Apocalypse Snow

[John Gilmour]

Totally screwed over by Alterra corp. IKON.

 

NO WARNING ... THE CLOSED ALL 15 resorts today Due to Covid-19.

My Tesla model X 90d  has bioweapon defense mode and I always have enough camping gear for 4. And plenty of fuel for cooking. I have loaded it that way for  the past 4 winters. 

So when aspen closed last night..I started heading to Mammoth in Mono county. Stopped in at the Grand Junction Supercharger to awake to this  news

 

https://www.mammothmountain.com/covid

 

BUT......As of yesterday there were ZERO Covid-19 cases in Mono country . I like th hotsprings their, and at about this ime of season I start heading to Mammoth as Aspen goes to corn snow (not as much fun for carving). SEE BELOW 

 

MARCH 14 10:30AM

As of March 14th, there are currently no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Mono or Inyo County. We continue to encourage any guests in resort to abide by social distancing guidelines. The Mono County Health Department is closely monitoring the risk of COVID-19 for the general public in the Eastern Sierra, which remains low at present. 

 

Then THIS MORNING  they closed it all. 

Very sad as I had an Emergency Room doctor (he expected to get  Covid-19 as an ER doctor so had  no issues with coming to Aspen he would rather get it over its early)   I taught to him carve with INSANELY GOOD RESULTS ( don't want him to get a big head over it so I just said he got an "A" .... super deep trenches by him , as deep as I make!! On the VERY FIRST day of learning ) and he was going to be in Aspen for two weeks.  I was all set to coach this guy into a total pro. Luckily he said LAST NIGHT that he (and one other aspiring carver)  would follow me to Mammoth, but now that's screwed. I figured Mammoth is good , has tiny private hot springs, and even though I have no symptoms I would just not interact with anyone and camp alone until this blows over. That's a much more fun way to deal with this. EVEN  If I were an asymtomatic carrier- I wouldn't be interacting with anyone anyhow except  my turtles. The weather at Mammoth in late amarch  is warm enough not to use the Gondola .

so plan B ... fail.

 

Ah , in retrospect:

It was a cloudy overcast season in Aspen and surprisingly  for Aspen , mediocre grooming and snow management as compared to the past or the ultra premium  quality I get at Beaver Creek.  Dave the top groomer  went to snowmass, but they rarely double groom anymore,

Certainly not worth the $2600 pass in retrospect.  Not  at all "on brand" for Aspen . I also worked snowmobiles at  X games to earn an additional pass, and now that's worthless too. IKON brought tons of Australians to Aspen (causing weekend crowding) which started the  Covid-19 spread. For some reason Aspen media, the hotels, and the resort kept all of the Aspen residents  completely in the dark as to the situation. I have Videos documenting a bunch of this.

There  was a mass exodus from Aspen of wealth  before the testing results were announced, and they were delayed. Exodus really fits  . Very disappointing. 

The grand old gal "Silver Queen Gondola" bas was surrounded by hotel quarantines within 80'feet  at the Little Nell on the left, North of Nell on the right, and an entire floor of the Aspen Square hotel (floor 2 under elevator lockout ) . And this info was withheld (I  had hoped  a bit more from the Crown family) as well as letting us know where the infected people spent their time so Aspen  residents had no idea what their calculated exposure risk was and whether or not they should  IMMEDIATELY self quarantine to protect their  loved ones and elderly family and associates.

I was particularly "lucky" , because my turtles were kicked out of the snow lodge 3 weeks before and also could not go to Ajax Tavern, or inside the little Nell with them so my exposure was minimized as I justo was atbth picnic tables by the Gondola far enough  away while the virus  went on a rampage by the DJs.  This was an exceptional year for après ski because the snow lodg was compet in with the Ajax tavern on both sides of the Gondola so Ajax  not only has a regular DJ outside but also ran one inside downstairs . So three MAJOR concurrent  parties every Friday Saturday Sunday from noon to about 9:30-10pm.

 

 But I feel that a lot of aspen residents  could have made better plans had they known. The people in the Exodus knew that aspen Valley hospital has only 10 ventilators and  would quickly be overwhelmed by the next viral infection  wave. So they flew out in their private planes  and on commercial aircraft (infecting more people probably in search of ar as of lower infection with hospital facilities with extra ventilators - while keeping everyone else in the dark. 

 I think that's pretty horrible. Because these people will seed the virus in so many places where it isn't right now.  

 

 

 

 

Edited March 15, 2020 by John Gilmour

[chaoticbiker]

Vail Resorts decided to close for a week to evaluate the situation. Ludlow (Okemo) currently has 2 cases of COVID-19, half of Vermont cases, one being a New York resident.

