Top 5 things to Know About Mountain Sports School in a Pandemic

Planning a family ski vacation is always a mixed bag of excitement and hard work. A crazy mixture of “wow- that is a cozy house- let’s rent that!” and “yikes- how are we going to all this gear to the airport?” And, in the midst of planning this season we are wondering how to do ALL of that- and be sure our families stay safe and healthy. As we navigate our day to day lives with the pandemic, figuring out your vacation away from home may feel overwhelming.  Fortunately- we did a lot of the figuring for you- we can help!!

1- We felt safety really started with the staff.  All our staff was COVID tested prior to the start of the season.  We are continuing with random surveillance testing through the season. The locker rooms are equipped with thermo-scans and every instructor confirms a health self-check each morning. For additional safety, all MSS guests will complete a health self-check as well.

2- To start- all of our Mountain Sports School (MSS) activities are reservation only this year- and they are all available on-line. No long lines, no crowded indoor sales area!  Our private lessons have always been this way; this year we have added that benefit to our class lessons.  If you are having a private lesson, your instructor will call you beforehand to help you out with tickets, rentals and organize a place to meet.  Again- no long lines, no crowded meeting place! On the first day of your class lesson, you will check in at a convenient outdoor tent to pick up your lift card and any other paperwork you need (child report card, rental form). Arrange for all of that on-line. From here, you can wisk off to your lesson.

3- MSS has also re-organized how these lessons look.  We have reduced our instructor ratios- 3:1 ratio for all ages and a 2:1 (!) ratio for the youngest kids (3 and 4 years old). Caps on our programs will result in less congestion at the meeting places and less congestion during our lunch programs to allow for better social distancing.

4- No general public is allowed in our MSS indoor spaces and we have reduced parent traffic in the Cody House (our early childhood facility). 

5- With the new ratios, each class will be self-contained on the lift; they will always be able to have their own gondola car or chair. Have your kids bust out their coolest masks- they are mandatory on the lifts, in the lines and any time we are inside.

Congratulations on choosing a vacation that, by its nature, allows for great family time- outside with a LOT of space. This is exactly the right way to let off some steam after a tough 9 months; let us take care of showing you a good time- and a safe one! For more information on our COVID protocols, see our Stay Healthy page. Follow the MSS link to learn more about our activities.