Hills Starting To Reopen In Other Countries -- More Light At The End Of The COVID-19 Tunnel
While ski areas and resorts are still shut down here in the United States, there are places in the world where COVID-19 is starting to ease up, allowing for mountains in three countries to restart some limited, late-season operations. Please note, these ski mountains will be very limited and will be open to locals. Please do not try to visit any of these areas unless that also happens to be your home area. However, you can still enjoy the news that this outbreak may be seeing the beginning of the end and you might just be back out on the mountain before you know it.
According to a report from inthesnow.com, the easing of COVID-19 restrictions is allowing for some very limited skiing and snowboarding operations to be restarted in China, Norway, and the Czech Republic.
The limitations will include restrictions that will still be in place to minimize the spread of this coronavirus. Examples of this are using social distancing on lifts, which includes only the use of single-person surface lifts in Norway, the continued closure of rental shops, the need for the use of masks while skiing or riding, and limiting the number of tickets sold and visitors to the mountains each day. China is also requiring a medical health certificate before allowing visitors to head up the slopes, as well as requiring any person that wishes to visit to purchase tickets at least 24 hours in advance.
Also, here in the Northern Hemisphere, it is time for many mountains to be closing down at the end of a normal season. Conditions at the hills that are able to reopen will be springtime, end of the season conditions. The limited openings are likely to be short-lived.
Yes, the restrictions are there, but this could be a step in the right direction. For other places around the globe that have late spring and summer skiing, this could mean that those summer opening dates will still come to pass. For example, Beartooth Basin in Montana has announced that the ski area is still shooting for its May 31st opening day. Also, Southern Hemisphere ski areas and resorts are also preparing for the beginning of their ski season, though they have already admitted that it may have to start late due to the outbreak.
However, with countries starting to ease restrictions due to fewer recorded infections and deaths, other areas of the world may be able to follow suit. With that said, there is no need to start packing the car to head out to your local hill. Though there are places that are starting to ease, the threat of a continued viral outbreak is still very real. The best advice many health authorities are giving is to continue staying home and limiting contact with others.
Photo Credit: Ål Skisenter/FB
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