The increased spread of the coronavirus has put an abrupt end to the dream of many European skiing fans to explore North American ski resorts. Members of the European Union are no longer allowed to enter the United States. Several states in the US have declared the state of emergency and most of the ski resorts in the United States and Canada have been closed. Heliskiing providers are canceling their bookings. Find out what's going on in North American ski resorts at the moment:
Vail Resorts close 34 ski areas
Most American and Canadian ski resorts have stopped operating in light of the coronavirus danger. Vail Resorts and Alterra Mountain Company, the two largest operators, are especially affected.
Vail Resorts alone, the world's largest operator of ski resorts, comprises 34 areas in North America. All have them were closed on Sunday, March 15 and will remain so at least until Sunday, March 22. On Sunday, the company will reevaluate the situation. With the number of new infections in the US rising rapidly, everything else than an extension of the closure would come as a big surprise.
Besides Vail ski resort, the Vail Resorts enterprise also comprises the areas of Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone and Crested Butte in Colorado, Park City in Utah, Heavenly, Northstar and Kirkwood in California and Whistler Blackcomb, Canada's largest resort, among others.
Alterra Mountain close 15 resorts
The Alterra Mountain Company has also suspended operation of all of their ski resorts in North America, starting March 15. It has not yet been announced how long the areas will remain closed. The suspension affects 15 resorts in the US and Canada.
Mammoth Mountain, Alpine Meadows, Squaw Valley and Big Bear in California, Dear Valley and Solitude in Utah, Winter Park and Steam Boat in Colorado as well as Tremblant in Quebec are among the areas that have been closed by the company.
British Columbian heliskiing provider CMH Heli-Skiing & Summer Adventures, also owned by the Alterra Mountain Company, is closed as well. All heliskiing trips booked for the dates between March 14 and March 16 will take place. Bookings for March 17 or later will be canceled.
US states declare state of emergency
Several states in the US have declared a state of emergency, which partly affects ski resorts:
Governor Jared Polis of Colorado issued an order on March 14, forcing all ski areas to close. Among others, the order affects the popular areas in Aspen, Vail, Winter Park, Telluride, Copper Mountain, Breckenridge, Steamboat, Keystone and Beaver Creek.
>> All Colorado ski resorts
Utah has closed most of its resorts well. After Park City (Vail Resorts), Deer Valley and Solitude (both Alterra Mountain Company) had suspended operation, the resorts of Alta, Snowbird and Eagle Point closed as well.
>> All Utah ski resorts
California is among the states that have declared a state of emergency. Besides the areas belonging to Vail Resorts and the Alterra Mountain Company, Sugar Bowl has closed as well.
>> All California ski resorts
Canada: Several larger resorts remain open
While all large ski resorts in the US have closed, only few in Canada have done so. The largest and most famous of them, Whistler Blackcomb, is among the resorts that have suspended operation. Other big resorts like Lake Louise, Sunshine, Sun Peaks, Big White, Jasper and Panorama among others, remain open. Numerous hygienic measures are being taken in an attempt to control the situation.
>> All Canadian ski resorts
