Hello MLC Team!
The amazing Spring weather leads to great opportunities to get together, albeit socially distant, and have a socially distant beverage in the Mt. Hood Meadows parking lot after work with friends and coworkers –aka “the Car Bar”. With only 19 operational days left this season, please do so with care.
The Mt. Hood Meadows parking lot is within our operating permit area on USFS land and we are obligated to adhere to and enforce our Covid-19 Operating Polices. These policies are in place so that we can remain open and operating as planned until May 1. These policies are both to help reduce the spread of Covid-19 among our team and guests AND are our legal obligation as a business operating in the State of Oregon under the jurisdiction of the Occupation, Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
Documented violations of our policies and protocols, or a complaint filed by a third party guest (or team member), could result in fines, departments being required to quarantine (like Stevens Pass – see below), or worse-case-scenario, the whole resort could be required to shut down (like Whistler / Blackcomb – see below). It is actually ALL our duty to be up-standers and try to quell instances of non-compliance with all our protocols. And if you can’t comply, then please go elsewhere for your socialization. A group individuals making poor choices could jeopardize our entire operation.
I don’t want to be “the bad guy” and have to remind guests and team members to disburse, so please don’t create a situation that requires your friends, teammates, supervisors, managers, DPS or anyone else to “be the bad guy”.
The parking lot is a “fish bowl” – everything is visible and seen.
Reminder about Policies and Adhering to them …
As a Mt. Hood Meadows team member, whether you have fulfilled your commitment or not, it is your duty to follow our policies and guidelines. We have shared this information on the website (https://www.skihood.com/en/covid19-update ) and on our social media platforms throughout the season. As well, upon you joining the team this season, you pledged your oath to adhere to these policies.
We know it has been a long and difficult year struggling with Covid restrictions. We are also excited that local restaurants are opening back up, the weather is sunny and inviting, and vaccinations are being rolled out. However, now is not the time to let your guard down. Just because restrictions have started to relax doesn’t mean we can stop wearing masks and social distancing.
You are still responsible for your own safety and the safety of those you work and live with. STAY HOME IF YOU ARE SICK
· Stay more than 6 feet apart from all team members while at work, even if they’re ‘in your bubble,’ This sets a good example and reminds everyone to continue to be diligent.
· Wear a mask at all times when in public indoors unless you are eating in designated break locations.
· If you are going out to eat at local restaurants please only do so with your household or bubble.
· Wear a mask outdoors where you can’t stay more than 6 feet from others.
Remember if you spend more than 15 minutes within 6 feet of someone (indoors or out, mask or not, vaccine or not) and they get sick with any Covid like symptoms you (and everyone else around you) will have to quarantine for 14 days. Please continue to be vigilant and speak up for the safety of all.
Following National, CDC and State of Oregon guidelines for outdoor gatherings, at this time, we are still operating under a “moderate risk level” and are allowed to have 12 people in an outdoor “gathering”, following the above mentioned protocols.
Sometimes having a beverage with a coworker at the end of the day starts out with you and two others, but then can get much larger. If this happens, be an up stander and make sure everyone is keeping their masks on or staying more than 6 feet apart. You can also ask others who would like to join to start their own group further away so it doesn’t turn into a group larger than 12 people, and again adhering to the above mentioned bulleted items.
Bad News … NW Resorts Affected by Covid-19 … right now!
If you have been following any ski area operations news, you probably know by now that Whistler / Blackcomb has closed early for the season – the ski resort was ordered to close. Officials said it has been the site of a “worrisome” cluster of cases of the P.1 variant, first identified in Brazil. Some 83% of cases in Whistler were people ages 20 to 39, according to figures from Vancouver Coastal Health. – see this: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2021/04/03/canada-coronavirus-restrictions-variants/
Stevens Pass, in Washington State, lost their entire Lift Operations crew as they were forced to quarantine due to an outbreak among that department. Snowsports instructors were quickly retrained to run the lifts, and all lesson business was halted, due to a lack of instructors available to teach. See for yourself- try to book a group lesson between now and the end of the season at Stevens Pass – there are no lessons available! – https://www.stevenspass.com/plan-your-trip/ski-and-ride-lessons/products/Group-Morning-Ski-Lesson-ages-13-and-above . Stevens pass, as the crow flies, is just over 150 miles away, and some of our team have both visited Stevens Pass for leisure and exams over the last few days and weeks. Obviously we want to avoid a similar situation at our mountain home.
Right now in Oregon we saw a 28% increase in COVID-19 cases last week and a 17% increase in hospitalizations despite vaccinations being rolled out.
Courtesy and Respect for Others
Q: If someone is wearing a face covering or mask, should you come up to them without your face covering on and start talking with them closer than 6 feet?
A: No, you should not.
Out of respect and courtesy for that person’s health and wellness, you should stay back 6 or more feet and put your face covering on before approaching or speaking with them.
Just yesterday, while I was in the parking lot, wearing my face covering while speaking with another person who was wearing her face covering, another person came up to me without their face covering on to speak with me. I tried to stay 6 feet away, but this person continued to come into my space – again, I was wearing my face covering; this person was not. I should NOT need to remind you to stay 6 feet or more away from me. And face coverings are required in the parking lot. Then as I was leaving, same occurrence again, with a different individual. I was wearing my face covering and an individual came over, into my space, without their face covering on, to speak to me.
Whatever you believe, whatever your political views, whether you’ve been vaccinated or not – this is disrespectful and totally unacceptable behavior.
Let’s Just Get Through This!
In less than 20 operating days we lay the 2020-21 season to rest. It was a challenging season and we persevered through most of the challenges. We missed out on social gatherings, end of programs celebrations and the second year in a row without and end of season “Ski School” awards party – we’ll do something over Zoom I hope. As I mentioned before, there are some silver linings to the season and some changes that will likely stay into future seasons, for which I am grateful.
FYI, an end of season ski and ride day for team members is looking like a possibility, but only if we can stay vigilant following our protocols and participating in low risk behavior on and off the mountain, until May 1.
Thanks for all you do and have done to make this a successful season for our team and guests!
Yours in snowsports,
Tyler
