At 8:30 a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 29, the lifts at Arapahoe Basin will start turning, carrying passholders up to make their first turns of the season. And many of them will be in costume as they come charging down High Noon, celebrating Halloween and the start of ski season simultaneously.
All week, the ski area outside of Dillon, Colo., has been receiving early-season snow dustings. And the temperature has remained cold enough for snowblowers to start working their magic.
On Thursday, the Arapahoe Basin Facebook page posted a picture of a snowcat in operation. The caption read, “Scott is starting to push some snow around.”
Then on Friday, a press release went out to the world announcing that Arapahoe Basin Ski Area, known locally as “The Legend,” would officially open for business Sunday. It will be the first resort in Colorado to open its slopes, as it typically is with an October opening date. And with more snow in the forecast, it could be an opening day to remember.
“There is nothing I enjoy more than seeing people have fun skiing and riding on the hill,” A Basin’s COO Alan Henceroth said in the release. “Our team is incredibly excited to get Arapahoe Basin open and starting the fun.”
‘The Legend’ Opens First — Again
Arapahoe Basin Ski Area was the first to kick off the 2022-2023 season. The year before that, Wolf Creek Ski Area beat it to the punch — by a single day. The Legend is always one of (if not the first) mountains to open in Colorado. In 2018, Arapahoe Basin opened earlier than planned just to beat rival resort Keystone Mountain.
This Sunday, the resort will open the Black Mountain Express so visitors can funnel down and ride High Noon. The first guests in line will get donuts and duct tape, we’ve been told. Because it’s so close to Halloween, expect some spooky festivities as well. A band will be playing at the base, and there will be a costume contest with swag prizes.
While High Noon will be the only run open on Sunday, the resort is hoping to open more terrain as soon as possible. Next on the list will be Lenawee Face and Dercum Gulch, according to A-Basin.
Colorado’s mountains are forecasted to get between 8-18 inches of snow this weekend, with some areas expecting up to 24 inches. So opening day at A-Basin has a chance to be a legitimate powder day.
The ski season has officially arrived, ladies and gents. If your skis aren’t waxed and ready, get on it. And if you find yourself on the A-Basin side of Colorado — happy shredding!