Skiing has been a popular winter pastime in Idaho for over 80 years, beginning with the opening of Sun Valley near Ketchum. With the pandemic looming and cold weather rolling in quickly, people are still looking for a way to go outdoors where social distancing is easier.
Here is a quick guide to five of Idaho’s ski areas, showing a summary of what their COVID-19 safety guidelines will be for the winter season.
Schweitzer Mountain Resort
Full day ticket: $89-$95 | Season pass: $599-$1,199
According to their website, Schweitzer Mountain Resort is open for regular operations with several COVID-19 regulations in place. These include social distancing, implementing contactless service wherever possible, requiring face coverings in all indoor and outdoor spaces as well as sometimes using temperature scans.
For lodging, the number of guests allowed will be limited, and there will be increased housekeeping.
Skiers in the lift line will be required to wear face coverings, maintain social distancing as best as possible and go through a controlled entry point.
Tom Chasse, chief executive officer and president of the resort, stated in an announcement he expected around 800 passholders during the passholder “Sneak Peak” weekend the resort hosted, but was surprised with 1,700 which forced the resort to make further COVID-19 accommodations.
“If these additional protocols come up short, our only recourse will be to cease daily operations until we get more lifts and terrain open to spread out the demand,” Chasse stated. “We take this seriously and hope that each of you will too and support our efforts to continue uninterrupted daily operations.”
Lookout Pass Ski & Recreation Area
Full day ticket: $46-$57 | Season pass: $139-$449
According to their website, Lookout Pass is open for regular operations with COVID-19 guidelines and regulations in place. These include requiring masks indoors and outdoors where people gather, maintaining social distancing, staying home if sick or are having symptoms and limited access to indoor spaces.
Lookout Pass warns their customers they may need to limit access during peak weekends and holidays. In the event of that happening, they will open on a first-come first-serve basis.
The recreational area is also suspending many of their events which usually gather a crowd.
“We will be enjoying the slopes but our fun events, which usually result in a crowd or gathering to watch (like pond skimming, the Cardboard Box Derby & our Easter Egg Hunt) will unfortunately not likely take place this winter,” the Lookout Pass website stated. “These will be back on the schedule for next spring.”
Brundage Mountain
Full day ticket: $78-$86 | Season pass: $329-$649 (sold out)
According to their website, Brundage Mountain will be open for regular operations with COVID-19 guidelines in place, including social distancing, cashless transactions, requiring masks in all indoor areas, lift lines, mazes, outdoor patios and ticket lines.
Cloth masks with at least two layers, disposable masks with three layers or gaiters with two layers are the types of masks Brundage will be allowing. Masks must completely cover the nose and mouth securely.
Guests will be unable to remain indoors for long periods of time to “hang out,” and no personal belongings will be allowed into the lodge. Guest Wi-Fi will also be unavailable from inside the lodge, because it will be directed to outdoor areas instead.
Ken Rider, Brundage general manager, stated in an announcement that due to the current regulations guests will be spending most of their time outdoors.
“Guests should be prepared for weather and conditions that can change rapidly,” Rider stated. “Guests should always be prepared with the appropriate clothing and gear, including face coverings, that can be worn in required areas. And above all else, guests must stay home when you are sick.”
Bogus Basin
Full day ticket: $69 | Season pass: $299-$419
According to their website, Bogus Basin will be open for regular operations with COVID-19 guidelines like social distancing, requiring masks, frequent handwashing and asking guests to consider their vehicles the “base lodge.”
Bogus Basin will be requiring masks everywhere except when eating or drinking and when physically distanced on the slopes. Their COVID-19 website states masks with vents or holes, mesh masks and face shields do not count as an acceptable face coverings.
Access to the lodge will be limited to takeout food and beverage, restrooms and briefly warming up. There will be heated outdoor tents where guests will be able to eat and warm up as well.
According to a press release, Bogus Basin has enough snow to operate all 10 lifts.
Sun Valley Resort
Full day ticket: $59-$175 | Season pass: $599-$2,489
According to their website, Sun Valley Resort will be open with COVID-19 guidelines in place, like social distancing, requiring face coverings, asking guests to frequently wash or sanitize their hands and enforcing occupancy limits in some buildings.
Guests will be required to use hand sanitizer upon entry of any building. Sanitizing high contact surfaces like elevators, ticketing areas, ATMs, public restrooms and seating areas has been increased.
“Our properties use cleaning products and protocols that meet EPA and CDC guidelines, such as eMist electrostatic disinfectant sprayers,” the Sun Valley COVID-19 safety website stated. “These protocols are approved for the treatment of and are effective against viruses, bacteria and other airborne and bloodborne pathogens.”
Sun Valley does not have any plans to implement a reservation system or limit visitation for passholders, but if the situation requires they will manage peak access through lift ticket restrictions.
The resort’s Mindfulness in the Mountains campaign encourages guests to follow COVID-19 safety guidelines, learning things like proper trail etiquette before heading out and asks that guests remember to be a good steward.
Anteia McCollum can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @antxiam5.