PRESS RELEASE: Vail ResortsGet ready, it's the news many have been waiting for - Whistler will be opening up for the summer season on June 29th according to the below press release issued today. This is subject to provincial alignment and progress toward the BC Restart Plan, Phase 3. The resort shared operating plans, as well as its commitment to safety, amid the COVID-19 pandemic. It will open with a limited summer footprint focusing on sightseeing and mountain biking. The Whistler Village Gondola, Peak 2 Peak Gondola, and Blackcomb Gondola will bring hikers and sightseeing guests up the mountains, and the Whistler Mountain Bike Park will open with the Fitz and Garbanzo zones. Grab ‘n’ go food options will also be available at the Rendezvous, Garbanzo Bike and Bean, and the Roundhouse Lodge.
As a part of Vail Resorts’ commitment to safety, the Company is establishing certain guidelines across all of its resorts and properties in North America, which include physical distancing protocols, face-covering requirements, enhanced cleaning measures, employee health screenings and safety training, cashless transactions, and revisions to regularly offered programs and services. Each resort and property have enacted a unique operating plan that aligns with these guidelines and was developed in consultation with state and local health officials. Similar to the Skier Responsibility Code, Vail Resorts asks guests and employees to take on a new level of personal accountability to ensure the safety of its mountain communities.
“Whistler is a special place for all of British Columbia and we are excited to welcome guests back to our community, to the mountains and lifestyle we are known for around the world,” said Geoff Buchheister, Whistler Blackcomb chief operating officer. “We are lucky this environment lends itself to physical distancing, so we can enjoy a safe, healthy space to recreate, but we also do know we must proceed with caution. This resort is very proud to be a part of a province that has succeeded so thoroughly in flattening its COVID-19 curve. We ask our guests to continue to be vigilant and to ensure the experience is safe for every guest and employee by following all of our new guidelines. As summer progresses, we look forward to being able to safely open more activities on the mountain.”
Vail Resorts' Commitment to Safety:Vail Resorts has reimagined the resort experience to further prioritize the health and safety of its employees and guests in response to COVID-19. In addition to complying with local orders, the Company is enforcing its own safety measures to ensure everyone is able to enjoy the mountains this summer. Safety has always been one of the Company’s core values and the new procedures and protocols being implemented have the safety of employees, guests, and communities in mind. Protocols include:
Physical Distancing:• On mountain, the resorts’ vast outdoor settings make physical distancing easy. But in the base areas, and other locations where it is more difficult to do so, we will have signage and decals to ensure guests remain six feet (two meters) apart.
• Guests will be required to wear face coverings in certain areas. This includes in lines, when loading and unloading chairlifts, when loading and riding in gondolas or bubble chairs, on activities such as an alpine slide or mountain coaster, and in indoor resort facilities. Guests are strongly encouraged to bring their own face coverings, but resorts will have them available upon request, subject to availability. Employees will be required to wear face coverings at all times.
• Plexiglass barriers have been installed in areas where physical distancing measures are not possible, including at points of purchase.
• Capacity of lifts and gondolas will be reduced to allow for physical distancing. Guests will only be allowed on lifts and gondolas with travelers in their party.
• Employees may limit the number of guests in any area of the resort to ensure proper physical distancing (e.g. indoor spaces, parking lots, common spaces, etc.).
Employee Protocols & Training:• All employees are required to wear a face-covering and follow the Company’s safety protocols and procedures at all times, including regular hand washing and use of PPG.
• Employees will undergo daily health screenings and receive appropriate training to ensure safety.
• Employees are required to stay home if sick.
Guest Expectations:•Guests are asked to stay home if they are sick or experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19.
•Guests will be required to wear face coverings in certain areas. This includes in lines, when loading and unloading chairlifts, when loading and riding in gondolas or bubble chairs, on activities such as an alpine slide or mountain coaster, and in indoor resort facilities. Guests are strongly encouraged to bring their own face coverings, but resorts will have them available upon request, subject to availability. Guests who are unwilling to comply with this safety requirement will not be permitted to participate in the experience.
