BC skill hills are open and ready for shredding 

As the mountains start to open for the 2021/2022 season, what are snowboarders saying about the new covid restrictions including vaccine passports at some hills? 

Since covid started at the end of 2019 the Mountains have had covid restrictions put in place but this year they are going to be looking a bit different. As of September 13 vaccine passports have become mandatory at most places in BC including grouse mountain. 

All guests must show proof double vaccination to get up the gondola.. 

Covid is not only affecting restaurants, bars, and gondolas for the mountains. It is also affecting the maximum capacity. Which means it is sometimes exceedingly difficult to get you self a lift ticket so if you do not have seasons pass you might have to plan your day of skiing a few extra days in advance, so you do not miss out.  

Some people who spoke to 8forty for this article were not happy with the covid restrictions. 

“We shouldn’t need vaccine passports to snowboard,” one unvaccinated snowboarder said. “There should be different time slots to go up the gondola, a time for the vaccinated and a time for the unvaccinated if it effects the vaccinated so much.” 

The gondola is a closed carriage with little air circulation. 

Not all ski hills have these restrictions, however.  

Cypress, Seymour and Whistler Mountain require no proof of vaccination status. You still must show proof of vaccination to go into restaurants, bars, and patios on the mountain. 

This reporter finally made it up to Cypress this week.  

Our five-hour snowboarding session was not hampered too much by the on-and-off rain. The lift lines were short and there was plenty of room on the slopes, though the snow was in poor condition. Without any new snow over the last couple of days Cypress had to rely on their snow machines. 

We chose to stay outside and avoid the indoor restaurant. 

Image Credit: wikimedia