Re: For what it is worth?

This'll be my first season without an Alps trip (or two or three) in a decade. :-(

England's ski holiday operators are going to be SOL.
 
The dependence upon trams and those 20+ passenger super gondolas in Euro ski resorts is a big problem as long as COVID-19 has extensive community transmission. Even if most of your ski day is in the high alpine on chairs and surface lifts, transport from the resort towns to the ski terrain is usually via one of those big enclosed lifts, normally packed like sardines. Sometimes those lifts are also packed for downloading at the end of the day, as at glacier areas during summer and shoulder season. Here's a recent video from Hintertux making the rounds on Twitter: https://twitter.com/i/status/1318564951397683201

Ski Utah mentioned in yesterday's Zoom meeting that Snowbird's tram will be limited to 25% capacity, but the chairlift infrastructure there makes it fairly easy to avoid the tram. It's not like that in most of the Alps. Jackson comes to mind in having high gondola/tram dependence, but at most North American resorts with tram/gondolas, they are more optional like Snowbird IMHO.
 
Tony Crocker":2qyd1p25 said:
The dependence upon trams and those 20+ passenger super gondolas in Euro ski resorts is a big problem as long as COVID-19 has extensive community transmission.
This ^^ is true only if you're frequenting the larger ski areas. Not an issue if you're visiting the hundreds of comparatively smaller ski areas -- the same type that Tony is recommending in the U.S. this winter.
 
My impression is that access lifts between the towns and the ski areas in the Alps tend to be gondolas or trams, even at local joints like Pila for example. Those local joints are more likely to rise from low altitude towns and if they don't have a lot of snowmaking, skiers frequently need to download those lifts at the end of the ski day. Base elevation needs to be fairly high be to running chairs from the base IMHO, like Le Tour at the top of the Chamonix Valley. Access to the other Chamonix areas is by tram.

So my question for James is: are some places quiet enough that they won't back up lines like that Hintertux scene running at 25% capacity? Maybe Diavolezza/Lagalb is quiet enough. The only lifts from their bases were trams but they were probably under 25% capacity.

Hopefully by the 2021-22 season we'll be vaccinated and can return to the Alps.
 
Tony Crocker":2uf2gsya said:
My impression is that access lifts between the towns and the ski areas in the Alps tend to be gondolas or trams, even at local joints like Pila for example. Those local joints are more likely to rise from low altitude towns and if they don't have a lot of snowmaking, skiers frequently need to download those lifts at the end of the ski day. Base elevation needs to be fairly high be to running chairs from the base IMHO, like Le Tour at the top of the Chamonix Valley. Access to the other Chamonix areas is by tram.

So my question for James is: are some places quiet enough that they won't back up lines like that Hintertux scene running at 25% capacity? Maybe Diavolezza/Lagalb is quiet enough. The only lifts from their bases were trams but they were probably under 25% capacity.

Hopefully by the 2021-22 season we'll be vaccinated and can return to the Alps.

Hopefully by the 21/22 we'll be vaccinated and can return to anywhere in the northern hemisphere.
 
I wonder how the Europeans will behave in lift lines this year? Are they still going to be all over each others skis and bumping elbows?
 
ChrisC":3iivfm5z said:
Are they still going to be all over each others skis and bumping elbows?
This ^^ only happens in lift queues at major resorts. At the comparatively smaller places, people are respectful of personal space.
 
jamesdeluxe":2d4g7rnq said:
ChrisC":2d4g7rnq said:
Are they still going to be all over each others skis and bumping elbows?
This ^^ only happens in lift queues at major resorts. At the comparatively smaller places, people are respectful of personal space.

I thought it was part of the charm? :wink: O:) That and getting the safety bar repeatedly slammed on my head after 15 seconds on the chairlift. Key reason I wear a helmet there.

I think they only ' small' / low key places I have skied in Europe are Les Contamines, parts of Megeve, La Grave....and perhaps Murren?
 
ryu_71":1oy7aarq said:
Is anything good in Alps is open now with fair amount of snow on slopes?
Fraser is generally a good source of this info.
At the moment Switzerland is the only major ski country in the Alps not on COVID lockdown. Mid-November is nearly always too early for "a fair amount of snow on slopes," with occasional outlier exceptions like Wolf Creek this year.

The Alps had some October snow, but as usually occurs it has melted out. So skiing in the Alps is limited to glaciers as it usually is at this time of year.

ChrisC":1oy7aarq said:
I wonder how the Europeans will behave in lift lines this year? Are they still going to be all over each others skis and bumping elbows?
This is an inherent issue with trams, which load a lot of people every 15 minutes instead of small groups continuously. And again it comes down to many Euro areas having transport lifts from dry or sketchy base areas up to where the snow is good. This can result in line buildups both at the beginning and end of the day. Often those lifts are trams or the new 20+ person gondolas, compounding the problem.

