SAN DIEGO COUNTY, Calif. — There's always excitement around the start of the ski season, which is traditionally the Thanksgiving weekend. Last year's ski season was cut short because of the COVID-19 pandemic and to say people are excited this year is an understatement.
COVID-19 protocols are well in place at two of San Diego's favorite resorts. First on the list is Mammoth.
"When we have all the terrain open there's no better place to be socially distant than skiing Mammoth Mountain," said Communications Director Lauren Burke. "We will be limiting daily ticket sales to manage resort capacity."
But if your ski pass is for Ikon, you're in luck.
"We are prioritizing for our Ikon pass holder so there is no reservation system in place at this time," Burke said.
If you plan on hitting the slopes, the biggest recommendation is to think ahead.
"Start with our lift ticket page at mammothmountain.com," Burke said.
There will also be a mask requirement for whoever's on the mountain.
"When you're in lift lines, on the chair or gondola masks are required or on our shuttles," Burke said.
Even getting on the gondola chairs will be different.
"There's no singles line this year," Burke said. "We're obviously going to be loading families or groups together on our lifts as much as we can."
Gondolas will have limited capacity along with the lodges.
"Our lodges, restaurants are operating in Mono County guidelines at 50% capacity."
To meet demand, Mammoth has expanded its outdoor seating capacity.
"I think skiers are really excited, we're really all in this together."
Snowbird Utah is another San Diego favorite according to President Dave Fields.
"If you stay with us in one of our four lodges, you will be able to ski, stay here guarantees that," Fields said.
Being able to ski and ride at Snowbird will be different just like Mammoth this year.
"We have implemented a parking reservation program to ensure the right amount of lifts and terrain open."
Again, lift lines at Snowbird are changed up to accommodate for coronavirus safety.
"We will have ghost lanes between each occupant, that will give lateral space," Fields said.
Be rest assured, the world-famous tram, transporting ski and snowboarders to the resort, will still operate.
"We operated the tram all summer reduced to 25 passengers, we keep the windows open for every trip, we sanitize the tram after every trip."
Wearing buffs as a mask will be ok on the mountain but two-ply masks must be worn everywhere else.
And although much has changed for this ski season...
"One thing that hasn't change is it snows a lot in Little Cottonwood Canyon and this winter we're going to be skiing and personally I can't wait," Fields said.