Snow Business: Wachusett Blazing Trail For Fun, Safety In 2020-21

PRINCETON, MA — We've now had our cold weather and a real taste of winter in the region with a significant snowfall Wednesday night into Thursday. Since doing stuff outdoors seems like our only viable recreational option these days, skiing and snowboarding have been on the minds of a good number of people in the Nutmeg State.

Take the customers over the past week at New England Ski & Scuba in Vernon, for example. The consensus was it's time to go and we should all do what needs to be done to do it safely.

So how do we do it? A trip to Wachusett Mountain last weekend showed a lot in terms of how to enjoy snow sports while maintaining safety during the coronavirus pandemic.

Here's an overview:

The Preparation

The priority here is to bring an adequate face covering. The two most popular types were a balaclava that flipped up over the nose and mouth and a gator that slipped up over the face from the neck. Either way, everyone must wear face protection — period. Wachusett placed what seemed like too many signs to count reminding folks of that.

"It the real priority," longtime Wachusett marketing director Tom Meyers said. "We all want to have fun on the mountain, but we also want to be safe."

Meyers said most of the guests at Wachusett Saturday were wearing face coverings. He stressed that those who don't could jeopardize the season because the rules must be strictly enforced.

Read up on state coronavirus protocols before heading anywhere, of course.

The Parking Lot

Wachusett's operating capacity was about 40 percent last week, per the Massachusetts governor's office. That cuts down on the vast amount of vehicles that are usually in the vast parking lot. The unique thing about 202 is that the parking lot is also doubling as a lodge. Wachusett has been encouraging folks to remain outside so most of the guests last weekend were booting-up in our outside their vehicles and turning the lot into a big tailgate party. Wachusett was making available small rugs to keep the socks dry during the boot process.

The tailgating was also a feature attraction at lunchtime with many folks bringing picnic meals.

The Tickets

Wachusett was operating in three shifts last Saturday:

• 7:30 to 11:30 a.m.
• 11:45 a.m. to 3:45 p.m.
• 4 to 7 p.m.

The premise, Meyers said, was to spread out the crowds while adhering to the capacity and distancing rules.

For up-to-date ticket prices click here.

Wachusett's ticket lines are separated by protective partitions to promote social and distancing.

The Facilities

Though one door to the lodge was open for emergencies, everything is essentially outside. O'Brien's restaurant is outside at the middle part of the Wachusett property, and a local food truck contracted for the season is positioned near one of the lifts. Plenty of clean, portable toilets are spread out at the base area. A bag check is now located outside and plenty of heaters and picnic tables are spread out at the base area. Wachusett has even invested in some NFL-style heated benches. Picnic lunches are welcome.

The Lifts

The rule is that families and immediate groups must stay together. The singles line is gone and face coverings must be worn in the lift lines and on the trip up the hill. Social distancing is being encouraged while in line.

The Mountain

Wachusett was in good shape even before the storm this week and it should be ready to go this weekend with trails open for all abilities.

The Bottom Line

Wachusett President Jeff Crowley paused while in a hike up the hill Saturday to offer an assessment.

"We think we're doing it right," he said. "We're trying to make things safe so people can get out there to ski and ride and so far, everything seems to be working well."

After experiencing it first-hand, he's right. Wachusett is blazing a trail in 2020 that lets us all have fun while still being safe.

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Chris Dehnel is an editor at Patch who has been writing about snow sports for more than two decades and a past-president of the Eastern Ski Writers Association.