VICTORIA -- A recent dump of snow on Mount Washington has the alpine resort confident it will open on Dec. 4.
According to the company, 14 centimetres of snow fell over the mountain over the past 24 hours, between Thursday and Friday.
In October, Mount Washington Alpine Resort announced that it was ending its summer operations slightly ahead of schedule due to snowfall.
At the time, the resort said that it planned to open with a host of new COVID-19 safety protocols in place.
The new rules include limiting the number of daily lift tickets sold, a mandatory mask policy, scheduled equipment rental pick ups and drop offs and increased online bookings.
Employees will also be monitored daily for symptoms of COVID-19, and guests are encouraged not to visit if they are feeling unwell.
“I’m excited to say, Mt. Washington plans to open Friday, December 4th, 2020 for the start of the winter season,” said Dean Prentice, Mount Washington general manager, in an open letter on Oct. 27.
“As always with our coastal climate, this depends on the weather, but our snowmaking system is ready to blow, and we hope for cold temperatures as well as Mother Nature’s support for an on-time opening.”
The resort says that season pass holders will be placed on a higher priority and that pass holders will have access to the resort on any given day. Maximum capacity on the slopes will be limited by restricting the number of daily lift tickets sold.
Meanwhile, ski and snowboard classes for both children and adults will continue to take place. However, class sizes will be smaller and must be reserved online in advance.
“As you can see, we are planning lots of changes with the objective of making us all safer and more comfortable this winter season,” said Prentice.
“While some of the changes will be a little inconvenient, we think it is a small price to accept for safety and the opportunity to have a great season on the slopes.”
