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California/Nevada Understanding Tahoe Travel Restrictions

raytseng

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The best matches I can find in the CA Blueprint for a Safer Economy suggest outdoor skiing should be able to stay open under all tiers, no explicit matches, but some very similar activites. But local counties can still make their own mandates.


Under Outdoor recreation and Playground:
  • Outdoor playgrounds can open with modifications in all tiers. See requirements for outdoor playgrounds to keep them safe and fun for everyone.
  • Outdoor skateparks can open with modifications in all tiers. Attendees must adhere to physical distancing requirements and mask wearing as outlined in the outdoor playground guidance.
Campgrounds and outdoor recreation
Can open with modifications

From my previous post above, as of Dec 1, CA just updated it's guidance to address skiing, and put SKI OPERATORS into the Outdoor Recreation section, and so it's officially open in all tiers, rather than being in bureaucratic limbo.
If you click through to the PDF there is a Ski section with "recommendations", but no real bombshells, and resorts pretty much are already doing everything in the document.

 
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Paul Lutes

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From my previous post above, as of Dec 1, CA just updated it's guidance to address skiing, and put SKI OPERATORS into the Outdoor Recreation section, and so it's officially open in all tiers, rather than being in bureaucratic limbo.
If you click through to the PDF there is a Ski section with "recommendations", but no real bombshells, and resorts pretty much are already doing everything in the document.


Excellent! Some sanity still remains!
 
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TS
raytseng

raytseng

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I think you guys are reading too much into it just like SFGate, and missing the Sprit and reason for the sublist of recommendations.
The main parent bulletpoint is you must
"limit capacity and access to the base areas and all other outdoor recreation areas"

I mentioned before, but if you guys didn't see the Sunshine Village video; this is what they don't want when you are literally selling "day of tickets" and everyone just shows up and you didn't come up with an alternative method to distribute and control access and crowding/lines.


I don't take the subbullets so literally as the required methods to accomplish the parent goal.
 
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Dougb

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Can anyone reconcile the fact that resorts will be allowed to stay open but all non-essential travel is supposed to stop. What does that mean for Bay Area people? I’ve skied enough — using my car as my base lodge — to not worry about the risk when I arrive. But I’m wondering if in the eyes of the state the resorts should only be used by locals?
 
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raytseng

raytseng

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Can anyone reconcile the fact that resorts will be allowed to stay open but all non-essential travel is supposed to stop. What does that mean for Bay Area people? I’ve skied enough — using my car as my base lodge — to not worry about the risk when I arrive. But I’m wondering if in the eyes of the state the resorts should only be used by locals?

I think several things got mixed.

Right now the Order is non-essential activities to stop between 10pm and 5AM and nothing mandated about non-essential travel.
Newsom did said to stop "non-essential travel" in his annoucncement, but that was more of a voluntary plea but not written as part of a mandate yet.

When the hospitals hit 15%, then Stay-at-Home order is supposed to kick in in, and for the Bay Area the eta for that is ~3weeks. Then it's truly a mandate and you're supposed to stay at home and not travel like back in March. So yes local outdoors should be for locals only. But in that case, I think you are right there may be a call for the ski operators to also adjust operations. They already stated No food OR Drink sales at outdoor rec operations. Potentially they will be called on to shut down lift operations to honor the spirit of the Stay-at-home. The outdoors will still be "open", just not open for "business". (This is a crisis, the outdoors is open for you to get sun and air and your physical health, but not for you to have "fun". So get your physical exercise and UV allotment, then go back home).

Also notice this drastic stay-at-home order is only supposed to be 3weeks as a circuitbreaker; then it's supposed to loosen up again. If everyone really stayed isolated for the 3 weeks; there should be no community transmissions and we break the cycle.
But if people half-ass it, then the circuit breaker doesn't work and it's a lose-lose failure, and so they then will extend the order longer until the hospitals are not full and we put out the surge. A half-heartedly response is like half-heartedly smothering a fire, if you don't really commit to smothering it, you just burnt up your blanket.
 
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Pequenita

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Can anyone reconcile the fact that resorts will be allowed to stay open but all non-essential travel is supposed to stop. What does that mean for Bay Area people? I’ve skied enough — using my car as my base lodge — to not worry about the risk when I arrive. But I’m wondering if in the eyes of the state the resorts should only be used by locals?

The non-essential travel section strikes me as more of a pinky swear than a mandate. Personally I am cutting down on the number of trips to Tahoe I make this year, and switching up where I ski to someplace closer to home than my usual resorts.
 
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Tricia

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I pulled the ski resort and travel restrictions to its own thread.

Meanwhile, our local news said Inyo and Mono counties are under stay at home orders.


 

snwbrdr

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California Health Officials Announce a Regional Stay at Home Order Triggered by ICU Capacity | California Governor

Mammoth (from their facebook page)

Tomorrow at midnight, the Southern California region “Stay Home” order will go into effect. Mammoth Mountain will continue to operate for skiing and snowboarding during this time as permitted by the State of CA. We recognize, as does Governor Newsom, that outdoor recreation is essential to our guests’ and community’s mental health and we will continue to provide skiing and riding during these challenging times. Mammoth Mountain lodging properties will be limited to homeowners and critical infrastructure services at this time. Food and beverage services will be adjusted as will retail capacity. Lodges can be accessed for restrooms, lockers and guests services, and guests will be required to limit their time inside.
If you have reservations on the books and need assistance, please email [email protected] and someone from our team will get back to you in 48 hours.
We will continue to update with more information as it becomes available.

