Wednesday 1 December 2021

Another ski season begins (2021-2022)... will COVID shut Whistler down early again?

Opening day on Blackcomb Mountain 2021
 

The 2021-2022 ski season has started here in Whistler. Lots of snow for the first few days giving hope it will be a good one.

However, Vail Resorts/Whistler-Blackcomb is refusing to listen to the wishes of most Whistler residents, who have made it loud and clear that they want Vail/W-B to require proof of vaccination to ride its gondolas (see petition, below). The B.C. Provincial Health Officer requires proof of vaccination to enter bars and restaurants (and much else), but she doesn't seem to comprehend that ski gondolas are tiny enclosed places with only inches between passengers (there are 6-10 people crammed into each gondola, often with windows frozen shut, for a 20-25-minute ride). So, without a vaccine mandate from the Government, Vail/W-B is balking.

Nearly 12,000 people have thus far signed a petition asking for this vaccine mandate. Thus far, W-B/Vail continues to demonstrate it doesn't care about Whistler residents and others' safety.

So who knows about this new ski season. It too may be shut down early (in March) as has been for the past two seasons (skiing normally goes to the end of May). Another shutdown will be devastating for local businesses (and us skiers/riders)!

On the weather front: Yet another "atmospheric river" is hitting us. Been raining here top to bottom -- all that snow has disappeared halfway up the mountain.

Sigh....