04 restaurants
DINING OUT SAFELY
03 lodging
Planning your stay
Mountain & resort rules
02 skiing
Skiing and snowboarding both pose a low transmission risk for COVID-19, but it’s important to follow guidelines to ensure the health and safety of all. Before hitting the slopes, guests will have to sign a self-attestation form, stating that they have followed quarantine requirements and aren’t experiencing any symptoms.
Travel & quarantine
01 Know before you go
Read more about Vermont’s out-of-state travel guidelines
All out-of-state visitors are required to quarantine before skiing or any other activities. The easiest way to do so is by self-isolating at home before your trip. You can choose a 14-day quarantine or a 7-day quarantine followed by a negative test.
Plan a safe Vermont ski trip
Life may look a little different for everyone this winter, but one thing’s for sure—there is still great skiing and snowboarding in the mountains of Vermont. To keep everyone safe both on and off the mountain, ski areas have enacted new COVID-19 measures that all visitors must adhere to. By following these regulations, you’ll not only ensure a safe and fun trip for yourself, but help others in the community stay healthy. “In order for us to have a full, successful ski season, it’s going to take everyone understanding and embracing their part,” says Adam White of Ski Vermont.
Here’s what you need to know before you hit the slopes, including the quarantine measures you’ll need to take prior to skiing.
(and fun!)
To keep everyone safe, all Vermont visitors must self-quarantine before visiting ski areas this winter. There are three ways to meet the requirements.
Plan ahead. Stop the spread.
At home before my trip
For 7 days in Vermont with a negative test
For 14 days in Vermont
You can self-quarantine at home if:
I’m not sure yet
Whether you’re staying at a ski resort or off-mountain at a hotel or rental, you’ll need to review the safe travel guidelines and sign an attestation that you’ll follow all COVID-19 regulations.
High-contact services, such as porterage and valet, may not be available
Enhanced cleaning procedures in common areas and guest rooms
Signage posted throughout the property, outlining new guidelines
Hotel reservations must be made in advance online
What TO expect
Spotlight
Protect yourself and others
wear a mask
Observe distancing measures
wash hands frequently
These regulations were developed by ski industry leaders using the latest guidance from the CDC and State of Vermont. Along with these measures, individual resorts may have their own guidelines.
Find all Vermont ski area policies here.
In-person dining service ends at 10pm
Face masks are required unless eating or drinking
You may be asked to provide information for potential contact tracing
Reservations must be made in advance for in-person dining
What TO expect
Spotlight
Ready to Ski Vermont this winter?
Use our downloadable checklist to plan a safe trip.
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Know before you go
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Whether it’s a second home or long-term rentals, like Jay Peak’s new “relocation vacation package”, longer stays in Vermont are popular this winter. “We were overwhelmed by the amount of interest in that product,” says Steven Wright, president and general manager of Jay Peak. Along with the new offering, the resort invested in upgraded Wi-Fi to support remote workers making the mountain their new home office.
Longer stays with your immediate household can also offer a more “traditional” experience—like riding lifts together or sharing tables at meals. But no matter the length of stay, everyone will have to follow Vermont’s safe travel guidelines, including mandatory quarantine. Before finalizing any reservations, Jay Peak is making sure travelers know what they need to do before they arrive, to ensure a great ski season for everyone.
“We’re optimists. Always at the beginning of the season, we always think it's going to be the best season that we've ever had. So that's in our DNA a little bit,” says Wright. “We're just happy we've been able to get to this point. And I think that we're all optimistic that guests are going to figure out a way to pay attention and stay safe and still ski this year.”
Food trucks, heated tents, takeout windows—with lodge space limited, ski areas are finding creative ways to offer more outdoor dining options this winter. At Magic Mountain, an abandoned lift shack gained new life as T Bar, offering food and drinks slopeside. For Sugarbush, “ski cabanas” are options for visitors who want to rent a spot for getting ready and enjoying meals.
Cozying up beside a fireplace in the lodge may be an ideal apres-ski activity, but resorts are making their new outdoor spaces equally welcoming. “We cranked up the outdoor seating and furniture, bought a bunch of extra heaters and fire pits,” says John Bleh, public relations manager at Sugarbush. Transforming your car into your base lodge for meals is another way operators are asking visitors to be flexible as they plan their trips.
While ski areas are looking forward to a return to normal, some of what’s new for this season, like increased usage of RFID scanners and online ordering, may end up sticking around after the pandemic, too. At Sugarbush, a new app lets skiers plan their meals from anywhere around the resort. “It’s all pretty cool. You order food, you know, on the chairlift, and you go and pick it up,” says Bleh—an inviting prospect, pandemic or not.
Dining out, in the great outdoors.
For some, Vermont is a new home base
Spotlight
This year's motto? Plan ahead.
Ski areas are working hard to welcome visitors safely, collaborating with the state and industry organizations on new guidelines. From social distancing at lift lines to limited lodge access, every portion of the experience has been reimagined. ”We strongly encourage everyone to do ample research,” says White, so that visitors are well-acquainted with regulations before arriving at the mountain. Operators agree. Geoff Hatheway, President of Magic Mountain, says skiers will get that communication when they purchase passes. “It’s better for people to know before they get here, what they can expect.”
As the season goes on, ski areas may adjust rules or offer new recommendations. With some mountains opening just ahead of Thanksgiving, it became clear that having extra masks handy, in case one gets wet or dropped, would be a good idea—small things like that, says Molly Mahar of Ski Vermont, they expect to learn along the way.
In the end, the extra preparation isn’t much different than the careful planning that goes into a ski trip any other year, says White. “It's just additional steps that you go through in order to be able to participate in this sport that people love in this
place that people love.”
Get my guide
Restaurants are open for business, but with some restrictions in place. While you’re at the ski area, plan ahead to make reservations for meals indoors, or order food online and opt to eat outside if you’re able.
safety checklist
Choose a response to enter the site
Remember: If you’re feeling sick, stay home!
Stay home if you’re sick
What you can expect:
Ski areas will open as much terrain as possible to allow everyone to spread out, but face coverings are required whenever distancing is not possible. Lifts will be loaded at 50% capacity or with ample physical distancing, though you may share a lift with your immediate travel group.
On the mountain
Base lodges and other indoor spaces will be limited to either 50% capacity or 75 people, whichever is fewest. Consider using your car as a “personal base lodge” to store your gear, get ready, warm up, and enjoy meals.
at the lodge
Many ski areas are requiring advance reservations, whether for lift tickets, parking, or both. Check with your destination before you arrive to make your booking and review the most up-to-date guidelines.
Before your trip
See links to all Vermont ski area policies here.
You’re taking your own personal vehicle or rental car
Everyone on your trip is from the same household
You’re staying in a hotel or rental with only your household
You’re taking a bus, train, or plane
You’re sharing a hotel or rental with others outside your household
You have COVID-19 symptoms or have been recently exposed
Read more about Vermont’s out-of-state travel guidelines
All out-of-state visitors are required to quarantine before skiing or any other activities. The easiest way to do so is by self-isolating at home before your trip. You can choose a 14-day quarantine or a 7-day quarantine followed by a negative test.
You can self-quarantine at home if:
01 Know before you go
Travel & quarantine