Side note: great time to get out the split board.

Edited March 15, 2020 by chaoticbiker

[John Gilmour]

I did tweet Trump a few days ago. I said they should look at the data history for location in the apps using the phone of the infected people who tested positive that way they could trace exactly where they were and for how long at each location while they were asymptomatic and contagious.

 

 I said they should look at the data history for location in the apps using the phone of the infected people who tested positive that way they could trace exactly where they were and for how long at each location while they were asymptomatic and contagious.

 

Then text alerts could be sent out to other peoples phones that had locus that intersected with the carriers and even rate their exposure risk so that these people could self quarantine BEFORE THEY BECAME CONTAGIOUS AND THIS COULD DRAMATICALLY SLOW VIRAL PROPAGATION in a single infection cycle. Wow.. cool right. So many apps like tinder, and even driveshare constantly track people.

I am not an epidemiologist, but I do have a degree in biology from Boston University which has one of the best schools of Public Health in the country. People aboard aircraft are 100 times more likely to contract a respiratory illness. And this illness is 10 times more likely to be contracted. That means you were at almost 1000 times the risk of contracting this while on a plane.

 

The real issue is all commercial planes should be grounded , because they are nothing more than flying virus incubators and typically carry more than 100 people. These people, due to our aircraft set up of "hub and spoke", often go on to a second aircraft in the same day. And some like Southwest have little time to be cleaned as they must hit multiple destination routes in series.

 

 And typically planes  carry more than 100 people. These people do to our aircraft set up of hub and spoke, often go onto a second aircraft in the same day. Doubling their exposure risk.

 

As for Trump Stopping only select international flights, well it's really too late for that . There are plenty of people that travel more than 60% of their working time for business. And all it takes is one of those people to get infected on one other hub and spoke flight and every day that they go to work flying they are infecting others.

And besides all it takes is one  asymptomatic contagious person on Any flight (more likely long haul flights ...but I'm not ruling out a coast to coast flight ) ANYWHERE  to incubate the virus and spread it. It's more likely the frequent air travelers are our worst vectors ( save for the New Rochelle lawyer on the Stamford local line and his  synagogue).

 

yes that's ANY FLIGHT ANYWHERE. ... but probably less risk on shorter duration flights as the air doesn't recirculate for nearly as many times.  Aircraft typically is only pressurize to 5000 to 6000 feet, and when it 35,000 feet that's when most of the air recirculation starts. Short flights   Have the doors open, fresh air enters a cabin, and they're going only for a very brief time at high-altitude re-circulating the air. Air at 35,000 feet can be -40C so they kinda have to recirculate it to keep it warm enough.

 

 

 

and of course holding all other indoor gatherings is a very good idea, also large outdoor concerts where people are clustered close together.

However, if you limited chairlift access to just people that you know when your party, and people sit far apart from each other on the largest chair lifts and reduce that occupancy to just two people. Being outside snowboarding and skiing is probably one of the safest places you could be. The more hours you spend in an area where you cannot get infection the safer you are.  And being outside on an open ski slope where people normally self regulate to being many feet from each other, where people usually do not ski if they are sick with a fever, that's probably one of the safest activities you could do to avoid  Covid-19.

 

 Golf would be also a similar safe activity. 

 

But alterra got our pass money already and took and took the opportunity to close the lifts and save money.  They didn't want to shut down the hotels, and restaurants and après ski parties that make them money and still run the lifts THAT WE PAID FOR ADVANCE. 

 

And it's not the Governor ... I would expect they may have suggested this to himlooking at their balance sheets from the past 14 days , why....because Mono county has zero cases ...and still they closed. Granted.... it's also possible that Mono county has no test kits....

Covid-19 incubated and spread  on long haul flights ...which are typical flights  for the Aussies and the few Asian skiers, but as someone who rode Nisecko Japan, I can tell you many Air China Fares looked attractive but I avoided them because I knew historically from friends more people get sick on those flights than United and American  flights . 

Any crowded flight of more than 1 hour is kinda asking for it right now.

Yes splitboards are great . I was in the middle of starting to talk with Al Gross, the last surviving members of the Flexon Comp development team, about making a superior AT boot for splitting that would also ski well and be significantly lighter and higher performance than any of the boot and binding options we have today. Had a long talk with Erik Beckman about this project too. 

Sigh..

Err. probably have to shelve that until next year. 

I can only think what a blast my snowmobiler friends will have on Aspen and the back side of. Aspen  the next 10 days before melt.

Jack , this post did a weird merge... I left it as it is so you might look into it,  sorry readers for the repeat.

