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The COVID-19 pandemic turned the world upside down in so many ways. In tourist destinations heavily reliant on travelers from far-flung cities across the globe, the impact has been profound. The dialogue changed from over-crowding and sustainable tourism to safety and basic survival overnight. The darkest days of the spring 2020 quarantine saw us hiding in our homes, stockpiling toilet paper, running low on Clorox wipes, and hosting Zoom happy hours. An unprecedented mountain town real estate boom was the furthest thing from anyone’s mind.
Roger Marolt has seen nearly six decades worth of opening days in Aspen, but none of those came during a pandemic. The native Aspenite has experienced plenty of dry winters, however, and equates a drought year to that of COVID-19 because of the uncertainty.
“You just don’t know what you are going to get,” Marolt said. “It feels just like that. You hope for the best and you see what you get.”
Marolt is a member of the famed skiing family that includes Max, Aspen’s first Olympian, Bill, Mike and Steve – all accomplished skiers in their own respective ways. It’s safe to say skiing is in the Marolt bloodline, as is the love of the sport that so many in Aspen share with the world.