Mammoth to remain Closed: No lifts spinning the USA



The California Governor Gavin Newsom released a list of acceptable activities (see entire list below) and skiing was NOT on the list. Accordingly Mammoth will not be opening anytime soon in case you were holding out for potential spring skiing down South. But, you ask, how did Mt. Baldy in SoCal (the only ski area in the US to open back up remain open in spite of the Governor's orders. Well, my guess would be Baldy is not a multi-million dollar operation that has a lot to lose and just went for it.  I have doubts that Mammoth would open even if skiing was on the list due to fears about workplace safety, consumer liability and the potential for successful litigation.

While most of us are chaffing at the bit to "get back to normal" medical experts keep trying to communicate to us through the political haze of a presidential election year that basically, "it ain't that simple." Until a vaccine is developed and becomes widely available this may be the first Covid 19 wave of many. Others purport to know that "herd immunity" will kick in "anytime now." Wait, wasn't this whole thing supposed to miraculously disappear in April? And its not just armchair experts that seem confused, actual medical experts are baffled as well. Why are cities like Chicago and New York suffering when other metropolitan areas like San Francisco remain largely untouched? Some states like New Jersey have been hard while others have only isolated hot spots. On a more global scale Iran has mass graves and is experiencing health system collapse while right next door Iraq remains largely unscathed.

Is it a case of "Those that know don't have the words to tell while those with the words don't know too well?" No one, at this time, seems to know what the future holds as the virus has proved capricious and fairly unpredictable and between that and the fact that our politicians can't seem to find a united and reasonable strategy leaving the rest of us frustrated, afraid and in some cases, unable to meet our financial obligations. Does anyone really know what it will look like next month, mid summer, next fall or next year? The answer, unfortunately is a resolute "no."

Rather than get frustrated, seething mad and have my anger at my business being shut down get to me I prefer to think in terms of the movie line from Tom Hanks in "Castaway" when he says...

“I know what I’ve got to do. I’ve got to keep breathing. Because tomorrow the sun will come up …and you never know what the tide might bring in.”

 To put it more in our terms as skiers and riders... "I know what I've got to do, I've got to keep breathing and this summer I will find myself in the blue water of Lake Tahoe and in the fall the snows will come again and I will be skiing again, somehow, someway."

 Seems like a better approach than getting angry at everybody. But thats just me. 

 Sven
The list in full:
  • Athletics
  • Badminton (singles)
  • Throwing a baseball or softball
  • BMX biking
  • Canoeing (singles)
  • Crabbing
  • Cycling
  • Exploring rock pools
  • Gardening (not in groups)
  • Golf (singles, walking – no cart)
  • Hiking (on trails and paths allowing distancing)
  • Horseback riding (singles)
  • Jogging and running
  • Kiteboarding and kitesurfing
  • Meditation
  • Outdoor photography
  • Picnics (with your stay-home household members only)
  • Quad Biking
  • Rock Climbing
  • Roller Skating and Roller Blading
  • Rowing (singles)
  • Scootering (not in groups)
  • Skateboarding (not in groups)
  • Soft martial arts – Tai Chi, Chi Kung (not in groups)
  • Table tennis (singles)
  • Throw and catch an American mini football, Frisbee or Frisbee golf (not in groups)
  • Trail running
  • Trampolining
  • Tree climbing
  • Volleyball (singles)
  • Walk the dog
  • Wash the car
  • Watch the sunrise or sunset
  • Yoga

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