Hitting the Slopes

With stay-at-home orders in place and online school, heading up to the mountains could not be any easier. Local ski resorts such as Mammoth, Big Bear, and Mountain High, are easy to go whether it’s for a day or a short weekend. 

Conditions for skiing and snowboarding this season have been perfect as the weather continues to impress. Snow reports on average claimed to have reached about 18 feet.

While it may be snowy, there are plenty of warmer days which make skiing and snowboarding even more enjoyable. The weather has been great recently with temperatures not too cold or hot and the snow has been packing up because of the storms.

“I went skiing in Mammoth a few weekends ago and the conditions were awesome. It was dumping snow and there was a blizzard for a day,” senior Samantha Laurin said.

While it may be easy to make time to ski and snowboard, COVID-19 has caused many restrictions and challenges. 

Resorts, like Mammoth, have special employees who stand at each chairlift controlling the crowds. The COVID-19 patrol reminds athletes to keep masks over their noses and social distance. This helps keep everyone safe to ensure a good time. 

Wearing a face mask is mandatory when at the bottom of the mountain while hanging around near a lodge or waiting in line for the chair lift. Once on the chairlift it is your choice to keep your mask on or off. These precautions are in place to keep the mountain open and help everyone remain healthy. 

Even with all of the new precautions, Sea Kings are still hitting the slopes this year.

“I go snowboarding at Mountain High because it’s close to home and easy to go up with friends,” senior Ryann Levendusky said. 

Mountain High is about two hours from the South Bay and perfect for a quick day trip. 

With more free time and easy-to-manage schedules, Sea Kings are able to ski almost whenever and wherever they want.

“I am skiing a lot more this year than I have in years past because I have the time,” said Laurin.

More time and perfect weather has allowed for Sea Kings to get in some good skiing, making this ski season one of the best ones in years.