•All guests are expected to comply with physical distancing guidelines outlined by public health as well as resort signage or as directed by resort employees.
Enhanced Cleaning & Sanitization: • High-touch surfaces will be frequently cleaned and disinfected with EPA-approved products that kill the COVID-19 virus.
• Enhanced cleaning and disinfecting will take place daily in our gondola cabins, frequently throughout the day in our public restrooms and after each use on our alpine slide and mountain coaster carts.
• Hand sanitizing stations will be provided throughout the resort. Frequent handwashing is required of employees.
• All transactions for lift and gondola rides, mountain activities, on-mountain dining as well as at the Company’s lodging, retail and rental outlets will be cashless.
Hospitality & Lodging:• Guests will be asked to maintain physical distancing guidelines and use face coverings when in common areas.
• One guest per family will be allowed to enter the lobby for check-in/out.
• Credit/debit card transactions will be encouraged.
• Room keys will be cleaned and disinfected before they are placed into guest packets.
Dining Facilities: • To ensure physical distancing, dining facilities will run at reduced capacity with updated floor plans in common areas. Outdoor seating will be available.
• On-mountain dining will only offer grab ‘n go food and all transactions will be cashless.
Vail Resorts will continue to review and update our policies to adhere to the most up-to-date practices to keep employees and guests safe. Opening dates and activities at Vail Resorts’ other North American resorts can be found
here.
Can you imagine the lines otherwise? They're going to be awful regardless!
Will be interesting to see how much bike-park traffic is down this summer with a Canadians-only (at least partial) season.
We’re just a couple hours from great riding in BC, and usually make a couple trips up there every summer, and were planning a Whistler trip too.
Still, this would be a great summer to explore some riding on the East side of the Cascades, and Bellingham, that I keep meaning to get to but still haven’t.
Not sure I completely agree with the second part of that statement. Although WA started with the issue, we quickly went into lockdown. I've been lucky enough to work from home since this all started. The state quickly moved down in the list and has some of the most stringent rules in the US IMO. As far as the MTB community, not sure which one you're implying is handling it poorly. I'm sure there are many groups of riders that don't give AF, but from what I've seen, the majority of riders are and have been respecting other people when it comes to the trails and gatherings. Could just be the places I roll though.
From www.cbc.ca/news/politics/border-covid-extension-july-1.5613854
Can't see coming to whistler and waiting 14 days to ride blue and green.
They should use orange fake tan on any Mericans coming in so we can spot them.
Great post, and I totally agree. Can't stand to see these nationalistic posts against fellow riders. We get plenty of Canadians (mostly from BC) heading south to ride our trails here in Oregon. I've been more than happy to show them around the trails and give them advice on places to camp and eat.
I don't see that changing once the pandemic is over, but I hope these few Canadians that are bashing US riders choose to keep their poor attitudes north of the border rather than heading south in the winter to ride in Oregon, California, Moab, Sedona etc....
@Mac1987 - exactly. I have been to Whistler 6 times and looking forward to the next. Jaydawg69 provides further proof there great people and a*sholes in every country. Cheers man
Like it or not, it’s very likely the boarder will open before the season ends.
www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection/latest-travel-health-advice.html
While I agree that its too early to let international travellers just yet, this is not an attack on you personally or the people of the United States.
Skirting the rules is what it looks like. You are NOT allowed to cross the border and it's not going to be September.
"Canadian border is open to US residents if you travel by air - just closed to driving traffic unless you're essential...."
Again, NOTHING I was trying to do was shady, sketchy etc. according to the information I was given at that time. Therefore my reply. Upon further investigation I did learn the full extent of the travel restrictions. Any other ignorance you care to spew for everyone to see? What the f*ck is your problem?
Hopefully y’all are better than that...
