Colorado Wolf Creek Wants to Reopen

[PlainsSkier]

Based on what WC was planning, the chance of any kind of outbreak stemming from it would have been slim. It is safe to be outdoors and they had a plan to limit crowding. This did spread in ski communities early on but crowded indoor areas are what this virus likes and WC was going to avoid that. Shame they can't give it a go.

 

[Ski&ride]

Testing workers could prevent infecting guests. I would worry more about guests infecting workers if I sat on any of those county commissions.

That’s kind of my thinking. The workers will have elevated risk due to increased interaction with incoming guests (assuming further relaxation of travel restrictions).

And yes, you’re totally right. The worry is the workers, once infected, will spread the virus within the community.

Testing workers at some random sampling fashion will allow the county to catch that potential spread earlier than just passively waiting for one (or more) of the scores of infected to be sick enough to go to the hospital.

That’s the same rational behind frequent testing of medical professional. To prevent them becoming a vector.

Mind you, that’s not just for ski resorts. Colorado (and other states doing gradual opening) should be randomly sampling the “front line workers” for viruses. We now KNOW infected patients are infectious BEFORE they show symptoms (or even without showing symptoms). This business of WAITING for people to be sick enough to come to the hospital is just so... behind the time!

 

[Ken_R]

Not if there’s still a travel restrictions. There will be ZERO caravans.

That’s what the owner of WC want the governor to lift, which was answered with a categoric “NO”.

So far, most of the decisions to “open” appears to base SOLELY on the local case number. But with long distance travel, that case number can explode quickly.

Unless there’s a change on the testing protocol (e.g. random sampling of workers in business that are open, instead of wait till they show symptoms), we’re heading right back to the same dark area we were in early March!

Namely, we’ll have spread of the virus undetected for many weeks, multiplying exponentially. Then scramble to contain it with wide area across the board lockdown again!

Yep, testing should be ramped otherwise nothing changes

 

[martyg]

I've given up. No more lift served skiing likely for me. I'd been thinking about a summer trip to NZ for the Rookie Academy, but I seriously doubt that it will be feasible. While NZ is planning to open the ski fields for skiing, it also appears they are going to require inbound travelers to quarantine for 14 days before entering the population. That makes it pretty unattractive...

And with Colorado's Safer at Home restrictions to recreating within 10 miles of your home, it isn't likely that there will be any skinning in my near future either.

Mike

Hood is considering opening in July. Lots of great camps to take advantage of. One public lane. Cool scene there in summer.

 

[Ski&ride]

Yep, testing should be ramped otherwise nothing changes

And we’re just sitting here WAITING for the inevitable second wave!

There’s now sufficient testing CAPABILITY, at least in some places. But I don’t see much news on how the testing protocol changes.

It still looks like you only get tested if you have symptoms. That just flies in the face of our knowledge of the virus, that it spreads even WITHOUT symptoms!

 

[OldJarhead]

I've given up. No more lift served skiing likely for me. I'd been thinking about a summer trip to NZ for the Rookie Academy, but I seriously doubt that it will be feasible. While NZ is planning to open the ski fields for skiing, it also appears they are going to require inbound travelers to quarantine for 14 days before entering the population. That makes it pretty unattractive...

And with Colorado's Safer at Home restrictions to recreating within 10 miles of your home, it isn't likely that there will be any skinning in my near future either.

Mike

I can not imagine NZ letting people from other countries coming into NZ for recreational reasons. They are VERY proud of how they have handled the Virus. Personally I don't want Texans traipsing through NM to get to WC. NM has done a lot to keep the virus low. I am not too big on risking my life to ski. Then you have the "citizens from -icigan or any other state who don't care about anything but their right to make it possible for others to get sick.

 

[Ski&ride]

I can not imagine NZ letting people from other countries coming into NZ for recreational reasons. They are VERY proud of how they have handled the Virus. Personally I don't want Texans traipsing through NM to get to WC. NM has done a lot to keep the virus low. I am not too big on risking my life to ski. Then you have the "citizens from -icigan or any other state who don't care about anything but their right to make it possible for others to get sick.

On the other hand, if you can stomach the 14 day quarantine, you’ll be perfectly safe in NZ.

Think about it, spend a season in NZ. What’s 14 days if you get to ski your heart out! No worry about getting the virus. Small price to pay!

In fact, if I were a “vulnerable” NZ citizen living overseas, no longer working but have sufficient funds, I’d hunt down some N95 mask and face shield, buy a ticket to NZ!

