Bogus Basin opened all 10 of its lifts this past weekend, the start of what’s sure to be a very different ski season. Conditions on the mountain will be unusual this year and it has nothing to do with snow.
“There's no script for this,” Bogus Basin General Manager Brad Wilson said. “We've never been through a global pandemic and operated before.”
In a sign of how long the pandemic has dragged on, Bogus actually had to close early last March due to COVID-19. Now, it's trying to navigate the crisis while remaining open.
COVID-19 means things look a little different: Masks are required, lift lines are spaced out and visitors are encouraged to limit their time inside the lodges.
“We're really suggesting you kind of use your car as your base camp,” Wilson said. “Use that as your base lodge, get dressed in the car, feel free to go eat lunch in the car. We're running our shuttle seven days a week in the parking lot so you can get back and forth to your car really easily.”
The resort is closed Monday and Tuesday, but reopens to the general public Wednesday.
And there has been some positive early season news: The mountain was blanketed by more than four feet of snow before Thanksgiving, giving it a deep base sooner than expected.
Follow Heath Druzin on Twitter, @HDruzin
Copyright 2020 Boise State Public Radio
Member support is what makes local COVID-19 reporting possible. Support this coverage here.