Winter with COVID-19 - Update

[Gordo]

Just got this email from Mont Ste-Marie

This is the first in the Ottawa/Gatineau area to address the next ski season. This seems like a logistical nightmare.

Msg below:

An Important Update for all Mont Ste-Marie Customers.

Hello to all Friends of Mont Ste-Marie
I hope everyone is having a fun and safe summer. It has been a busy summer at Mont Ste-Marie with everyone taking advantage of this fantastic weather to enjoy the trails, tennis, golf, and beach. Tomorrow will mark 4 months since we were shut down on March 15th. Since that time, our world has changed. What could not have been imagined 4 months ago is now common place. So, the question everyone wants answered is “what is going to happen this winter at Mont Ste-Marie?”.
The answer is that Mont Ste-Marie, like other ski resorts in Canada, will more than likely (based on what we know today) be opening at 50% capacity in our lodge and on our lifts. This means that on our chairlift that seats 4 we will only be able to sit 2 unless you are a family living in the same home and so on… Our goal is to provide a superior ski experience and in order to achieve this for the good of all skiers, we will have a daily maximum of lift tickets available. This way, we will have the space in the lodge and minimal lift lines at both Cheval and Vanier. In order to control the amount of lift tickets sold on a specific day all tickets will need to be purchased in advance online.
Two types of tickets will be sold online in each age category:
1) GUARANTEED Lift Ticket (GLT) is a ticket for a specific date that you want to come ski, OR
2) the FLEX Ticket, which gives you the chance to pick and choose your day of skiing (but hurry and reserve your date as tickets could be sold out for your wanted day).
Plan ahead to guarantee your ski days for this winter. We will be starting lift tickets sales with our new online sales platform on September 1st . Both the GLT and FLEX tickets are transferable. In the event we do not open due to weather reasons, the GLT will become a FLEX Ticket.
Our pricing has not been set but it will reflect a balance between the need to operate at 50% capacity and provide a fantastic overall superior ski experience given the current situation.
 
The ULTIMATE and BEST way to ski remains the purchase of a season pass, which allows you the freedom to ski any day without pre-booking. Season Passes will go back on sale by September 1st.
There is a positive aspect to all of this in that the mountain will not be as busy especially during weekends and holidays. Fewer skiers during the day will mean that the grooming will be preserved longer each day. Enjoy the rest of summer and start planning now for the days you would like to come skiing this winter so that when lift tickets go on sale on, you will be ready. Guarantee your ski days by buying early.
 
Thanks to all,
Bob Sudermann
Owner and President

[Shane]

It's probably going to be the new reality, as sad as that is. But safety and health needs are at the forefront which they should be until this pandemic is over. The rough and sad part is how it affects businesses and families.

Hopefully the abrupt season end and the coming winter don't do any permanent damage to our favorite mountains. I do give them credit for trying to make things work as best as possible to be open and offer people skiing.

[Gordo]

@Shane Camp Fortune has still said nothing about the next season or when people can buy season passes. I'm afraid if we get a really warm/low snow season doubled with these COVID regulations you will see some hills close for good. 

Also Vermont hills must be really worried. If no Canadian's come or are even allowed to cross the border what will places like Jay Peak do? 

[Ocean]

@Gordo well Jay Peak started an initiative to do longer term rentals for the work from home set and given that will be continuing for some time I'm sure it will draw people out of the cities who are able to WFH from anywhere. I am one of those people and would consider this same opportunity in Charlevoix however my partner occasionally might need to physically go to the office as he is the senior sys admin and on call every few weeks. Too bad as it would be pretty great to spend a few months living out there.

I have not heard anything from MSS yet, their regular range of passes are on sale but I do wonder if quantity will be an issue. I was going to hold off til September to buy but maybe I'll just grab it in the next few weeks since I get the corporate rate regardless. 