Edit: www.whistlerblackcomb.com/explore-the-resort/about-the-resort/commitment-to-safety.aspx
They allude to the "blues only" thing there, slowly opening terrain based on agreement with province as things develop. Makes total sense. Also looks like they will be selling day tickets on site, kind of surprised at that.
We made the decision to open the bike park to provide a safe, well-manicured environment for mountain bikers from the surrounding area to continue enjoying the sport. Working within the guidelines provided by the provincial health authority, in consultation local and provincial leaders, we determined the best route forward is to open slowly with the aim of adding more trails as the province eases toward reopening.
Plan was moving there for the Summer... so much for that. Hope I even just get to make it at some point now...
Yeah My wife, dog, and I were supposed to go back in May until October but ever month it seems to get pushed back. Just Praying we get to go at all this season now!
And the bike park nearest to us in CO is vail owned unfortunately and zero word from them about anything..
Theres an old Squamish bumper sticker that says “Whistler is that way ???????? “. (Except middle finger)
We all miss travelling. July long weekend windsurf in Hood River used to be a staple of ours.
Dont be an ahole, taking advantage of a loophole is as bad as being a trail poacher... You dont want to be that guy.
Also , they are cracking down on this very problem as we speak.Those who thought they were being clever will most likely get banned from entering our country for life now.
Those lift lines are going to be visible from space, even before the borders open. Is it really true they're only allowing 60 people in the lift line at any given time vs 2-300? The lift line is just going to wrap around the village and further increase congestion.
Be sure we gonna pay $850 for this half season, lol. So sad i can go back to France/Switzerland for vacation the season pass is $350 for 6 bikeparks.
From the perspective of the company, they always been, and will be (at least on paper) following the protocol outlines by the federal and provincial government, as well as the CDC. Ultimately they have a business to run, which in turn employs people who require an income to survive.
From the perspective of the economy, the food and entertainment industry makes up a very large portion of the economy. Businesses like Vail pay large sums of taxes, as do their employees and customers. With the added financial support from the government during covid, the government will be looking to replenish that storage. Who will be paying this? You and I (as canadian citizens)
Ultimately there needs to be a balance between public safety, and support of local economys.
Because without one, you can't have the other.
They have put protocols in place to support public safety, and we just need to follow the rules.
I for one would ride in a hazmat suit, followed by a shawshank style delousing if I had to.
PLEASE READ LINE #2 and #3 AGAIN....
It seems like it is not ready to be opened.......
Asking for a friend.
Imagine the guy next to you in line has COVID. If he's breathing (or coughing) in your direction without a mask, he's sharing a much higher dose of the virus than if he's breathing in your direction with a mask.
You're right about needing to clean/replace masks to protect yourself from the virus, but if you're trying to create an environment where people are less likely to expel the virus and share it with others, contaminated vs. clean masks don't make nearly as much of a difference.
Hopefully they have cheap disposable masks available for riders who lose theirs. Standard disposable non-N95 masks seem to be pretty readily available now.
I will NOT be spending my money at any place that requires face masks or social distancing bullshit. If people actually were aware of the 99.75% survival rate we wouldn’t be in this bullshit. Keep being afraid. Keep censoring immune health information. Keep the narrative going. No thanks. I will stick to pedal access trails.
Best option would be to get one of the lite weight Buff headbands and wear it around your neck. Just pull it up when you’re in a line or on the lift. KeepS your neck from getting too red too!
This is the only way that WBP and other bike parks can re-open. They are just following government guidelines otherwise they will stay shut. Everyone has their personal opinion and you are free to spend your money in what you believe but having bike parks open this summer is more than ever a real privilege.
@KiwiXC:
Yes, that’s probably the best option. WB staff will be wearing buffs at all time unless it’s Patrol dealing with injured riders. In that case, N-95 mask, face-shield and gloves are going to be on at all times.
@andrew154:
At least at the beginning, none of the double black and black trails will open.
Get over it y’all, we’re open for mf’ing business!
Death rate is actually 5.4% #mathguy