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For Arapahoe Basin, Return Of Skiing Is An 'Emotional Victory'

SUMMIT COUNTY, Colo. (CBS4) – Arapahoe Basin Ski Resort announced it will reopen for the 2019-2020 season on Wednesday. The resort has been closed for nearly three months following the start of the coronavirus pandemic.

The resort says it will sell a very small number of lift tickets, and reservations are required.

"It's an emotional victory for us, for the county, for skiers, but it also allows us to bring people back to work," said Katherine Fuller with Arapahoe Basin.

Resort hours will be seven days a week, 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Pass holders, including Any Day passes, Ikon and Mountain Collective passes are allowed.

a basin
(credit: CBS)

Uphill Pass holders will also have Uphill Access from 4 p.m. until 8 a.m.

Other rules the resort is implementing:

- Physical distancing will be enforced and guests must wear face coverings in designated areas.
- Tailgating and other gatherings will not be allowed.

"We have been given an extraordinary opportunity. We need to take this very seriously and we need to respect the guidance given by our Summit County and State of Colorado health officials. We have to open in a responsible way. We need everyone to help," resort officials stated.

In March, Gov. Jared Polis ordered Colorado ski areas to close because of the rising number of coronavirus cases in the high country. Recently, Summit County requested a variance from the state's safer-at-home order, and it was approved.

"We really believe, our public health director really believes that the plan they presented is very safe, and the state believes that as well," said Summit County Commissioner Elisabeth Lawrence.

While Arapahoe Basin employees will enforce the new rules, both the ski area and county leaders are asking for cooperation from guests. Summit County Public Health may lower the number of skier allowed per day if physical distancing requirements cannot be met in ski area, parking lots, guest facilities and base areas.

"So, if we start seeing gatherings of groups and party scenes going on at the base area, that may be a trigger where we're going to need to scale back the plan," said Dan Hendershott, Summit County Environmental Health Manager.

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