To each their own when it comes to risk management. I’ll be skiing.
Like I've said elsewhere: when every "to each his own" ends up with people going skiing
en masse, then we have problems. It's like the scene from
Monty Python's Life of Brian, where Brian tells his followers that they're all individuals and they respond in unison, "we are all individuals!"
Anywho...
Be safe. Wear a mask
all the time (yes, even when skiing, especially when on-trail at resorts). And please,
please refrain from traveling during the holidays. We are all potential vectors for this thing, and the more we spread our net far-and-wide the less likely it is that the pandemic will end anytime soon.
Yes, vaccines are on the horizon. But it's going to be a long time before there's enough of the population vaccinated to provide any true modicum of safety - likely by next autumn or winter.
Let's lay it out here, bare for all to see:
we are all addicts. We are addicted to skiing and to the outdoors. And all of this sheltering, lockdown,
et cetera is denying us our ready fix. We are in the midst of intense withdrawal and it's painful.
The only reason I will be skiing this season (if we even have a workable season in the Mid Atlantic) is because it's a paying job for me - my only paying job at the present time. Just for the purpose of getting my fix recreationally I'm willing to sit this season out if it means contributing to our society overcoming a truly horrific pandemic.
I missed almost an entire season in 2013-14 (got to ski a handful of times before my injury in January 2014). It was excruciating but I managed to get over the hump and look toward the future. It's possible, but it takes work, dedication, a sense of humor, and a big dose of humble pie to make it through. We all can do this - we really can! It's tough - the best things in life aren't always easy.
So to remix Eric's sentiment: I'd
rather be skiing - but I'm fine with sitting this season out if that's the best way to help the health of our greater community.
Just my $0.02 - YMMV.