Earlier this year, Alan Henceroth, who’s the Chief Operating Officer of Arapahoe Basin, asked the public for help in acquiring one of their old single chairs. A few weeks later, it was announced that someone stepped up to the plate, Yesterday, A-Basin announced that they now have one of their single chairs on public display.

This single chairlift, which serviced the upper mountain at Arapahoe Basin, was installed in 1946. The chairlift opened during the 1946-47 season, and it operated at Arapahoe Basin until around 1960. From there, it went to the now-defunct Fun Valley ski area in Lakewood, Colorado. One of the remaining chairs was passed around until it reached Rob Diehl’s house. This past fall, he sold it back to A-Basin, and it now hangs from the ceiling next to Marnie’s in the 6th Alley Bar & Grill.

Image Credits: Arapahoe Basin

The race to be the first-to-open ski resort in North America is always competitive. Arapahoe Basin has gotten a head start on this race thanks to some cold temperatures early this morning. The video below is truly a sight for sore eyes.

An opening doesn’t seem imminent though. Here was Alan Henceroth, who’s the COO of A-Basin, explanation for the snowmaking this morning.

“About 3 AM this morning the snowmaking team fired up the system. The wet bulb temperature dropped down to 25 F. The primary objective of the session was testing. The temps were a bit colder than we expected. The system components worked well. Over the next week or two, we will do this a few more times. At some point, the temps will drop even further, stay colder longer and the snow will start to pile up. You know what happens after that.”

So don’t get your skis or boards ready just yet, but we could be a couple of weeks away from lift-serviced skiing.

What ski resort do you think will be the first to open during the 2023-24 season?

Related: These 4 Ski Resorts Won The Race To Open In The Past 10 Seasons

Image/Video Credits: Arapahoe Basin

The Carnegie Hero Fund Commission announced this week that professional slackliner Mickey Wilson of Golden, CO will receive a prestigious Carnegie Medal. The Carnegie Medal is awarded to civilians who put their lives in danger in attempt to save another. Mickey more than earned this award for his heroic rescue at Arapahoe Basin in 2017.

Who could forget the epic tale of Mickey’s great save?! While skiing on a powder day at A-Basin, he noticed a man dangling unconscious from a stopped chairlift. Mickey, in his ski boots and with a broken hand, quickly climbed up a chairlift pole and used his slacklining skills to traverse the lift rope. He caught a knife from ski patrol and cut the man (who coincidentally was his friend) free. Ski patrol resuscitated him, and he was able to leave the hospital the following day. If it wasn’t for Mickey’s quick action, this story may have had a much darker ending.

Congratulations to Mickey for being a true role model of bravery! You can check out the initial news coverage of the life-changing moment in 2017 below:

Photos and Video Courtesy of CBS Colorado

Are you looking for the most challenging in-bounds skiable terrain in Colorado? YouTuber ShangRei Garrett gave some good analysis as to what he thinks are the five hardest ski resorts in Colorado. The list includes Arapahoe Basin, Aspen Highlands, Telluride, Crested Butte, and Silverton Mountain.

The video from ShangRei Garrett is down below. Click here to watch more of his analysis of Colorado ski resorts for beginner, intermediate, and advanced skiers. What do you think is the most challenging ski resort in Colorado?

Image/Video Credits: Telluride Ski Resort, ShangRei Garrett

Few mountains offer inbound terrain like Colorado’s Arapahoe Basin. There’s the gorgeous Montezuma Bowl, the gnarly Steep Gullies, the mogul filled Pallavicini, the tree-filled Beavers, and, of course, the remarkable East Wall.

With three separate routes up and many routes down, the East Wall has a ton of steep and deep terrain to explore. The most popular hike, the North Pole hike, departs from the top of the Lenawee Express lift, and takes just around 15-20 minutes. Reaching the top puts you above 13,000 feet and provides access to several routes, including 1st Notch, 2nd Notch (which may require crawling down a rope to access), West Vertical, and, of course, North Pole.

Willie’s Staircase is definitely a bit more of a demanding hike, but those willing to make the push will be rewarded with several mind-blowing routes down. It goes without saying that these routes are very much expert terrain. Corner Chute, Snorkel Nose, and Willie’s Wide are definitely not for the weak.

