Like a character out of Ghostbusters, Melissa Incze roams around Mt. High in Wrightwood with a container of sanitizer strapped to her back, ready to bust the coronavirus wherever it may lurk — from chairlifts to tables and chairs.
What You Need To Know
- Those planning on hitting the slopes this season need to plan ahead
- Tickets, rentals, and lessons are not sold at Mountain High resort, only online
- Mt. High Resorts is operating at only 20% capacity
- New ticket kiosks allow guests to scan their bar code and retrieve their tickets without any face-to-face interaction with staff
"Everywhere someone’s going to touch, I’ve already cleaned it," Incze said.
On the mountain, people are mostly covered from head to toe anyway, but the big difference this season is guests have to plan ahead.
Tickets, rentals, and lessons are not sold at the resort, only online.
"There’s going to be a lot less people on the hill. Our attendance is basically half of what it used to be, that means you need to buy tickets in advance," said John McColly, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Mt. High Resorts.
Those numbers have since dropped to 20% of capacity.
New ticket kiosks allow guests to scan their bar code and retrieve their tickets without any face-to-face interaction with staff. Signs posted throughout the resort remind visitors to wear masks, stay six feet apart, and wash their hands.
There is also a new slogan around the slopes.
"If you arrive together, ride together. We are separating people on the lifts to keep people safe, but if you’re with a group, you can ride the chairlift with your group," McColly said.
Other than shopping and rentals, guests are not allowed to do much else inside, even eat.
"It’s interesting times, but we’re getting through it and I think the great news is that we’re open. People are just dying for some outdoor recreation now," McColly said.
"I started it last season, and I just got addicted to it," said Beau Betten, who came up from Riverside to enjoy some snowboarding.
He had his concerns, but not enough to keep him from hitting the slopes with his friends, despite the surge in COVID-19 cases.
"Some people have to get reminded to pull their mask up, but you know that happens everywhere. I make sure to keep my distance," Betten said. "Everyone has goggles too, gloves, etc."
As for Incze, it is a definite change from last season when she worked guest services. Now, she feels like a sanitizing superhero during a season like no other.
"I just think about it like if that were my family, I would want to keep them safe, you know?" she said.