Sugar Bowl Resort Suspending Season Pass Sales Citing COVID-19 Concerns
NEVADA COUNTY (CBS SF) – Sugar Bowl ski resort announced Tuesday that it is suspending pass sales for the upcoming winter ski and snowboard season due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Despite strong sales for passes, the resort located near Donner Summit cited the need to ensure adequate social distancing for the change.
"Although an uncrowded experience has been part of the Sugar Bowl brand ethos for decades, in this pandemic climate we must be especially careful not to overwhelm the resort by overselling it," said Jon Slaughter, the resort's director of marketing.
Slaughter went on to say that sales of passes have been "surprisingly brisk" since first going on sale back in March.
Sugar Bowl has already decided to limit daily lift ticket sales this upcoming winter. The resort said it has not decided on requiring season pass holders to reserve their visits in advance, but acknowledged it could be a possibility.
"We can't guarantee that we won't need to introduce a reservation system for passholders at some point, because the coronavirus situation is constantly changing," Slaughter said.
The resort said season passes would continue to be offered at co-owned Royal Gorge Cross Country resort, saying its 86 miles of Nordic trails "naturally accommodates social distancing."
Sugar Bowl typically opens in late November.