Health Officer Order_Clarification of CDPH Regional Stay-at-Home Order as Related to Lodging Facilities_12-5-2020.pdf

NOW, THEREFORE, under the authority of California Health and Safety Code sections 101040, 101085 and 120175 and Title 17 California Code of Regulations, Section 2501, the Mono County Health Officer HEREBY ORDERS as follows: 1. Under the Regional Stay At Home Order, short-term lodging facilities (including, but not limited to, short-term rentals, vacation rentals, timeshares, private residence clubs, hotels, condos, campgrounds, RV Parks, and motels) (“Lodging Facilities”) within Mono County and the Town of Mammoth Lakes may remain open for the following purposes:
a. To serve as short-term lodging facilities for the following COVID-19 mitigation and containment measures:
i. Lodging to protect the homeless population and stranded travelers;
ii. Lodging for persons who have been displaced and cannot return to their residence because there is a person residing at the residence who must isolate or quarantine or is at a higher risk of severe illness; and/or
iii. Lodging for persons who need to isolate or quarantine.
b. Lodging Facilities which are used to house workers performing functions that are essential to maintain the continuity of operations for critical infrastructure, as listed in the Essential Workers List, which may be reviewed at https://covid19.ca.gov/essential-workforce/ but only to the extent and for the period of time necessary for such workers to perform such functions.
c. Lodging for persons who are displaced due loss of homes from fire.

Since I have a Tahoe area trip in 2 weeks...
EDCCOVID-19 Guidance (edcgov.us)
At this time, El Dorado County has no more restrictive guidance than that from the State
Which the stay at home order states:
  • Hotels and Lodging: Allow to open for critical infrastructure support only.

So, looks like I need to get a refund for my hotel by Heavenly

Maybe I need to get a better sleeping bag (down to 0) and sleep in the car, so late night trips to Mammoth instead.
 

Popeye Cahn

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I wonder how this affects short term rentals (AirBnB and the like)? Also, I read that the travel restriction was limited to a 150 mile radius, well Wrightwood and Big Bear are within a 130 mile striking distance for me...
 

snwbrdr

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Tricia

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@snwbrdr I moved your thread to the current thread about this topic.
 

Tricia

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@Tricia thank you for creating this topic! I have Northstar reservations on Wednesday but it looks like a strict interpretation— as my better half would have me make — dictates I stay home in the Bay Area.
The crazy thing is, the restrictions aren't in place to punish anyone who has the potential to ski. Its in place to protect the communities with small hospitals from a crisis situation.

I am not knowledgeable enough about the hospital situaiton to make a determination but I know for fact that, when we skied at Mammoth a few weeks ago, their concern was concentrated on the size of their medical facilities compared to the possible influx of covid impact.

I don't have the answers, just telling what we see in the smaller communities.
Granted, I live in Reno so its not as prevelant here, but it will be if the small communities around us are inundated.


No judgement, only observations.
 

John Webb

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Big Bear IS Now Subject to Governor's just issued "Stay Home" order for the Southern California region.

Lodging and travel restrictions as posted by City of Big Bear need clarification.
Taken from the now out of date #119 are:

  • traditional hotels and lodging facilities may only operate if housing essential workers,
  • vacation rentals may be occupied, but only by members of the same immediate household,
  • second homes may be occupied, but only by members of the same immediate household,
  • any visitors originating from outside California, and not traveling for essential business purposes, must quarantine for 14 days,
  • California residents are advised to limit travel within the State, and within 2 - 3 hours of home, and only with your immediate household.

If the above is correct ? similar rules may apply to Mammoth Lakes.
(Big Bear & Mammoth ski areas will, as "allowed recreation activity" , continue operating)
 
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John Webb

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The counties in the Lake Tahoe area, Nevada, Placer, and El Dorado, are all in the "Sacramento Region" and have not
been issued any "Stay Home" order yet.

An order for Sacramento Region is anticipated to occur sooner or later ?.
May screw up Christmas holidays ? ?
TBD or as they say YMMV
 

Tony

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...I live in Reno so its not as prevelant here, but it will be if the small communities around us are inundated...
Which small communities do you mean? Reno is over half the population of Washoe County where not only does graph of Active COVID-19 Cases show exponential growth in the last month, they recently converted a hospital parking garage into a COVID unit and it held 42 patients last week.

Following is a screen capture from https://www.rgj.com/story/news/2020...st-day-since-start-covid-pandemic/3816386001/

A53A47CC-6012-46FE-9837-442FDEC03E2F.png
 

Tricia

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Which small communities do you mean? Reno is over half the population of Washoe County where not only does graph of Active COVID-19 Cases show exponential growth in the last month, they recently converted a hospital parking garage into a COVID unit and it held 42 patients last week.

Following is a screen capture from https://www.rgj.com/story/news/2020...st-day-since-start-covid-pandemic/3816386001/

View attachment 116941
Well, yeah, I am aware of that information about the parking garage being used for covid patients.
Take a look at the time stamp on my post. my post was fueled by insomnia ;)

When it comes to being overwhelmed, its evern more crazy in small communities like Mono, who's bed capacity is far less than Reno, without the possibility of using a makeshift hospital ward in a parking garage.
I don't need to know the actual number of beds available in each hospital to know its overwhelming.

Keeping in mind Reno is not at capacity overall, just for COVID patients.
 

Dougb

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The counties in the Lake Tahoe area, Nevada, Placer, and El Dorado, are all in the "Sacramento Region" and have not
been issued any "Stay Home" order yet.

An order for Sacramento Region is anticipated to occur sooner or later ?.
May screw up Christmas holidays ? ?
TBD or as they say YMMV

I think the issue for those of us in the Bay Area is not the lack of orders in Tahoe, it’s the orders here barring all non-essential travel out of our counties.
 

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