What You Need to Know About Skiing in the Northeast This Winter Season – Effects of Covid-19

Earlier this winter season, I took a trip up north to Loon Mountain in New Hampshire. Here’s what to expect this ski season that is a little bit different than normal:

1. Plan ahead. Most resorts are requiring lift ticket reservations to be made ahead of time online and are not allowing day of ticket sales. Plan to book these early, as some days have been selling out.

A note about Loon Mountain: One exception to this rule is anyone who has an Ikon Pass and plans on using a friends and family pass. To use a friends and family pass, all you must do is go up to the ticket window the morning of and let them know how many tickets you would like to redeem. You can redeem all 8 in one day if you wish!

2. Wear a mask. This is a standard at most (if not all) mountains in the US. Luckily, most people are used to wearing some sort of face covering while skiing just to stay warm! Here's the balaclava that I used and it worked great!

3. Be prepared to get ready at the car. This is a big change compared to normal years! At Loon, there are no lockers available and no bags allowed in the lodges. In addition to getting ready at the car, if you plan on bringing your own food for lunch, be prepared to go back to your car to get it unless you decide to carry it on you in a backpack as you ski.

Bonus Tips:

- Check out Woodstock Inn Brewery after your day of skiing. It is only about 10 minutes away from Loon, and it has great beer (they also have flights)! Also, the butternut squash ravioli is a must order! They honestly might go down as my favorite meal ever ordered at a restaurant; the sauce was delicious. In term of Covid-19, because of the cold, they were not doing outdoor seating while we were there, however, the inside was very spacious and not many people were there, so it still felt very safe.

- If you need rentals, I recommend going off site to get them. There are various options right along the Kancamagus Highway leading up the Loon Mountain Resort. Most of these options do not require advance reservations (unlike Loon’s rentals which do need to be booked ahead of time), which if you are planning a last-minute trip, could be advantageous. One place I recommend is Roder’s Ski and Sport. They have great gear and its a quick in-and-out process to rent.