BROOMFIELD, Colo. — Vail Resorts will require all guests and employees to wear face coverings on gondolas at their North American resorts, the company said on Tuesday.
The requirement will go into effect Wednesday, due to the uptick in COVID-19 cases and the omicron variant, the Broomfield-based company said on Twitter.
Vail Resorts announced in September that it was requiring face coverings at its 34 North American resorts in indoor settings, including in restaurants, lodging properties, restrooms, retail and rental locations, and on buses. Face coverings are not required outdoors, in lift lines or on chairlifts.
The company also requires COVID-19 vaccinations for all employees and proof of vaccination for guests who dine at on-mountain restaurants.
Vail Resorts' Colorado ski areas are Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone and Crested Butte.
Ski counties have seen a huge surge in COVID-19 cases, with 35% of tests coming back positive on Sunday. Tourists and residents in Summit County got an alert on their phones Monday about record high COVID cases and encouraging them to wear masks and get vaccinated if they haven’t.
Despite the increase, Summit County doesn’t have a mask mandate. Nearby Eagle and Pitkin counties, which have each also seen a recent bump in cases, have mandates on the books.
This story includes previous reporting by 9NEWS reporter Steve Staeger.
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