SKI WELL, BE WELL - Beech Mountain Resort

SKI WELL, BE WELLNORTH CAROLINA SKI AREAS OPERATING BESTPRACTICESWINTER 2020-21

FOUNDED IN 1976, THE NORTH CAROLINA SKI AREAS ASSOCIATIONserves as the state’s trade association. Its purpose is to foster, stimulate and promote skiing andsnowsports, as well as safety in skiing and snowsports in North Carolina and to encourage cooperationand assistance from State agencies. North Carolina ski area owners and operators have a long historyof developing best practices for ski, snowboard, and lift safety. The Association supports thenationally-accepted Your Responsibility Code, which defines the basic tenets of slope safety.OUR COMMITMENTThe North Carolina ski and snowboard industry valuesand prioritizes the health and safety of its guests,staff and local communities. We demonstrate thiscommitment by implementing the following operatingbest practices for the 2020-21 winter season, or for aslong as needed, scaled appropriately in response to theCOVID-19 pandemic.North Carolina ski industry leaders from all six resortsestablished these foundational best practices accordingto scientific guidelines put forth by infectious diseaseexperts, including the CDC and WHO. North Carolina skiareas will comply with additional federal, state and localregulations as they are implemented.Snowsports are a way for people to play in wide-openspaces, and to take advantage of the mental and physicalhealth benefits of outdoor recreation. For decades,ski area owners and operators have managed skiernumbers and safety in daily operations, collaboratingwith fellow industry experts to offer safe and memorableexperiences. The North Carolina Ski Areas associationis committed to providing outdoor recreation in waysthat promote health and safety, and reduce the risk ofinfection.Gunther Jochl, President,Sugar Mountain ResortSki areas are committed tosupporting healthy and thrivinglocal communities. We will continueto partner with local agencies tomaintain the success and characterof the places in which we operate.

A LETTER FROM NCSAA’S PRESIDENTSince the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus, the NorthCarolina ski industry leaders have listened and learned,and responded by implementing the guidelines outlinedby Governor Cooper and the CDC to their summer andfall operations. The results are exciting and encouraging.Positive COVID-19 cases within the communities of all sixski areas continues to be significantly lower than the stateaverage. Employment remains stable. Local businessesare operating within state guidelines and we look forwardto continuing safe operation during the winter season. Arefreshing level of respect and compassion is feltthroughout North Carolina’s outdoor community. Mostimportantly, we are committed to the health and wellbeing of those living in and visiting our mountaincommunities.Kimberley JochlPresidentNorth Carolina Ski Areas Association“We look forward to welcoming guests to the slopes this winter!”Chris Bates, President, Cataloochee Ski Area2

BENEFITS AND ADVANTAGES OF SKI AREASSki areas provide low-risk outdoor recreation opportunities for millions of Americans.Here’s what makes the ski industry uniquely positioned to do so:SpaceNorth Carolina ski areas provide hundreds of acresof land for outdoor recreation. Ski area operators areexperts at monitoring and managing the flow andvolume of traffic in their outdoor spaces.Natural Outdoor EnvironmentThe majority of time spent at a ski area is spent outside inthe fresh air, cruising down runs.Standard GearFace coverings, including neck gaiters, goggles, glovesor mittens, and helmets are standard pieces of skiing orsnowboarding gear.Slope Safety EtiquetteLong-standing skiing and snowboarding etiquette requiresguests to respect one another and give space betweenthemselves and other skiers and riders. Safe skiers leavespace between other skiers.Roger Dow, President and CEO of U.S. Travel Association3

Health BenefitsSnowsports provide numerous proven health and wellnessbenefits to participants. According to the WHO, “regularphysical activity benefits both the body and mind.” Theorganization says that physical activity increases strengthand fitness, reduces the risk of cardiovascular and otherphysical ailments and improves mental health, specificallyreducing the risk of depression.11World Health Organization, Q&A: Be Active During COVID-19 (accessed August 2020)Shared Responsibility for SafetyIt is up to every individual, both ski area employee andguest, to do their part to help protect the health and safetyof our skiing and snowboarding community. Followingrequirements to mitigate the risk of infection is part of thesocial contract between ski area operator and guest.Touchless TransactionsMany ski areas have adopted technologies to reducepersonal contact between employees and guests. Theseinclude touchless payment and access technologies, suchas RF (radio frequency) scanning of tickets andpasses.4

