar travel restrictions.

[snoloco]

This is a major blow for Vermont's ski industry. With the travel map, it was rarely enforced, but it seems the state is stepping up enforcement by a lot. They still aren't going to give out fines to individuals. I think it is more likely to be for businesses that don't enforce it themselves. This is really a sh*t move for the state to rely on private businesses to enforce a rule that they made. If people are willing to lie, they should still be able to get around the restrictions because with the home state quarantine loophole, it is completely unenforceable. If that loophole is removed, border checkpoints are instituted, and fines are given out, then I think that would be a major deterrent.

I don't think there's going to be any change to the travel restrictions except to tighten them further. The governor always blames travel for covid in Vermont, even though the facts just don't line up. This is the state's seasonal low for travel, yet there are the highest covid cases. Why wouldn't this increase have happened in peak travel season if a majority of the cases in Vermont were linked to tourism?

As for resort operations, I'm sure all Vermont ski resorts are planning to further reduce operations, and even making contingency plans for a complete shutdown, if they weren't already doing so after the last update. After the last update, it already cemented that nobody was making money this winter as it restricted capacity and forced resorts to incur additional expenses for cleaning and contact tracing. As restrictions continue to tighten, it may eventually be the case that resorts lose less money being closed than open. At that point, the only reason a resort would be open is for goodwill for locals and passholders. I don't see that as a likely scenario for the large resorts because they would already be under scrutiny for attracting travelers to the state. Closing the resort removes the incentive for most people to travel. In Victoria, Australia, Vail shut down their two resorts after the major population center was prohibited from traveling. It's the same scenario in Vermont, except that Vermont is not locking down, rather they are locking out. However, other ski resorts in Victoria stayed open for about another month until additional restrictions forced their closure.

[iRock]

Also looks like VT is taking a page out of Maine's playbook and using plainclothes investigators at popular tourist areas to verify compliance.

https://www.wcvb.com/article/vermont-co ... 84?src=app

Sent from my VS995 using Tapatalk

This could get interesting. There's no way they outlay the cash for snowmaking in this environment. Its a lose lose situation. First ski resorts to announce they will not open? My guess goes to Vail's trifecta: Mt. Snow, Okemo, and Stowe. They've got the cash to afford to wait it out. That's exactly what they did in Australia when the State of Victoria announced similar travel restrictions.

Altera has delayed openings at Winter Park and Solitude. Steamboat is still planning on opening on the 21st, so kinda an early player for Altera. Oddly enough Sugarbush made snow in the cold snap but Stratton did not.

As much sh*t as Vail gets they got Keystone open and by all accounts it's been smooth and they even opened up some more reservations for the early season. Breckenridge opens Friday.