As fall approaches, local ski resorts are making plans for the upcoming winter season amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows on Monday issued an update regarding the 2020-21 season, which is slated to get underway Wednesday, Nov. 25, stating it does not plan on requiring reservations from skiers and riders in order to get on the mountain.

“Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows intends to serve its guests without a reservation system,” said Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows President and Chief Operating Officer Ron Cohen in Monday’s announcement. “Pass holders will continue to have the best and most flexible access to the resort. We plan to manage general visitation by temporarily eliminating the sale of walk up tickets at the window, and dynamically controlling the sale of advance purchase tickets. At this time, we expect such tickets to primarily be available midweek, but we will remain flexible as we learn more throughout the season.”

Currently, the resort plans on limiting the number of day tickets available, and guests will need to purchase lift tickets in advance through Squaw’s online portal at http://www.squawalpine.com. Tickets will not be available for purchase at either village.

“Our priorities right now are providing space for social distancing at our two mountains, and remaining flexible in the face of the inevitable changes to come throughout the season. While elements of the resort experience will be different this season, the experience of skiing and snowboarding itself remains the same,” added Cohen.

“Skiing has always had at its center the incredible personal freedom one experiences while engaged in the sport, balanced against the personal responsibility of sharing the slopes with everyone else. This year more than ever, our guests will need to carry both sides of that equation with them, so that everyone can have the best possible experience within a COVID-modified environment. That feeling of freedom in the outdoors is something we are all craving now more than ever. We look forward to making that happen for our guests this coming season.”

As part of resort polices for the upcoming ski year, guests will be required to wear face coverings while indoors and outdoors in places where social distancing can’t be ensured. Credit or debit cards will be the only method of payment accepted at this time, and additional hand sanitization stations have been added in high traffic locations. Employees at the resort will also undergo daily screenings for signs and symptoms of COVID-19.

“Every corner of our business is totally immersed in preparing for this special season,” said Cohen. “We will continue to communicate as we have more concrete information available.”

Justin Scacco is a reporter for the Sierra Sun. Contact him at jscacco@sierrasun.com or 530-550-2643.