'First Day is always special': Ski season arrives in Alberta
There may be little snow in the mountains but Norquay and Lake Louise have still managed to open early November for the 2021-22 ski season.
Norquay's Cascade Chair opened Friday morning, as did the Glacier Chair at Lake Louise, providing skiers and snowboards their first runs of the fall.
“First day is always special right, regardless of the snow conditions,” said Steven Blecic who was among the first in line at Norquay for the first chair of the day. “I’m feeling awesome, it’s been a long summer waiting for this, right?
In addition to ski and snowboard gear, guests are reminded to also bring along their face mask to comply with the mandatory pandemic-related policies of both hills.
Both resorts are participating in Alberta's restrictions exemption program and will be checking for proof of vaccination or documentation of a negative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test for COVID-19.
Vaccine passports are required throughout the mountain in Norquay, at Lake Louise, documents will not be checked at chairlifts, outdoor dining spaces, ticket kiosks or outdoor bathroom trailers.
Andre Quenneville, general manager at Mt. Norquay said requiring vaccination or a negative test from both visitors and staff allows them to operate lifts and indoor facilities at full capacity.
“Last year lift lines were long with lots of measures in place like lodge capacities and things like that, which made it quite difficult to enjoy a ski day," said Quenneville. "So, really at the end of the day the experience overall will be better for anyone coming out skiing.”
The ski and boarders at Norquay on Friday didn’t mind the vaccine requirements, saying they’ll do what they have to get back out on the slopes.
“I know some people would be anxious to have these protocols in place but if you want to play you have to abide by the protocols they have,” said Allan Lyndon.
Both hills will expand operations in the weeks to come as more wintry weather arrives.
BANFF AND SUNSHINE VILLAGE VACCINE REQUIREMENTS
Sunshine aims to open in early November and says it will be requiring visitors and staff to be vaccinated or provide a negative COVID-19 test to access all indoor and outdoors facilities.
Kendra Scurfield with Sunshine Village said they also have plans in place to speed up the process to check those documents in anticipation of the return of international travellers this season.
“We are creating a vaccine check area in our base area which will essentially be a corral,” she said. “We’re very excited we’ll be able to load our gondola at capacity which will hopefully reduce the line up we did see last year.”
Sunshine has also expanded its parking lot with an additional 250 spaces and will be maintaining the two sprung tent structures will be making a return this season after first erected last season.
RCR REQUIRES PROOF OF VACCINE
If you’re planning on heading to Nakiska or any other resort owned by Resorts of the Canadian Rockies (RCR) you’ll need to prove you’ve been immunized and will not be accepting a negative test.
Fernie Alpine Resort, Kicking Horse Mountain Resort, Kimberley Alpine Resort, and Nakiska will all need to verify everyone 12 years and older has been vaccinated to access all chair lifts and indoor facilities.
RCR says to streamline capacity and wait times it will not be accepting a negative COVID-19 test at its resorts.
Medical or religious exemptions will be considered but you need to submit a request at least four weeks before visiting.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
LIVE B.C. seeks ban on using drugs in 'all public spaces,' shifting approach to decriminalization
The B.C. government is moving to have drug use banned in 'all public spaces,' marking a major shift in the province's approach to decriminalization.
Air traveller complaints to Canadian Transportation Agency hit new high
The Canadian Transportation Agency has hit a record high of more than 71,000 complaints in a backlog. The quasi-judicial regulator and tribunal tasked with settling disputes between customers and the airlines says the backlog is growing because the number of incoming complaints keeps increasing.
Orca calf that was trapped in B.C. lagoon for weeks swims free
An orca whale calf that has been stranded in a B.C. lagoon for weeks after her pregnant mother died swam out on her own early Friday morning.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
U.S. flight attendant indicted in attempt to record teen girl in airplane bathroom
An American Airlines flight attendant was indicted Thursday after authorities said he tried to secretly record video of a 14-year-old girl using an airplane bathroom last September.
76ers All-Star centre Joel Embiid says he has Bell's palsy
Philadelphia 76ers All-Star centre Joel Embiid has been diagnosed with Bell’s palsy, a form of facial paralysis he says has affected him since before the play-in tournament.
AFN chief says Air Canada offered a 15% discount after her headdress was mishandled
After the Assembly of First Nations' national chief complained to Air Canada about how staffers treated her and her ceremonial headdress on a flight this week, she says the airline responded by offering a 15 per cent discount on her next flight.
Trump's lawyers try to discredit testimony of prosecution's first witness in hush money trial
Donald Trump's defence team attacked the credibility Friday of the prosecution's first witness in his hush money case, seeking to discredit testimony detailing a scheme between Trump and a tabloid to bury negative stories to protect the Republican's 2016 presidential campaign.