Rafters looking to head down the Deerfield River this summer are hopeful that opportunity will come sooner than later.
Zoar Outdoor Adventure Resort in Charlemont, which was purchased in February by Berkshire East, remains optimistic about the 2020 season despite the start of operations being postponed for over a month due to the coronavirus pandemic. Zoar general manager Kevin McMillan said Friday that while the targeted opening date is set for May 22, the company is following the guidelines put forth by the state.
“It’s constantly changing,” admitted McMillan of the plan to open, noting that the starting date is subject to change based on Gov. Charlie Baker’s orders. “We need to be cautiously optimistic about when we’re going to start.”
“Our three main focuses are: keeping staff safe, keeping the community we work in safe, and keeping our guests safe,” he continued. “We’re very good at managing risk. That’s what we do for a living. Figuring out how we’re going to operate is definitely in our comfort range, which is good. Like everyone else, we’re waiting for the state to release their plan for reopening and we’ll go from there.”
McMillan said Berkshire East owner Jon Schaefer has presented documents to the state’s Reopening Advisory Board, specifically about recreation. While that process continues to evolve, the hope is that recreational businesses like Zoar and Berkshire East will be involved in an early phase of reopening.
Zoar’s initial opening date was set for April 1.
“There’s a lot of industry research and info out there, very specific to rafting, paddling sports, ski operations and downhill biking,” McMillan explained. “We have a very conservative approach. If we’re going to do it, we’re going to do it right. We’ll start off on a small scale and then expand once we know we can do it properly. That’s been our focus, reacting to the ever-changing environment.”
McMillan said Zoar typically employs about 120 people in the summer, but that number will be down a bit due to the condensed season. He said the company has gone through a hiring process, and he has staff — both new and returning — waiting to get on the water.
“We’ve been as transparent as possible with returning and new staff,” he said. “We don’t want to over promise and under deliver, so we’re in a wait-and-see pattern. But there are a lot of great staff champing at the bit to get going.”
When Zoar does open up, McMillan said the company is dedicated to making rafting and kayaking trips as normal as possible, under the circumstances. He’s anticipating private trips during the early portion of the season, and families/groups will be able to move through the process in a safe and socially-distanced way.
“People are going to recreate anyway, so one of the arguments we’re making with the state is that we’re able to put guard rails on that recreation,” he said, noting that he expects employees will be wearing masks as part of the daily operating process for guided tours. “We’re able to control the number of people gathering. I feel like we can do it in such a way where we can ensure they’re socially distanced from one another and mitigate the risk.”
McMillan also noted that Zoar is working in cooperation with fellow rafting company Crab Apple Whitewater, as businesses along the Deerfield River aim for a rebound after the delayed start to the season.
“We don’t expect to thrive and make money this year,” he admitted. “We prefer to survive and spend some time on the river and up in the trees with people.”
Zoar is currently taking reservations for trips beginning May 22, and McMillan said the company has relaxed its cancellation policy this year where customers can cancel at any point and receive a refund. When stay-at-home orders are lifted in the state, McMillan expects people will be excited to get outside and explore nature.
“People want to be outside, it’s beautiful out here,” he said. “They’ve been cooped up, looking at screens for so long. They’re going to love it. We’ve been spending the last eight weeks focused on how to open and guarantee them an exceptional experience while mitigating risk.”