In shoulder season like now it's virtually guaranteed in the Alps that you will be up and downloading a transport lift to reach the snow.
 
I was trying to see what Europe was doing with capacity in their gondolas and cable cars.....Looks like they do not care.

St. Anton
https://www.skiarlberg.at/en/sicher-am- ... -2020-21-1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

In Austria, cable cars are legally classed as public transport; there is currently no legal requirement to reduce passenger capacities. In our skiing region the capacities will not be fully utilised anyway if there are fewer passengers, especially in the aerial cableways lifts. It is not planned to introduce passenger number restrictions, but this may be necessary at short notice and is therefore subject to change without notice.

Zermatt
https://www.matterhornparadise.ch/en/Cu ... guidelines" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

ARE THERE RESTRICTIONS ON CAPACITY?
There will be no restriction on passenger capacity in the cabins and gondolas.

Flims-Laax
https://www.flimslaax.com/en/covid-19
Lift operations
Conduct in the lifts - Mouth-nose cover
Mouth-nose cover must be worn in all the lifts. This applies from the moment you enter the waiting area, within all indoor areas and transport situations. Hygiene masks, medical face masks, and industrial textile masks/community masks are considered as mouth-nose-coverings as long as they comply with the recommendation of the Swiss National COVID-19 Science Task Force.

Scarves, neckerchiefs, and visors do not provide sufficient protection against transmission. Appropriate round scarves for winter sports are available from the beginning of December at the Flims and Laax valley stations in Das Original, as well as in the rental stores on the mountain and in the valley.

ATTENTION: People without mouth-nose cover will not be transported (except for persons with a medical certificate and children under 12 years). Failure to comply may result in ticket revocation. Further information can be found in the terms and conditions.

Safety measures in the lifts
In closed lifts (cable cars, gondolas) the windows should be kept open if possible, for better ventilation. If there are only a few guests, seats should be left vacant. The lifts will run continuously to optimize the flow of guests and reduce waiting times. Please note that cable cars are regularly disinfected by hand.​ Currently, there is no limitation on the number of passengers.

Clever on the move
In the INSIDE LAAX app you can see exactly how many people are queuing at any given lift ensuring that you can cleverly avoid crowded areas.
 
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2020/11/26/european-ski-resorts-reopen-despite-coronavirus/

"In Switzerland, some resorts are already in the process of reopening.

In contrast, the governments of France, Italy and Germany are eyeing an E.U.-wide closure of ski facilities until at least early January — usually one of the busiest periods that includes the Christmas and New Year’s holidays. Officials in those three countries fear that if some E.U. member states keep their slopes open, tourists could head there instead and accelerate the spread of the virus."
 
Normally by the end of November, I've sketched out my one, two, or (in the case of 2017-18 and frequent-flyer miles permitting) three trips to the Alps for the upcoming season.
:x
 
James' first trip in 2017-18 was a last minute diversion in December from snow starved Utah to the start of a banner year in the Alps. Accordingly, we also added a second Alps trip that season.

This December James needs to make the trek from Denver to Wolf Creek.
 
Tony Crocker":p9ahziu5 said:
James' first trip in 2017-18 was a last minute diversion in December from snow starved Utah to the start of a banner year in the Alps.
Yes, a classic visit: Arosa/Lenzerheide, Tschiertschen, Toggenberg, even Atzmännig (gorgeous conditions despite a laughably low base of 820 meters). This was a clear case of the exception proving the rule about destination trips to the Alps during December (in general, not recommended unless the target region is very snow-sure) and as always, thank god for FF awards.

Tony Crocker":p9ahziu5 said:
This December James needs to make the trek from Denver to Wolf Creek.
In all likelihood, I'm going to take advantage again of free flight changes and push the trip back to early/mid January so the region will hopefully have a more sufficient base of snow.
 
I thought James' new job puts him in Colorado at least one weekend per month. If not, deferring until January is definitely the right move.
 
Tony Crocker":293c242q said:
I thought James' new job puts him in Colorado at least one weekend per month. If not, deferring until January is definitely the right move.
Pre-COVID, the SOP was to spend ten-ish days a month in Colorado; however, being physically in the Denver headquarters is obviously no longer required so yes, I can defer my trip until January.
 
I’m a bit depressed this winter.

I’m going to see how my brother’s business does after Christmas. He’s so afraid about COVID and young girls and guys doing house parties.

I’m excited about going to Alaska in April. Long wait.
 
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