The Tree Chute hike provides access to several shorter runs in Tree Chutes 1-7. Those looking for a bit more can continue on to access the 8th Tree Chute, North Y Chute, and South Y Chute. A trip along the East Wall Traverse (beginning just below the North Pole hiking gate) will place skiers and snowboarders just above the bottom of the tree chutes, allowing for a little taste before committing to the entire hike.

Every run along the East Wall dumps out into Land of Giants and Lower East Wall, two low-angle playgrounds that act a perfect cooldown to conclude a trip to the upper portion of the wall. If you’re unwilling to make the hike, these lower portions still provide plenty of terrain to fill up an entire day.

Hiking to the upper East Wall only made me wish I had done it sooner. You really can’t comprehend the kind of runs you’ll gain access to until you actually get up there. Few places in North America, let alone in the world, have avalanche-controlled terrain within a fifteen minute hike like Arapahoe Basin’s East Wall.

Image Credit: Arapahoe Basin, Nolan Deck

We gotta hand it to Arapahoe Basin for coming up with a unique way to show skiers and snowboarders their amazing ski hill.

Some skiers and snowboarders might not realize that there’s a place tucked behind Loveland Pass where the soul of skiing is very much alive and well. That place is called A-Basin. To familiarize the ski area to people who haven’t been or typically ride somewhere else, A-basin set up an ambush at a carpooling parking lot in Devenr.

They intercepted these folks as they booted up in the Dino Lots on a random Saturday morning in March. With the help of Gus Kenworthy, they approached skiers and riders with two options – they could continue on with their plans to ski wherever it is they were going to, or, if they were up for an adventure that doesn’t include road rage and 30-minute lift lines, jump on a tricked-out A-basin bus and have a once-in-a-lifetime catered ski experience. While on the bus, the participants were given themed merch and GoPros. They played ski trivia and the winners got choice seats at the most unique A-Basin dining spots – Il Rifugio and Steilhang.

Once at A-Basin, the participants were treated to a legendary experience, including:

Imagine a ski area that actually listens to their customers?

That might seem like a pipe dream for most ski resorts across Colorado, but as we mentioned last year, Arapahoe Basin is dedicated to preserving the skier and rider experience.

A-Basin made a huge investment last summer to upgrade the Lenawee Chairlift- the main lift that ferries riders to the ski area’s 12,500 ft. summit on the front-side of the mountain.

A skeptical skier might believe this was only so A-Basin can sell more lift tickets, but you’re wrong, my friend.

You see, Arapahoe Basin still limits their daily lift ticket sales to avoid overcrowding on the mountain.

Upgrading Lenawee from a fixed-grip triple to a detachable six-pack has increased uphill capacity, but not to the point of crippling trail flow.

I had the pleasure of speaking with Arapahoe Basin’s Director of Mountain Operations, Louis Skowyra, about how the new Lenawee Express is being received by the A-Basin diehards:

“The new lift has been very well received…our guests know us and trust us, so they’ve been very patient as we work through all the kinks associated with a new piece of complex machinery (not to mention a delay in opening the lift due to construction challenges).

At the most basic level, the Lenawee Express makes it easier to get around our mountain- that’s a win for everyone.”

One of the benefits of installing such a heavy lift is that it runs exceptionally well in windy conditions.

Guest safety is always important, and Skowyra says that going with a six-pack was actually better for operating in windy conditions over a quad.

“To achieve that increase in carrying capacity, we knew we were shopping for a detachable lift. From that point, the conversation narrowed to 4-pack vs. 6-pack.

Interestingly, uphill capacity is the same on a 4 and a 6 (due to carrier spacing over the line). What tipped the scales for us is the fact that 6-packs tend to hold up in the wind a bit better than 4-packs.

Simply, they are heavier.”

^The Lenawee Express runs in essentially the same location as the old Lenawee Triple

Having the lift open more frequently is (obviously) a good thing for the overall skier and rider experience.

The Lenawee Express services a massive amount of terrain, and being able to spread out skiers all over the mountain is important for minimizing crowding on trails and in lift lines.

Skowyra emphasized that when explaining why Arapahoe Basin decided to replace the lift:

“After we expanded the ski area to the South (Zuma) and West (Beavers), the bottom of Lenawee became the most obvious chokepoint in skier flow.

