Colorado: Ski season in high gear at A-Basin

Posted on April 16, 2013 by Bob Berwyn

Spring powder nothing new for The Legend

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Skiing April powder at Arapahoe Basin, April 2010. Bob Berwyn photo.

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A skier enjoys a big powder day at Arapahoe Basin on April 23, 2010. Bob Berwyn photo.

By Bob Berwyn

FRISCO — While most of Colorado’s megaresorts closed with more snow than they’ve had on their slopes all season, a handful of areas are still open for spring skiing, including Aspen Highlands, Winter Park, Loveland and, of course, Arapahoe Basin, known for having one of the longest seasons in the country.

With 21 inches of new snow in just the 48 hours and more on the way for the next few days, ski conditions at Arapahoe Basin are peaking. A 65-inch base means great conditions all over the mountain, including Montezuma Bowl and the steeps of the East Wall. As general manager Alan Henceroth wrote in a recent blog post, “All the the little lines are filled.” (more…)

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Skiing: A-Basin Enduro set for April 17

Posted on April 11, 2013 by Bob Berwyn

The race is on!

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With on-and-off snow in the forecast the next few days, conditions should be outstanding for the 24th annual Enduro at Arapahoe Basin, Colorado.

FRISCO — One of Summit County’s legendary spring ski events is back for the 24th time at Arapahoe Basin, where iron-legged (and rubber-kneed) skiers will lap the Pallavicini steeps in the April 17 Enduro.

The marathon ski race pits teams of two skiers against some of Colorado’s most challenging terrain, skiing or riding laps on a circuit of 20 designated routes from the top of the Pali lift. Each must be skied in consecutive order for the final run total to count. The record is 72 runs during the 10-hour (7 a.m. to 5 p.m.) event. (more…)

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Colorado: Several skiers caught in A-Basin avalanche

Posted on February 16, 2013 by Bob Berwyn
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A Feb. 16 avalanche on the west side of Montezuma Bowl trapped a number of people, but all were recovered and only one serious injury was reported. Trail map courtesy Arapahoe Basin.

Ski patrol-led group involved in Montezuma Basin snow slide; all group members accounted for

By Bob Berwyn

SUMMIT COUNTY — An avalanche swept down a steep face at Arapahoe Basin Saturday, catching a group of 14 people led by an A-Basin ski patroller.

After an extensive search, all the people in the group were accounted for. One person was evacuated by toboggan due to a knee injury, according to a statement from Arapahoe Basin.

The slide occurred on the west side of Montezuma Bowl in an area that wasn’t yet open to the general public. The area where the slide happened underwent extensive avalanche mitigation and explosive work by Arapahoe Basin Ski Patrol during the past week. According to the Colorado Avalanche Information Center, the avalanche was a hard slab up to 6 feet thick on a south-southeast east facing slope above treeline slope. All 15 people were caught and one person was fully buried.

Arapahoe Basin and the Colorado Avalanche Information Center will jointly investigate the slide. CAIC director Ethan Greene said he’ll visit the site Sunday at the request of A-Basin. A subsequent report from the avalanche center will likely include more detailed information on the incident.

The post-control slide at A-Basin highlights the tender nature of the snowpack in parts of the Colorado backcountry, Greene said, adding that there have been numerous slides in the area between Loveland Pass and Berthoud Pass, including the Pass Lake slide path on Loveland Pass, just west of the summit.

Nearby, a resort skier at Keystone ducked a rope and broke a cornice, which triggered another slide, Greene said. Farther north, another backcountry traveler took a 400-foot ride in an avalanche in the vicinity of Jones Pass.

“There was a fair amount of avalanche activity. There was a lot of wind transport going on today … We were all taken off guard the last few days by how reactive the snowpack is,” Greene said.

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Fresh stash in Colorado: A-Basin’s ‘Zuma Bowl opens

Posted on February 13, 2013 by Bob Berwyn

‘Every rope drop is a gift this year’

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First-ever day of lift-served skiing in Arapahoe Basin’s Montezuma Bowl. Bob Berwyn photo.

