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…)

Filed under: Arapahoe Basin, recreation, ski industry, skiing and riding, Snow and weather, Summit County Colorado, Summit County news, Summit County snow and weather | Tagged: , , , | Leave a Comment »

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

Filed under: Colorado, recreation, skiing and riding, Summit County Colorado, Summit County news | Tagged: , , , | Leave a Comment »

Opening day at Breckenridge Ski Area

Posted on November 12, 2011 by Jenney Coberly

The ski season starts at Breckenridge with a beautiful, warm sunny day

Riders and skiers await the opening of Chair 5 at 9:00 am Friday morning.

By Jenney Coberly

BRECKENRIDGE, CO — Gorgeous weather greeted skiers on opening day at Breck on Friday, Nov, 11, but a winter storm is in the forecast for the weekend, with up to a foot of snow possible across some of the favored west and northwest-facing mountain slopes.

Here’s what it looked like, top-to-bottom:

(more…)

Filed under: Breckenridge Ski Resort, Colorado, photography, Ski Resorts, skiing and riding, Summit County Colorado, video | Tagged: , , , , , | 3 Comments »

Colorado: Opening day at A-Basin

Posted on October 14, 2011 by Bob Berwyn

Summit County ski season under way

A lot of angels joined in the opening day celebrations at Arapahoe Basin.

The 18-inch base at A-Basin skied like a dream on opening day.

By Bob Berwyn

SUMMIT COUNTY — There was a time when I wanted to start each season with the latest and greatest ski gear, but these days, I’m just happy that I can still bend down easily to lace up the liners of my 15-year-old Scarpas before joining my son in the lift line for opening day at Arapahoe Basin. Not even Halloween yet, and we’ve barely seen any frost on the pumpkin, but thanks to a spate of cold nights, perfect for snowmaking, and a little eight-inch assist from Mother Nature, it really is time to ski again.

I took Dylan out of school for the morning to let him experience the vibe. He’s grown up skiing at the Basin. This is his tenth season (he’s 13) but it’s the first time he’s been there to watch the lifts roll for the first time. He jumped right out of bed, too, without the usual school-morning routine, which involves moaning and pulling the covers over his head a few times.

So in the cool blue shadows of early morning, we line up in the maze, just a few spots back from the front of the line, eat donuts, listen to rock-and-roll and wait for the countdown. I also wanted him to be there for the memorial for A-Basin founders Marnie Jump and Max Dercum who both passed away this summer. (more…)

Filed under: Arapahoe Basin, Colorado, recreation, seasons, Ski Resorts, skiing and riding, Snow and weather, Summit County Colorado, Summit County news, Summit County snow and weather | Tagged: , , , | 3 Comments »

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