2020-21 Ski Season Expected In CT, But With A Different Look

SOUTHINGTON, CT — Snow sports areas in Connecticut expect to be open for the 2020-21 season but the operations will look different under a new set of coronavirus protocols.

That was the word from Connecticut Ski Areas Association secretary and Mount Southington General Manager Jay Dougherty after a meeting of the organization this week.

"We're working together and will have an operations plan for the season, he said.

But just what will it look like? Dougherty said the plan is continually being reworked based on state health department and National Ski Areas Association guidelines. He did, though, hint at some of the possibilities.

One is reduced capacities inside buildings. That likely means rearranging furniture layouts to adhere to social distancing guidelines.

Concession and food services could be moved outdoors, when applicable, Dougherty said.

Dougherty said the idea will be to conduct "as many touchless transactions as possible." The idea is for ticket purchases, lesson bookings and rental form completion to be done online. The amount of people inside a rental shop at one time will be strictly regulated, he said.

Groups and individuals will likely not mix on lift rides. There will be "dead lines" in between lanes to help skiers and snowboarders spread out, he said. Lift lines will have social distancing requirements, he added.

"This year will look a lot different than past years," Dougherty said. "Skiing, for the most part, is an individual sport and a family sport, so who rides the lifts together can be an easy thing to determine. Plus, everyone has on a facemask, goggles, a helmet and gloves most of the time anyway. It's all pretty must standard equipoment and it keeps us protected."

There is no target for an opening day statewide, Dougherty said.

"It will be weather-dependent in Connecticut, as it always has been," he said.

In addition to Mount Southington, ski areas in Connecticut slated to operate this season include Mohawk Mountan in Cornwall, Powder Ridge in Middlefield and Ski Sundown in New Hartford. As of last year, the ski area in Woodbury was for sale.