By Bob Berwyn

FRISCO — As a long-time western skier, I’ve seen several feast-and-famine snow cycles, when every rope-drop becomes a precious gift from the stingy snow gods. So my heart skipped a beat when A-Basin announced it’s opening Montezuma Bowl today (Wednesday, Feb. 13).

The big, generally south-facing cirque opens a whole new dimension at A-Basin, with long traverses and ridge-line glides leading to craggy drops, long fall-line gullies and a variety of  tree slots, with funky fall lines and hidden stashes. Down the center of Zuma Bowl, the cruisers come with wide views of the heart of Summit County, the trails of Breckenridge and Keystone visible in the distance.

A-Basin chief Alan Henceroth skied the terrain last weekend, reporting good conditions in his Sunday blog post, then announced the bowl will open at 12 p.m. with skiing on Columbine, Shining Light, Ned’s Cache, Independence, and Upper Larkspur.

In the past few weeks, snow has piled up at the Basin, with some of the most recent storms favoring the north-facing terrain along the Continental Divide, and another surge of moist air from the northwest could enable the ski area to open more Montezuma Bowl terrain soon, Henceroth wrote.

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A-Basin’s Beacon Bowl coming up this weekend

Posted on February 5, 2013 by Bob Berwyn
A contestant in the 2012 Beacon Bowl at A-Basin zeroes in on a buried beacon.

A contestant in the 2012 Beacon Bowl at A-Basin zeroes in on a buried beacon.

In it’s 11th year, the popular A-Basin event morphs into a two-day rescue clinic; proceeds benefit the CAIC

By Summit Voice

FRISCO — The two most recent avalanche deaths in Colorado show the continued need for avalanche education and rescue training in the state that historically tallies the majority of accidents each season.

Both deaths occurred in remote areas, where the skiers had to rely on their own rescue skills to try and recover buried victims. In those situations, speedy location, recovery and timely first-aid can make the difference between life and death.

One of the best ways to prepare for the almost unthinkable is to practice rescues in the field, simulating a real-life rescue scenario, and this weekend, Arapahoe Basin and the Colorado Avalanche Information Center offer a chance to do just that with the annual rescue clinic, which has morphed into a two-day event (Feb. 8-9) from the traditional Beacon Bowl. (more…)

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A-Basin’s popular moonlight dinner series starts this weekend with a Bavarian-themed night

Posted on November 23, 2012 by Bob Berwyn

Earn your moonlit turns, and a schnitzel dinner!

Arapahoe Basin.

By Bob Berwyn

SUMMIT COUNTY — There’s an old saying among backcountry skiers about earning your turns, and this week (Saturday, Nov. 24), freeheel and alpine touring enthusiasts (along with snowshoers) will have a chance to earn a great meal along with those turns, as Arapahoe Basin’s moonlight dinner series returns. (more…)

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Skiing: Summit County areas rev up for the season

Posted on November 23, 2012 by Bob Berwyn

Snowmaking the key to Thanksgiving skiing

U.S. Ski Team racers have been training at Copper Mountain the past few weeks; Friday, the Super Bee chair opens to the public. Bob Berwyn photo.

By Summit Voice

FRISCO — After a few weeks of exclusively serving top ski racers, Copper’s Super Bee chair opens to the public today (Nov. 23), boosting the total number of operating lifts to eight, including the American Flyer, Gem Lift, Super Bee, Timberline Express and American Eagle, serving about 175 acres of terrain spread across 15 trails.

Saturday evening, Woodward at Copper presents the 12th Annual Yam Jam Rail Jam, an after-hours competition under the lights held in Copper’s Lower Bouncer Terrain Park. Skiers and snowboarders compete for tons of prizes, and entry is only $10. Registration is at the Cage from noon to 3:30 p.m., and practice begins at 4 p.m.

