In a season with its share of darkness, a bright wintry spot exists in Geauga County off of Wilson Mills Road in Munson Township.
In a season with its share of darkness, a bright wintry spot exists in Geauga County off of Wilson Mills Road in Munson Township.
Built in 1965, Alpine Valley is going strong, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, thanks to Mother Nature and newer owner Vail Resorts, which took it over in 2019.
“I’m not normally a winter person, but days like this certainly help get you through the winter gloom,” said Terry Stark on a recent Saturday morning with his son, Gabriel, 10. “Yes, Covid has certainly made things challenging that we normally take for granted. Being on the mountain is always liberating and we are also frequent hikers and bikers, as well. Nature has always been a big part of our lives. It’s good for the soul.”
Alpine Valley’s attendance has definitely increased during the pandemic.
“Numbers have been up,” said Andrew White, of Chardon, Alpine Valley’s lift operations team manager. “We have maxed out our reservation multiple times this season. Many people are taking advantage of these amazing conditions here at Alpine. We made the biggest snow making push in recent years and have full snow coverage to everywhere on the hill.”
The Starks, who live near the border of Geauga and Lake counties, try to visit Alpine weekly.
“You do need to make reservations a few days in advance,” Stark said. “COVID has made everything a bit more challenging, but Alpine seems to have done a great job streamlining the entry and rental process while keeping safety in mind.”
Like many area ski and snowboard enthusiasts, White’s love for the sport began at Alpine. It is his sixth season working at the resort.
“There is something special about the feeling of being on the hill and riding down,” White said. “The same feeling that got me hooked as a kid created a passion for the love of snowboarding and Alpine.”
He added, “I, the general manager, (Jay Kurz), and the mountain operations manager, (James Glavic), have all grown up riding here at Alpine as kids and now manage the resort.”
Thomas Conti is Vail Resorts Midwest region field marketing manager.
Conti said during a year of so much uncertainty, the one thing that is certain is winter. “In order to offer this beautiful winter sport, we had to re-imagine the resort experience with the health and safety of both guests and employees top of mind,” Conti said.
According to National Ski Areas Association, Ohio has five operating ski areas. Vail Resorts is one of the biggest names in skiing and snowboarding.
They also own Cleveland-area’s Boston Mills and Brandywine resorts.
According to NPR’s A Pandemic Reprieve for Mountain Resorts and for Skiers, “Every year, more than 50 million visitors escape to America’s 470 mountain resorts to ski and snowboard. The industry generates $55 billion annually … But last spring, the season came to a halt. An estimated $2 billion was lost when 93% of ski resorts closed as the coronavirus began to envelop the nation.”
There is hope across the country as resorts open back up with clear safety precautions.
Alpine’s safety measures include required face coverings, pass holder reservations, limited on-mountain access lift tickets and cashless transactions.
“One of the great things about skiing is it is a socially-distant sport by nature,” Conti added. “It involves wide-open spaces and face masks are already a natural part of a skier’s gear to keep them warm.”
This season, the resort launched a new online lift ticket system where you are able to purchase your lift ticket in advance, limiting face-to-face interactions with staff.
“Along with the online lift ticket sales, we have implemented a reservation system and a capacity limit at the resort in order to monitor and cap the number of people at the resort at a single time to ensure the safety of all parties,” Conti said.
The indoor experience will also feel different at Alpine.
“As we have drastically reduced the indoor seating area to allow for social distancing, face covering will be required at all times both on and off the slopes, new lift line mazes have been developed to control distancing in lift lines and overall resort cleaning is happening regularly throughout the day,” Conti said.
He added, “Due to the current landscape of COVID-19, people might not feel comfortable going to gyms, malls or newly reopened movie theatres. Skiing provides a mental and physical escape that we are all in desperate need for.”
Alpine is offering multiple lesson programs and invites schools to visit.
“The number of guests are limited and lesson groups are greatly reduced to ensure for social distancing,” Conti said.
Alpine Valley offers beginner conducive terrain that will help a person get acclimated to the sport.
“Once you have your legs under you, we offer progressive terrain where you will be able to enhance your skill by visiting different trails varying in challenge,” White said.
“The forecast is looking great for February and anyone who does not come to ski here will definitely be missing out.”
Stark can attest to the experience and looks forward to doing it again with his son.
“Alpine is one of my favorite places to go in the winter and even better with my dad,” Gabriel said. “It’s nice to spend time with him when he’s not at work. We both fell a few times, but got right back up.”
