Ski resorts throughout the Tahoe Sierra are getting ready for the 2020-21 winter ski season. While all regional resorts will be open for skiing and riding, the season will look different with face mask requirements in place at all local ski areas along with other pandemic safety protocols in place. Some ski areas will require reservations to access the mountain, while others will only require reservations for lessons and rentals. Walk-up day tickets, however, will be limited or not offered at all at nearly all of the ski areas.
Along with other planned improvements in snow making at several local ski resorts, many have also put touchless systems in place for ticket and food purchases, and increased the use of RFID lift tickets, or radio-frequency identification tickets, for gate access.
Most resorts will also be following the National Ski Area Associations’ guidelines through its Ski Well, Be Well program. The program emphasis that ski areas already offer open space for outdoor access, guests already wear gear that includes face coverings, neck gaiters, googles and gloves, and stresses long-standing ski etiquette for distancing for safe skiing and riding, among other measures.
For loading the chair, most resorts are asking that guests self-group with their party and load together. High-capacity lifts and closed cabins will be loaded to comply with physical distancing requirements. The most important thing, say resort representatives, is to prepare in advance for tickets, lessons, gear and food before visiting.
North Tahoe and Truckee area ski resorts laid out what the winter will look like at the North Lake Tahoe Resort Association’s Ski Season Roundtable on Sept. 17. Other regional ski areas have also announced plans for the season. Here’s a look at what to expect from some local resorts.
Auburn Ski Club
Opening TBD
Auburn Ski Club Training Center is echoing what other ski areas are doing for the winter 2020-21 season with an emphasis of visitor and staff safety.
“The key to getting on snow is controlling our capacity,” ASC announced in a press release. “ Athletic programs and access to the Training Center will be tightly scheduled and staggered to maintain distancing and stay within capacity limits.”
Guests need to plan on using their car for equipment storage and getting ready to go out on the trails. Indoor areas will be limited or closed depending on local guidelines and The Green Building will be used as a warming hut. Restrooms will be available in the maintenance shop and indoors as restrictions allow.
Cross-country season trail passes will be blacked-out at times or have scheduling restrictions according to trail capacity. Trail capacity will be gauged by team schedules and total groomed kilometers. A black-out calendar will be available online. | asctrainingcenter.org
Boreal & Soda Springs
Boreal opens Nov. 23 | Soda Springs TBD
Boreal and Soda Springs will focus on opening safe and maintain safety protocols throughout the season to stay open, said Amy Ohran, general manager and president. Boreal, which is typically one of the first to open for the season, and Soda Springs will open the third week in November to ensure there is adequate terrain for distancing. | rideboreal.com, skisodasprings.com
- Reduced day-use capacity
- Phased day ticket model where guests will choose a start time
- Season passes sales reduced
- No reservations for passholders
- Expanded use of RFID tickets
- Will start with private lessons only and evaluate later
Diamond Peak
Opens Dec. 10
Diamond Peak will not require reservations for its passholders, but it is capping season pass sales like most ski areas. The resort will also offer some limited indoor dining using a reservation system. | diamondpeak.com
- Expanding seating for dining on the snow
- Touchless system with all sales through the website
- Modified group lessons with smaller groups
- More private and family-style lessons with new offerings for ages 3 to 6
Granlibakken
Opening TBD
Granlibakken, one of the region’s favorite spots for sledding, will be limiting the number of people on its sled hill and will likely use a reservation system. It will also push all tickets sales through its website. | granlibakken.com
- No indoor dining in the ski lodge
- Expanding outdoor dining with outdoor food options
Homewood Mountain Resort
Opens Dec. 11
Homewood will be reducing its season pass sales by 25 percent and reducing on-mountain capacity by the day and there will be no in-person interactions. Guests area encouraged to use their car as their lodge.
Upgrades include RFID lift ticketing and scanning, and refurbishment of the popular Ellis chairlift. The resort has also committed to reducing skier visits and has capped season pass sales. Investments in new RFID technology will allow for seamless lift access, easy reloading of lift tickets online and kiosks for contactless lift ticket pick-up.
The first phase of the Ellis chairlift refurbishment project, completed before the 2020-21 season, will reduce ride time by nearly 4 minutes, providing access to popular intermediate and advanced terrain.
When purchasing a lift ticket this season, guests will also be required to reserve a parking space. This will help facilitate reduced on-mountain capacity. Season passholders won’t need to make a parking reservation to park at the resort. As well, all lift tickets sales will be capped each day throughout the season and lift tickets will not be available for purchase at the resort.
To start the season, only private lessons will be offered by advance reservation only. Equipment rentals will also be available with advance online reservation. All rentals will be pre-teched for each guest prior to pick-up, and indoor capacity will be limited in the rental shop.
Skiers and riders will also be asked to self-group and ride lifts only with those they arrived with, and indoor dining will be limited with hot food and grab-and-go options available through online ordering. | skihomewood.com
Heavenly Mountain Resort
Opens Nov. 20
Heavenly Mountain Resort has announced plans to open on Friday, Nov. 20, with a focus on the pass holder early-season experience. For the first time in more than a decade, the resort will open with skiing and riding on the California side of the resort, including the iconic Ridge Run, according to a press release.