Saturday also marks the first En Fuego of the season, ringing in the holidays with a Snow Cat Parade and tree lighting, accompanied by cozy bonfires and tunes from DJ Kris Kringle. Festivities begin at 5 p.m. in the Burning Stones Plaza.

On the east side of the county, Keystone has nine lifts open, serving 170 acres spread across nine runs. Open lifts include the River Run Gondola, the Summit Express chair, the Ranger lift and the Peru Express. Open runs include Spring Dipper, River Run, Schoolmarm and Silverspoon.

A-Basin opened Lenawee Chair last week for top-to-bottom skiing on Lenawee Face, Dercum’s Gulch, Ramrod and High Noon.

Breckenridge is 6 percent open, with five lifts operating, serving 145 acres on seven trails, including Springmeier, Trygves, Crosscut and the Park Lane terrain park.

 

Filed under: Arapahoe Basin, Breckenridge Ski Resort, Colorado, Copper Mountain, Keystone, recreation, Ski Resorts, skiing and riding, Summit County Colorado, Summit County news, Summit County snow and weather | Tagged: , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Colorado: Winter storm flags are flying

Posted on November 9, 2012 by Bob Berwyn

A big, cold Pacific storm is moving toward Colorado.

Widespread snow, cold temps expected across Colorado this weekend

By Summit Voice

FRISCO — After an extended Indian Summer that saw many Summit County spots flirt with record high temps for late October and early November, thing are about to change drastically.

A cold Pacific storm will sweep across the state this weekend, potentially delivering up to two feet of snow in the San Juans, with up to 12 inches possible across many mountain areas. The best moisture appears to be associated with the approaching cold front, so the heaviest snow amounts look to be in areas favored by southwest flow, including the San Juans, the Steamboat area, the West Elks and the Flatttops, but the I-70 corridor won’t get completely skunked. (more…)

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Colorado ski season under way at Arapahoe Basin

Posted on October 17, 2012 by Bob Berwyn

Fresh snow and sunshine for opening day

Snow spray at A-Basin on opening day.

By Bob Berwyn

FRISCO — The start of the ski season, even if it’s only on one run with artificial snow, is a Big Deal in tourism-dependent Summit County and Colorado in general, where the ski industry contributes significantly to to the economy. Once again, Arapahoe Basin won the friendly race to open, firing up the Black Mountain Express with skiing on one trail on Oct. 17. (more…)

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Skiing: Arapahoe Basin opening Oct. 17

Posted on October 15, 2012 by Bob Berwyn

Skiing starts in Colorado

2011 opening day at A-Basin. Bob Berwyn photo.

By Bob Berwyn

SUMMIT COUNTY — I don’t know about you, but I’m tired of watching ski videos on my iPhone with my head inside the freezer to simulate the ski experience, so I’m pretty psyched that A-Basin just announced that opening day is just around the corner — Wednesday, Oct. 17, to be exact.

A-Basin chief Alan Henceroth has been updating snowmaking progress on his blog, explaining that it’s not just about the quantity, but also about what you do with it. One of his latest posts shows the skillful snowcat work that goes into prepping High Noon for the start of skiing.

Check all the latest pass prices and deals on this A-Basin web page.

This year’s opening comes just a few days later than last year, when A-Basin fired up its lifts on Oct. 12 for what turned out to be one of the most challenging Colorado ski seasons in memory. A-Basin was hit especially hard by Colorado’s snow drought, with many storms skirting the east side of Summit County.

Ultimately, A-Basin closed much earlier than usual, missing a big chunk of the normally lucrative spring season. But that hasn’t stopped Summit County’s oldest ski area from forging ahead with new plans. At a recent open house, Henceroth presented an updated master plan that outlines improvements in the learning area, replacement of the venerable Pali Chair, and lift-served skiing in The Beavers.

Some scenes from recent opening and closing days at A-Basin

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Top-to-bottom at A-Basin, Oct. 13, 2011

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