I also plan to take the opportunity to ski at other smaller mountains I haven't had the chance to visit yet and am excited about that prospect and do hope to finally spend a good few days in Charlevoix but we shall see...sadly even if the border opens there will be no VT for me. I'll miss our Killington trips but our risk assessment is too high to even consider. If this drags on and on I'm even considering paying one of my buddies to pack up my Reno storage unit and drive it to VT for me. We'll see about that in a year though. Too bad I left my only N95 filters in with all my burning man stuff :/

[Paul]

I haven't heard anything from the ET areas, but I would imagine it would be the same in regards to the online reservation of tickets and limits like everyone else. I would imagine that passholders would be given priority and what remaining availability would be for daily riders. It surely will be an interesting season to come.

I will miss not going to anywhere south of the border. Last season I missed out on it and should have gone. I wanted to head down and cover Saddleback's reopening this coming season, more Tenney and Magic Mountain. I had considered getting the Indy Pass but that will have to wait until at least 2021-22. There are enough places on the Indy Pass that it would actually justify getting it even with the exchange. There are at least 7-8 places that I would have gone, and you figure daily ticket at each is easily $79USD each.

A little interesting tidbit just learned on a travel insurance, not that it matters at the moment, Blue Cross Ontario and Quebec, and Medipac are offering travel insurance to cover Covid-19, however not on a pre-existing condition basis. You are not covered if you had previously been affected by Covid before travelling. Read the policy and be aware of exclusions, limitations, and benefits. The more you know, the better off you will be.

[Ocean]

Interesting news @Paul that's great to know! Actually it's good you didn't cross the border this past season...since people were already getting infected at ski resorts between January and March!

[Shane]

Camp Fortune released the following information on season pass purchases for the coming winter:

SKI SEASON WINTER 2020-2021

COVID-19 SAFETY MEASURES

At Camp Fortune we take your health and safety, as well as that of staff members, seriously.  This season you will find all the necessary precautions put into place to insure the well being of the Camp Fortune Family; both staff and patrons. This will include, but is not limited to, face coverings and goggles on the chairlifts, distancing in the lines, face coverings indoors etc. In accordance with COVID capacity restrictions imposed by Public Health, we will reserve the right to limit the number of people in all indoor spaces when required. Your cooperation will be paramount and we encourage all our guests to come ready to spend as much time outside on the slopes as possible.

Due to the unprecedented events we are experiencing, we at Camp Fortune will be offering a comprehensive credit policy for the 2020-2021 season to ensure that you feel confident in purchasing your Season Pass or Snow School lesson programs with us.

GUARANTEED SEASON POLICY:

Full credit for your season pass if the request is made BEFORE December 15, 2020 and the pass is UNUSED.

The postponement of your 2020-21 season pass to 2021-22, without any fees and without a price change, if the request is made before December 15, 2020 and the pass is UNUSED.

Once the ski season has started, or the pass has been used, customers can request a credit for their season pass according to the cancellation policy below, fees will apply.

2020-21 CANCELLATION POLICY

In addition to the implementation of the Guaranteed Season, several changes have been made to our cancellation policies for the 2020-21 season.

SEASON PASSES (WINTER)

For the 2020-2021 ski season, customers will be able to request a credit of their purchase without justification until December 15th. Once the ski season has begun at Camp Fortune (December 15th), the following cancellation policy will be applied automatically to all requests for credits, including those made for medical reasons.

The value of the credit, issued in the form of a Camp Fortune gift card, will be based on the number of days the season pass has been used (see grid below). An administrative fee of $ 40 + taxes will to all credits issued after a pass has been used.

Read full conditions here.

[Shane]

Sommet Saint-Sauveur (Avila, Morin Heights, Gabriel, Olympia, Edelweiss)

> SKI GUARANTEE LES SOMMETS POLICY

The Ski Guarantee les Sommets offer:

Credit or full refund of your season pass if the request is made before December 15, 2020.

Credit or refund of your Snow School Program if the request is made at the latest the day before the start of the programs.

The postponement of your 2020-21 ski season to 2021-22 without any fees and without a price change, if the request is made before December 15, 2020.

Once the skier season has started, customers can request a credit for their season pass according to the cancellation policy and without any conditions.