Edited March 15, 2020 by John Gilmour

[lowrider]

Thanks John great insight. Everything is shutting down in central Canada as well . If would appear that the Provincial association of ski Resorts in Ontario, Canada has recommended to it's members that they close. The explanation is that if someone contacted or died of covis19 they would be liable. I'd have to be pretty hammered to accept that as gospel. Looks like insurance chill will rule our lives for some time to come. 

[billyt.]

I’m sure they will pro rate your pass for next season?  Maybe not?

[John Gilmour]

I can guarantee if this happened during The most profitable weeks like Christmas and Presidents' Day.  Alterra would not of closed it's resorts ,  it's mostly because there's no more profit left in running the Lifes after March 10. I seriously think they're just looking for an excuse. 

 

 The other issue, is most of the initial infections were from long-haul flights from halfway around the globe. I think the initial solution was to send these people home because they probably wouldn't service their medical bills, and they wouldn't be covered by medical insurance here. Hospital stays can easily be $10,000 a night.

The Australians are pretty determined as a people. I can say this if I flew halfway around the world to go skiing in what was my summer time  to someplace with vastly superior snow, if they close those resorts that I had access to. I would probably just hop on a short flight to the next closest open resort. That's probably what they are fearing that the Australians , And anyone else who is infected, would just go to the next closest resort. 

 

 They probably thought the only way to get them to go home and end their vacation, and mind you it's a pretty long summer vacation for them, is to just close most of the resorts.  Certainly crowded resorts, have crowded locker rooms and crowded cafeterias. So even lowly Wachusett Mountain, just an hour and a half outside of Boston… Has announced it is also closed. 

 

 The less crowded resorts might stay open. 

https://www.brianhead.com/covid19/

local Brian head in Utah is still open. Yay!  See below. 

We’re Still Open!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Sunday, March 15, 2020
Brian Head Resort Currently to Remain Open to the Public

As of today, March 15, 2020, Brian Head Resort will remain open to the public. We are monitoring the situation very closely, and following the most current guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other federal, state, and local health authorities. There are currently no known active cases of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Iron County, Utah, where Brian Head Resort is located; however, given the ever evolving and rapidly changing COVID-19 environment, there can be no assurance that the situation will not change, and we could be required to suspend or close operations for the season with little or no advance notice. If we are required to suspend or close operations, all pre-purchased lift tickets, equipment rentals, Winter Sports School lessons and other advance reservations will be 100% refunded.

So the fact that there are no known cases at Mammoth and it closed anyway doesn't make much sense.

 

all of the sierras are closed.

https://www.kcra.com/article/ski-resorts-sierra-closed-for-week-due-to-covid-19-concerns/31571848

 

btw the original "  apocalypse snow movie"  with Regis Rolland as the snowboarder being chased by a gang of modest skiers in Les Arcs France  was tremendous fun. 

 

 Also it looks like the Berkshires are closed as well. 

 

[boardguru]

Paul Loxton (Aussie) was also one of the snowboarders in those movies.

[John Gilmour]

21 hours ago, billyt. said:

I’m sure they will pro rate your pass for next season?  Maybe not?

No word yet . I typically don’t use the IKON part if my pass until spring Ge Mammoth and because of apocalypse sniow I won’t be able to go to Mammoth this season at all.

 

  

These are uncertain and unprecedented times throughout the world. Most Ikon Pass destinations have made the difficult, yet necessary, decision to suspend operations as early as March 15, 2020 in the best interest of their employees, local communities, and guests. (For a complete list of closures, check https://www.ikonpass.com/en/covid-19.)

This is uncharted territory, and announcements are happening quickly, so we have no doubt you may be feeling some frustration. We are moving hour by hour and doing our best to minimize confusion. Please know we are all working diligently to serve you, our valued guests. We are experiencing heavy call, email and social media volume and appreciate your patience and understanding as we work hard to respond to all inquiries. At this time, we are evaluating our policies and next steps, and will communicate more information with you soon.

Ikon Pass sincerely apologizes for the inconvenience and disappointment these changes may have caused you and your family. We very much appreciate your patience, understanding, and continued love of the mountains.

Thank you for your support.


Your Friends at Ikon Pass

+++++

Friends ????Friends at IKON PASS? I’m not sure I need a pass that doesn’t work that costs more than a snowboard. 

Edited March 16, 2020 by John Gilmour

[rjnakata]

John,  check your PM inbox!

[Rusty Edges]

My local bump decided to shut it down for the year at 5 pm.  We were on the hill when the email came through.  My refund just came through fro may Whistler accoms that we had to cancel.

Media created BS.  Far more people are going to die today from hunger and malnutrition.  This is just another Flu Virus...