 

[Itinerant skier]

I realize this will make me unpopular, but if WC had the written approval of the health department they should consider going to court. They would likely lose, the courts are being very deferential to the states police powers. It would force though a public discussion both of the science involved, and the issue of local control. I am reasonably sure that the San Juan Basin Public Health folks know more about their local testing situation, hospital capacity and likelihood of the ski resort adhering to the plan than anyone on Polis's staff in Denver.

 

[Ken_R]

And we’re just sitting here WAITING for the inevitable second wave!

There’s now sufficient testing CAPABILITY, at least in some places. But I don’t see much news on how the testing protocol changes.

It still looks like you only get tested if you have symptoms. That just flies in the face of our knowledge of the virus, that it spreads even WITHOUT symptoms!

No, you can get tested regardless. At least in private labs.

 

[Ski&ride]

It would force though a public discussion both of the science involved, and the issue of local control.

That’s your interest.

But perhaps WC is only interested in running a ski resort? Not a political campaign.

 

[Itinerant skier]

That’s your interest.

But perhaps WC is only interested in running a ski resort? Not a political campaign.

And if they don't go to court, the chance of them doing so is zero.

 

[Ski&ride]

And if they don't go to court, the chance of them doing so is zero.

But that’s a different objective than yours:

It would force though a public discussion both of the science involved, and the issue of local control.

Maybe they don’t care enough to spend the money on lawyers “to force through a public discussion”?

Perhaps you can help them out to cover some of their cost?

 

[Itinerant skier]

Maybe they don’t care enough to spend the money on lawyers?

Perhaps you can help them out to cover some of their cost?

I would certainly throw some money that way and I imagine others would too.

 

[Ski&ride]

I would certainly throw some money that way and I imagine others would too.

You know, you can start a “go fund me” page on their behave...

 

[Itinerant skier]

You know, you can start a “go fund me” page on their behave...

Should they (or any other resort wil local gov approval) initiate legal action, I will do just that!

 

[Ski&ride]

Should they (or any other resort wil local gov approval) initiate legal action, I will do just that!

Chicken and egg.

Why would they front the legal expense to further other people’s political objectives?

It’s not entirely clear they can make money even if they’re allowed to open. So to throw money on legal challenge is risky on the business front. To do so on political ground would only make sense if ALL the owners are politically motivated and willing to risk their own money on such “principle”.

But they might possibly do that if people are willing to put their money forward and use the ski area as an excuse to initiate the challenge.

That clearly isn’t you.

 

[Itinerant skier]

Chicken and egg.

Why would they front the legal expense to further other people’s political objectives?

It’s not entirely clear they can make money even if they’re allowed to open. So to throw money on legal challenge is risky on the business front. To do so on political ground would only make sense if ALL the owners are politically motivated and willing to risk their own money on such “principle”.

But they might possibly do that if people are willing to put their money forward and use the ski area as an excuse to initiate the challenge.

That clearly isn’t you.

Utter nonsense. Fundraising for someone without their consent is poor form.

 

[Ski&ride]

Utter nonsense. Fundraising for someone without their consent is poor form.

The nonsense is your suggestion they “should” go to court for a political objective, expecting them to fight your battle.

Talk about bad form.

 

[Pat AKA mustski]

If WC opens the caravan of cars from the front range will be humongous.

Not if it's by reservation and the skiers are given appointment times for arrival. That has actually worked really well for Baldy and it's fed by Los Angeles, San Diego, the OC, the Inland Empire. Overall, a much higher population than the front range.

Who is the pass holder base for WC? Locals?
From the article:
No more than 500 passholders. Day tickets are capped at 120. All skiers need to make online reservations 24-hours in advance to secure their spot on the hill.

This is a pretty high number to allow for good social distancing in the parking area. Do they have a giant parking area? Do they have multiple lifts in the base area. Even if they only allow so many to arrive per hour - figuring 8-noon as the starting times, that's a lot of people in the base area at one time. Baldy has only been allowing 4 appointments for each 10 minute period -so 24 an hour.

The health risk would be to the employees. If there is no lodging available in the area, it will be just day trippers so no overload to the local medical units.

 

[Itinerant skier]

The nonsense is your suggestion they “should” go to court for a political objective, expecting them to fight your battle.

Talk about bad form.

My battle? It's their livelihood that's been taken away needlessly. I fully expected hostility, but your responses are just bizarre. You're free to sit by and let that happen, I won't try and stop you.