SEASON PASSES

For the 2020-21 ski season, customers will be able to request a credit or full refund of their purchase without justification until December 15. In the event that the customer has already skied a day or more before December 15 on one of les Sommets’ mountain, the cancellation policy, which you will find below, applies automatically.

SNOW SCHOOL PROGRAMS AND COMPETITION TEAMS

For the Snow School and Competition Team programs, customers can request a credit or refund on their purchase at any time, as long as the first ski or snowboard lesson or training has not taken place. The request must be made at the latest the day before the start of the programs.    

> 2020-21 CANCELLATION POLICY

In addition to the implementation of the new Ski Guarantee les Sommets, several measures have been made to our cancellation policies for the 2020-21 season.

Terms and conditions of the 2020-21 Cancellation Policy

SEASON PASSES

Once the skier season has begun at Les Sommets, this cancellation policy will be applied automatically.

The value of the credit, issued in the form of a Sommets gift card, will be based on the number of days of use (see grid below) of the season pass. Administrative fees of $ 40 + taxes will apply.

SNOW SCHOOL PROGRAMS AND RACING TEAMS

For the Snow School and Racing Team programs, customers who wish to do so can request a credit for their purchase or a refund at any time until the first lesson or the first training has started.

In the event that the programs are started, customers who wish to make a cancellation request may receive a credit equivalent to the number of days remaining in the program. It is important to note that an administration fee of $ 40 plus taxes is applicable to the cancellation of a program.

In the event that Les Sommets are unable to offer or postpone lessons or training before the end of the 2020-21 season, a credit will be issued for those sessions that have not taken place. In this case, the administration fee of $ 40 will not be applied.

The 2020-21 cancellation policy at a glance:

Cancellation no later than 24 hours before the start of the program

= Credit or reimbursement 100 %

Cancellation request once the program has started

= Credit for the number of lessons or training remaining in the program. An administration fee of $ 40 applies.

Impossibility of Les Sommets to offer or postpone lessons or training before the end of the 2020-21 season

= Credit for lessons or training remaining in the program. No administration fees apply.

How to apply

To request credit, the customer must send their request by email info@sommets.com or in person at the mountain's Customer Service. The following information must be indicated: first and last name, type of season pass, email address (to receive confirmation of your credit) and the reason for this cancellation.

SEE THE TERMS

[Shane]

Mont Cascades :

 

Mont Cascades Snow season guarantee

Season pass

The resort is launching the Mont Cascades Snow Season Guarantee, a program of exclusive measures for customers who have purchased their 2020-2021 ski pass before October 15, 2020, 11:59 p.m.

This initiative aims to reassure customers who want to take advantage of a better rate on next winter’s season passes despite the financial and health uncertainties that hover due to COVID-19. Eligibility is automatic for all customers who have purchased a season’s pass.

Thus, subscribers who ultimately do not wish to ski in winter 2020-2021 can:

Postpone their season’s pass to the 2021-2022 season at no additional cost and no price increase.

Request a full refund of their season’s pass.

Eligibility

To be eligible, clients must:

Have purchased their 2020-2021 season’s pass before October 15, 2020, 11:59 p.m.

Refund : terms and conditions

The reimbursement request must be made between November 1st and December 4th, 2020 by the person who paid for the passes. A form will be available on request.

The season’s pass must not have been claimed.

Valid for all types of season’s pass.

An administrative fee of $ 30 + taxes will be applicable on the refund.

Credit : terms and conditions

The request for postponement must be made between October 1st and December 4th, 2020 by the season’s pass holder. A form will be available on request.

The deferred subscription cannot be transferred to another person.

If the rate for the 2021-2022 season is higher, the subscriber will not have to pay the difference.

The season’s pass must not have been claimed.

Valid for all types of season’s pass.

In case of postponement, the administrative fee of $ 30 + taxes will not be applicable.

 

In the event of a closure or interruption of the resort’s services caused by a government order, here are the terms:

https://montcascades.ca/ski/snow-season-guarantee/

[Ocean]

So far pretty similar to what we're seeing elsewhere in the NorthEast!