{"id":3398,"date":"2020-07-28T10:00:54","date_gmt":"2020-07-28T16:00:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/?p=3398"},"modified":"2020-07-28T10:47:42","modified_gmt":"2020-07-28T16:47:42","slug":"decision-making-in-the-time-of-covid-why-i-stayed-home","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/decision-making-in-the-time-of-covid-why-i-stayed-home\/","title":{"rendered":"Decision Making in the Time of COVID – Why I Stayed Home"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

This blog started out as “10 Tips to Have an Awesome Trip to Japan<\/a>.” However, as COVID-19 started to show up in late February here in British Columbia, it did not feel right to share a travel blog as we moved closer to a global pandemic. It has been a crazy year, to say the least. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Japan in January 2020<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

I traveled to Japan this January and in between powder filled days, I heard news reports of a Novel Coronavirus with growing concern. By the time we were headed home in early February, our airline was doing health screenings before boarding, and encouraging people to wear masks. We donned the disposable masks and joked and how silly we felt. But we had an uneasy feeling in our stomachs recognizing that this little Corona thing might be pretty serious. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Jen Girardi touring in Japan. Photo by Ben Girardi.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Little did we know, this was the start of a major global shift. Winter in southwestern BC this year was a little lackluster with limited storms and a persistent weak layer from early season. With less than ideal snow conditions, we kept things conservative as the days got longer and winter stretched into spring. But just as the heavy spring storms started rolling in, so did COVID-19 lockdowns. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Playing it Safe<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

By late March, Whistler Blackcomb had officially closed, along with most Whistler businesses, and our provincial health officials asked everyone to stay home as much as possible. Our search and rescue teams were also vocal about the importance of staying home and out of the backcountry. With limited personal protective equipment, the search and rescue teams would be exposed to another layer of risk with so many unknowns surrounding COVID-19. The hospitals braced to be overloaded with COVID cases. I certainly did not want to take a chance to be in there with a snowboarding injury. Technically in BC, we were never under government-mandated stay at home orders, and the backcountry remained open and accessible. However the risks to others made me hang up my splitboard for the season. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Backcountry skiing is all about making smart decisions and mitigating risk. Okay, and having fun with your friends and shredding pow in beautiful, awe inspiring locations. While I do miss the deafening silence of skinning up a mountain, for me, I know that I made the right decision this spring. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Jen shredding pow. Photo by Ben Girardi.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Changing Plans and Shifting Mindsets <\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Typically, in late July I would be packing for my annual trip south to Argentina. For obvious reasons, this year my bags won\u2019t be packed. Winter is setting up down south to be ALL TIME. Huge winter storms are rolling in back to back. I am stoked for my friends down there to get after it, also for this season to be one for the Andes to go with far less people riding its slopes. It is sounding like many resorts will not open this year but the mountains remain, quietly ever-present on the horizon. Perhaps we all needed this time to slow down, take a breath, and embrace the deafening silence of the inside of our homes. Trying to be grateful for the security and safety of their walls. <\/p>\n\n\n