Skiers on the Front Range, grab your goggles: Arapahoe Basin will open this Sunday after receiving more than a foot of fresh snow this week.
Snowmakers have been running the guns since last Saturday, but recent storms offered some welcome help to get to opening day. Chief Operating Officer Alan Henceroth called it “an exceptional week of snowmaking.”
The first chair opens at 8:30 a.m. Sunday, according to an announcement. A-Basin will be running one lift, the Black Mountain Express, with access to one intermediate run. The ski area will then continue to be open from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. seven days a week, said spokesperson Jesse True.
As a reminder, those looking to visit must buy tickets online in advance. Tickets will not be sold onsite in an effort to limit the number of daily skiers and “preserve the culture and vibe,” Henceroth previously said. The 6th Alley Bar and Grill at the base of the mountain will be open starting Sunday; however, uphill access will not be available at this time.
Unlike Wolf Creek Ski Area near Pagosa Springs, also opening this weekend, A-Basin said “early-season skiing and snowboarding is not a beginner experience.” A-Basin plans to remain open through June 2022.
The competition to be the first ski resort to fire up the chairlifts is fierce each fall. Last season, Keystone Resort took the title for the first time since 1997, opening on Nov. 6. Conditions are clearly much better this fall, though Keystone and Loveland Ski Area have yet to announce official opening dates.
See when other resorts and ski areas are opening around Colorado here.