Health officials in eight counties have not traced positive tests back to lift lines, chairlifts or ski slopes.

Skiers are hitting the slopes in Southwest Colorado, looking for some exercise and a short escape from the whirlwind of the COVID-19 pandemic and polarized politics, but even so, a sense of normalcy is hard to come by these days.

COVID-19 is running rampant in Aspen and Pitkin County — unlike its neighbors — and members of the Pitkin County Board of Health knew Thursday that something needed to be done about it.

They just weren’t sure what.

The ski industry already took a hit in the spring when the pandemic struck and many resorts had to close early, leading to $2 billion in losses and causing layoffs or furloughs of thousands of employees, according to the National Ski Areas Association, a trade group. The industry saw its lowest number of visits, 51 million, since the 2011 to 2012 season, the association said.

Entering Slovenia from Austria, time seems to shift. Looking up at the Julian Alps after exiting the five-mile-long Karawks tunnel from Austria, it becomes clear that the terrain on the southern side of the border is indistinguishable from the north, but I instantly feel more relaxed. So does Matjaz Meglic, the man driving the car.

Millions of Americans would love to bust out of pandemic isolation and go skiing.

Check out these five little gems that have been teaching New England families to ski for decades.

The day after Thanksgiving, Dr. Jana Eller and Dr. Shiraz Naqvi were seated beside an outdoor fire pit at the base of Telluride Ski Resort, taking a short break from skiing.

In mountains across America, skiers and snowboarders are ditching ski lifts and heading into the untamed wilderness of the backcountry. Even before the pandemic, backcountry was the fastest-growing segment of the skiing and snowboarding industry. Now with COVID imperiling ski resorts, the sport is exploding.

As the winter ski season gets underway, Square now powers payments, e-commerce, and point of sale at nearly a dozen renowned ski resorts across the U.S. and Canada in partnership with POWDR, owner of Killington Resort, Copper Mountain, Eldora and Mt. Bachelor.

The world's most in-demand ski resorts have always faced their share of complications, namely challenging geographic barriers and inconsistent weather patterns. (Imagine facing the disappointment of international guests who, after spending five figures on non-refundable reservations, arrive to encounter suboptimal ski conditions or closed roadways.) 

Random border checks will be imposed to stop French holidaymakers going to ski in neighboring Switzerland, Prime Minister Jean Castex has said.

A Magellan Strategies survey of Colorado skiers reveals apprehension over pandemic protocols, reservations and visitors. “I can go a year without skiing downhill,” one woman said.

Vail Resorts Inc., one of the largest financial contributors to Colorado’s cloud seeding program, has dropped out this year, leaving a major hole in the program’s budget.

Believe it or not, there are actually some "what's new" news emanating from Colorado ski and snowboard resorts that aren't related to precautions and adjustments for Covid.

Just as winter was about to start, the state instituted a stricter quarantine and test requirement for visitors, and the snow-sports economy is bracing for the impact.

The COVID-19 pandemic brought the ski season to an early close, setting off the longest off-season in Utah skiing history. But at a panel discussion hosted by Ski Utah Monday, officials from Utah’s resorts said they’ve been working since then to make sure the 2020-21 season is a success, even though coronavirus cases across the country are spiking in record numbers.

A lack of early snowfall has forced multiple resorts to push back their opening dates for the 2020-21 ski season in the Rockies and throughout New England.

The seven-mountain Power Pass consortium is streamlining what it takes to get on the hill with a new reloadable card and pick-a-day midweek season pass.

When the coronavirus spread across the U.S. in March, spring ski vacations were cut short as resorts quickly shuttered their operations in response to the pandemic. As this year's ski season fast approaches, resorts are working hard to ensure that guests can stay safe, while closely watching forecasts to see how much snow the winter will bring.