A revised opening approach will provide passholders with more early-season skiable terrain – and the ability to open additional terrain faster, as well as free and convenient parking in the California Lodge Base area. Heavenly plans to have beginner and intermediate trails open for skiing and snowboarding available via the Gunbarrel Express, Powderbowl Express, Canyon Express and Patsy’s chairlifts. Vail Resorts will not begin selling daily lift tickets until Dec. 8.
The plan for Heavenly’s opening includes green trails Patsy’s and Maggie’s and the blue trail Ridge Run, which is a favorite for its sweeping views of Lake Tahoe. While there will be no skiing or riding access available in the early season from the Heavenly Gondola, the gondola will be open for sightseeing access.
Complimentary shuttles will run between the Heavenly Village Base Area and California Lodge Base Area. The resort plans to open for skiing and riding from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and operate sightseeing from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. | skiheavenly.com
Kirkwood Mountain Resort
Opens Dec. 4
Vail Resorts CEO Rob Katz announced on Aug. 27 that the company will require guests to wear face coverings to get on the mountain and in all parts of resort operations, including in lift lines and riding in lifts and gondolas.
Other requirements will include maintaining physical distancing on chairlifts and gondolas, including restrictions or reductions in the number of people on lifts. Ski schools will be open as will on-mountain dining, but with changes to help keep guests safe. As well, there will be a mountain access reservation system and limits on lift tickets to prioritize passholders. | kirkwood.com
Mount Rose
Opens when conditions permit
Usually the first ski resort to open in the Tahoe Sierra, Mount Rose is taking a different approach this season and will be opening the top first when conditions permit and offering a number of ways to reach the bottom to spread out its visitors, says marketing director Mike Pierce. As well, the resort has increased its snow making and improved snowmaking storage. | skirose.com
- Opening first to passholders only
- Season pass sales will be capped
- Advance reservations only for day tickets
Northstar
Opens Nov. 20
“We’ll be more focused on the core of our business, which is skiing and riding,” says Deirdra Walsh, vice president and general manager. Restrictions will also be consistent at all Vail resorts, she said, which include Kirkwood and Heavenly in the Tahoe Sierra. | northstarcalifornia.com
- Passholder access only from opening day on Nov. 20 to Dec. 7
- Face masks required for all guests and employees indoors and outdoors.
- A reservations system will be required for all guests
- No in-person ticket sales. All sales will be online only
- Ski and ride school will be open
- Limiting indoor dining with a focus on to-go food
- Free parking at Village View and Castle Peak lots
Royal Gorge
Opening TBD
Royal Gorge, as with other local ski areas, will be modifying its operations to adhere to restrictions caused by the pandemic including requiring face coverings indoors at all times and outdoors when guests or staff are within 6 feet of others.
As well, advanced purchases for trail passes, lessons and rentals will be required and trail passes will be available at the beginning of November. Indoor access will be limited, with the Summit Station Lodge available for warming zone access only, limited to 15-minute increments. Guests will not be able to come indoors to get ready for the trails or leave bags inside. Portable restrooms will be set up outdoors. All food & beverage service will be grab & go, with no inside seating available. | royalgorge.com
Sierra-at-Tahoe
Opening TBD
Sierra-at-Tahoe has announced that it doesn’t plan on using a reservation system for its season passholders. And, guests will not be required to ride a chairlift with people they do not know and will be asked to self-group with members of their party.
Face coverings will be required in all indoor spaces, the base area, when loading/unloading a lift, as well as whenever physical distancing cannot be achieved. | sierraattahoe.com
- Daily staff wellness checks
- Lodge capacity will be limited
- Restaurants redesigned for grab and go options with limited seating available
Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows
Opens Nov. 25
Squaw Valley president and CEO Ron Cohen said that the resort will be tightly controlling all advance tickets sales and has temporarily suspending all walk-up tickets, but that the resort will not require reservations for passholders. Mountaineer transit will also be operating this season. | squawalpine.com
Sugar Bowl
Opens Nov. 27
Sugar Bowl, which has temporarily halted its season pass sales for the season, may reopen sales if COVID restrictions are lifted in the future, says Jon Slaughter, marketing and sales manager. The resort is also encouraging guests to “use your car as your base lodge,” he said. | sugarbowl.com
- No reservations for passholders
- Reservations will be required for day lift tickets, lessons and rentals
- No walk-up ticket sales
- No indoor dining, to-go only offerings
- Indoor spaces will be set up as warming zones
- Expanded RFID gates
Tahoe City Winter Sports Park
Opens Nov. 27
The Tahoe City Winter Sports Park will be operating this season by reservation only for ice skating, sledding and cross county and snowshoe rentals. | tcpud.org
Tahoe Cross Country
Opening TBD
The cross-country center will offer online daily ticket sales and outside ticket sales, but no indoor offerings will be available. Skiers should arrive prepared to ski as there will be no areas available to change or put on gear indoors. | tahoexc.org
- Trail ambassadors will monitor trails use and access, and offer public education
- Limited touch rental procedures in place
- Outdoor facility available for rentals
- Food options will be available; but seating outside or in cars only
- Nordic ski swap tentatively scheduled for Nov. 14
Tahoe Donner
Cross County Nov. 27 | Downhill Dec. 11
Tahoe Donner Cross Country is working to providing snowmaking at the center for the 2020-21 season, said general manager David Mickaelian. | tahoedonner.com
- Online tickets sales in place
- Limited indoor dining with preorder food options
- Private lessons; group lessons not likely
- Provide on-mountain picnic experience
