Schweitzer Mountain Resort President/CEO, Tom Chasse, is not playing around when it comes to guest compliance with mask policies and social distancing. The Idaho ski resort announced Sunday it has called off twilight skiing for the week because folks just aren’t getting with the program. The Spokesman-Review spoke with marketing manager Dig Chrismer who had this to say about the decision:“What we’ve noticed with twilight skiing is that people aren’t thinking it’s serious.There just doesn’t seem to be that same sense of urgency from our night-time skiers. Our staff is having to make the same requests to the same people over and over again. That’s what’s wearing everybody down. There are consequences, and we need to take this seriously.”
Chrismer went on to say Schweitzer staff will “pause to reflect and regroup” before twilight skiing reopens to see what can work to keep both staff and patrons safe:
“Our goal from the beginning is we want to keep skiing and riding until April. We just need to stop the madness for a weekend.”
FULL STATEMENT FROM President/CEO, Tom Chasse:
Due to an overwhelming lack of compliance with our mask policies and social distancing in the rental shop, day lodge, and lift lines during twilight skiing, I have made the decision that we will not be offering twilight skiing over the MLK holiday weekend – Friday, Saturday, and Sunday Jan 15 – 17, 2021. I will not continue to tolerate the verbal abuse that has been directed towards our staff as they have attempted to enforce our safety requirements.
We hope this will only be a “pause” but we will need to reassess our approach to twilight skiing before we commit to any future dates.
The planned fireworks for Saturday, Jan 16 will go as scheduled. We hope all who want to, can view them from the various parking lots or your condos on the mountain. Tubing will operate as scheduled.
We hope this “pause” in our twilight skiing operation will provide our staff a much-needed break from the constant struggle of trying to operate safely during the pandemic as well as a reminder to our guests of our commitment to our safety protocols.
We need everyone to do their part so we can slow the spread and continue to shred.
Be kind. Be compassionate. Have patience.