SAFE WORKING, SAFE RECREATINGHere is how North Carolina ski areas are helping to keep their employees, guests andcommunities healthy:Face Coverings are Requiredspaces, except when eating or drinking.Physical DistancingSki areas will create operational plans that allow for appropriatespacing between parties. This includes but is not limited to thefollowing parts of the operation: lift queues, ticket queues, ski andsnowboard lessons, employee spaces, and food and beverage outlets.Cleaning and DisinfectionSki areas will adopt cleaning and disinfection strategies for all areas of theiroperation, including high-touch areas such as restrooms, restaurants, diningfacilities, ticket offices, and rental shops. All cleaning products used will followCDC and EPA guidance on agents which are effective against COVID-19.Operating PlansSki areas will review and amend both their overall and individualdepartmental operating plans to: comply with local regulations;maintain physical distancing requirements; and adhere to cleaning anddisinfection best practices.INDOOR SPACES: Ski areas comply with localregulations regarding the management ofindoor spaces.OUTDOOR SPACES: Ski areas have created detailed,scalable operating plans for the management of outdoorspaces including base areas, lifts and ski terrain.Enhanced health and safety measures are in place in everypart of our operation Brad Moretz, President, Appalachian Ski Mtn.5

CommunicationSki areas will communicate their plans and requirements to guests prior totheir arrival at the ski area, stressing the shared responsibility in keepingour slopes safe. Guests will be made aware of their obligations, includingthe requirement to wear a face covering whenever physical distancingcannot be achieved. Ski areas will also post on-site signage notifyingguests and employees of required best practices to help stop the spread.Reporting and NotificationSki areas will comply with state and local public health orders and follow CDCbest practices when reporting a positive case of COVID-19 at their resort.Employees will be trained in these practices by ski area leadership.OUR INDUSTRY’S GOAL IS TO KEEP GUESTS SKIING AND SNOWBOARDINGSkiing is a weather-based business requiring thedaily scaling of operations to respond to currentconditions. As such, our industry is uniquelyprepared to pivot its operations.offer low-risk, high-value recreation and it is ourgoal to provide that to our guests, even if someindoor or close-contact activities have to be scaledback or put on hold. The ski industry is committedto a collaborative relationship with state and localauthorities to work together for solutions to keep skiareas open, and to keep guests and staff safe.We are confident in our expertise of managingoutdoor recreation spaces. Skiing and snowboardingEmployee TrainingSki area employees are trained in COVID-19 safety and disinfectionprotocols, consistent with recommendations from the CDC.Stay home or go homewhen experiencing thefollowing symptoms:EmployeeWellness ChecksSki areas perform daily wellness checks of allemployees prior to the start of their shifts.Employees will be sent home or asked to stayhome if they have come into contact with a positiveCOVID-19 case and/or exhibit relevant symptoms. muscle aches congestion orrunny nose headache loss of smell nausea orvomitingor taste diarrhea sore throat cough6

LIFTSThere are thousands of outdoor recreation options but what makes the ski industry different is its uphilltransport: aerial ropeways like chairlifts, trams and gondolas, and surface conveyors. Of these, chairliftsare the most common.The National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) serves as the secretariat of the American NationalStandards Institute Accredited Standards Committee B77, which develops design requirements,specifications for training, and operation and maintenance requirements for aerial ropeways.NSAA believes that ski areas can effectively operate their ropeways without additional risk of infectionby setting forth these best practices.Lift QueuesLoading the ChairGuests will be asked to self-group and load the chair with theirtraveling party. Lift attendants will not require guests to ride achairlift with people they do not know. High capacity chairliftsmay be the exception, and may be loaded in a way thatallows for physical distancing.Riding the ChairThe average chairlift ride is 7 minutes,considerably shorter than most transportationactivities such as riding a bus or taking a tripin an airplane. The average chairlift travels atapproximately 5 mph, 7 feet every second,providing constant directional air flow. Chairsare spaced approximately 50 feet apart.Express lifts, found at many ski areas andresorts, travel at nearly 17 mph, with chairsspaced over 100 feet apart.Unloading the LiftStandard ski area safety rules and on-mountain signage require thatpeople clear the unload area quickly after disembarking. Once clear ofthe chair, skiers and riders have wide open spaces on which to slide.7

“We have every reason to believe that the success of summerseason will carry over to our winter season.“Ryan Costin, President, Beech Mountain ResortOpen Air ChairliftsThe majority of our lifts are open air chairs where the rider experiences aconstant flow of fresh, clean air.Chairlifts check the boxes forlow-risk transportation and recreation.Face coverings requiredOutdoor environmentSkiers and snowboarders will ride the lift with their traveling partyLift rides are generally 5-10 minutes, and almost always under 15 minutesLifts travel between 5 and 17mph, creating constant one-way directional airflowChairs are typically spaced 50 or more feet apartThe North Carolina ski industry is committed toproviding outdoor recreation in ways that reducethe risk of infection.8