Winter Park, other Ikon Pass resorts not planning reservations
Winter Park, Steamboat and their Denver- based parent company Alterra Mountain Co. revealed some operating plans this week for mitigating pandemic concerns this winter, but those plans remain very much in flux.
Nearly three weeks after rival Vail Resorts announced it would institute a reservations policy for mountain access this winter, Alterra announced that most Ikon Pass destinations “do not require reservations at this time,” and apparently that is the operative phrase.
Winter Park is not requiring reservations “at this time,” said spokeswoman Jen Miller, who was quick to add, “That could change. We just don’t know.” Steamboat also is not requiring reservations “at this time,” according to a letter sent to guests this week by Rob Perlman, Steamboat president and chief operating officer.
Alterra resorts will limit “resort visitation levels to avoid overcrowding,” according to a statement by chief executive Rusty Gregory, released Monday. “We are prioritizing access for season pass holders and will tightly regulate the number of daily lift tickets that will be available by advance purchase only. To this end, walk- up window
sales will be eliminated, and the sale of most undated lift ticket products will be discontinued until further notice.”
Winter Park is not currently selling daily lift tickets, Flex Four passes or Four Packs. The only available options presently are Ikon or Winter Park season passes.
“That could change,” Miller said. ” We suspended sales for the daily lift tickets to continue to evaluate so we can manage peak times. We’re still evaluating. You cannot purchase a singleday lift ticket right now, for the time being, and there will be no walk- up ticket window until further notice. For our summer operations, all daily lift tickets were advance purchase, and will likely require that for winter as well.”
Steamboat officials said their resort will be focusing on pass holders — Ikon passes or Steamboat- specific passes — and is not selling lift tickets or multiday tickets at this time ( there’s that phrase again) except for guests who obtain them through packages purchased through Steamboat Central Reservations or agencies that are “approved travel partners.” Currently, lift tickets are being sold only as part of packages through central reservations.
“If single or multi- day tickets exclusive of packages become available during
the season, guests are encouraged to purchase online in advance,” according to an explanatory post on Steamboat’s website. “Tickets will not be sold in person at the ticket office this winter. Updates to single day, and multi- day stand- alone tickets will be announced in November.”
Winter Park also plans to enforce six- foot separations in lift lines and will reconfigure lift mazes. Masks will be required on lifts.
“We are still working through what our dining options will look like this winter,” a Winter Park posting said. “We are planning to have locations open and will implement new procedures to reduce contact. Our dining locations will have expanded grabandgo options as well. Unfortunately, at this time we will not be able to offer Sunspot Mountaintop après or Sunspot mountaintop dinners this season. There will likely be other modifications to our indoor dining locations to limit capacity, and we will share updates as they become available.”
Steamboat is not requiring reservations for skiing “at this time.” Spokeswoman Loryn Duke said that if capacity does become an issue on peak days and during holiday periods, resort officials may consider a lift line management system “that could include specific queue times.”