Crowdfunding Keeps US Centre’s Slopes Groomed and Open, But Lifts not Running
A small US ski resort has successfully crowdfunded $6,000 in the past week or so to keep its slopes groomed even though the lifts aren’t running.
Snow King Mountain is one of a large number of ski resorts in states not yet in complete lock down where people can hike up the hill and ski down.
“It’s a little different picture for us because we’re shut down, and there’s no income for us, but I think it’s a positive thing people are getting out and enjoying the hill, and that’s why we’re doing this campaign,” Snow King General Manager Ryan Stanley told the Jackson Hole News & Guide.
More than 150 people contributed to the fundraising since the centre closed on 16th March. Uphill skiers are being advised to not go near one another in order to maintain social distancing and increase the chance that the centre is allowed to keep operating.
It’s a very mixed pictures across the US with a number of resorts banning access completely to their closed slopes. Recently images of back country skiers being fined for skiing down in a closed ski area were published.
A growing number of states, including Colorado, have also completely banned backcountry skiing or skiing at closed areas due to the virus pandemic, following the same argument that is being used in most European countries now that any rescue or medical attention required would use resources that should be committed to fighting the pandemic.
49 Degrees North ski area in Washington state is believed to have been the last ski centre in North America to close, at the end of Tuesday earlier this week.
All images credit Snow King Mountain.