Lenawee is critical to accessing Zuma, The Beavers, and the upper mountain, so nearly all of our guests will ride Len throughout their day.

If you skied a busy day over the last year or two, the pinch point was painfully clear: An increase in uphill capacity was needed at Len.”

Without any lift lines, it should take a skier about 3 minutes to ride Black Mountain Express, a couple of minutes to scoot down to load Lenawee Express, and then just another 4 minutes to ride to the summit.

Basically, you’re looking at just under 10 minutes to reach Arapahoe Basin’s 12,500 ft. summit from the base. Not too shabby.

Arapahoe Basin is already one of the best ski areas in the country. They could get complacent with that reputation, but kudos to them for continuing to listen to their passholders about necessary improvements.

The Lenawee Express is an excellent example of that, and their strategy is paying off.

All Images Credit: Ian Zinner/Arapahoe Basin Ski Area

Being in the heart of the action is a crucial need for travelers visiting Summit County. I-70 traffic is a challenge, so getting to the slopes in the shortest drive possible is a necessity. That’s why I chose to stay in Silverthorne. I decided to compile a list of food, drink, skiing, and hotel recommendations for those who travel to Silverthorne.

This list is based on my personal experiences, along with recommendations from The Pad, which is where I stayed.

Where To Ski Or Ride:  Being in Silverthorne gives you close access to numerous ski resorts that are on the Epic and Ikon passes. The closest ski resort is Keystone, which is around a fifteen-minute drive.

During my stay in Silverthorne, I traveled to A-Basin and Copper Mountain. Copper is around a fifteen drive from Silverthorne, while Araphaoe is around an 18-minute drive.

Another relatively close Ikon Pass partner is Winter Park Resort, which is a 108-minute drive. Even Steamboat isn’t that far of a journey. It takes around ninety minutes to get there from Silverthorne.

For Epic Pass ski resorts, the drive to Breck takes 23 minutes, getting to Vail is a little over 30 minutes, and Beaver Creek is around a fifty-minute drive.

Where To Stay:  The Pad is a new hotel and hostel property in Silverthorne, which is located a short drive away from I-70. Opened in 2021, the property is intended for the modern-day adventure traveler. Some of the amenities include a large outdoor hot tub, bar, events at the A-Bar throughout the week, and a locker room for outdoor gear.

There are a variety of room options. If you’re on a budget, they’re comfortable hostel rooms that allow you to meet new people. For their private options, they have deluxe suites, rooms for families, and shipping container rooms.

I stayed in the container room, which I really liked. The bed was comfortable, and the bathroom and kitchen are spacious. There’s a kitchen in these units, and there’s also a kitchen available downstairs, where guests can prepare meals for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

Where To Dine: There are many great eating options around Silverthorne. For those on a budget, the Cheeba Hut “Toasted” Subs has an expansive range of sandwiches with delicious sauces. They also have drinks FOR $4.20 during happy hour, which may be symbolic of something that’s legal in Colorado.

For a dine-in experience, Arapahoe Cafe & Pub in Dillon is a great option for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. First opened in 1945, the cafe features comfort food, with their lunch and dinner being BBQ focused.

For fancier restaurants, the one that I really liked was Sauce On The Blue, which is an Italian restaurant with a deep liquor lineup. The Italian food that I tried was excellent, and there is a giant liquor wall full of wines and heavy liquor. For another fancy choice, Bistro North is a globally infused restaurant with an expansive cocktail and wine lineup.

Where To Après-Ski: Angry James Brewery is a great option for beer lovers. They have a variety of beers on tap there, and it was ranked as having the best beer in Summit County. In addition, they serve Mountain Melt Grilled cheeses there.

For wine aficionados, check out Saved By The Wine. The recommended items from them include charcuterie boards, fondue, and wine flights. 2.5% of their net profits go toward animal shelters, which is pretty cool.

At the Pad, there’s the A-BAR. They have a variety of beers on tap, host events throughout the week, and there are numerous large TV screens to watch major sporting matches.

Ultimately, if you’re planning a trip to Colorado, the closer you are to the ski resorts, the better. That’s why I picked to stay in Silverthorne. After staying there for a couple of nights, I can recommend it to you, and suggest checking out or staying at The Pad during your visit.

Image Credits: The Pad, Sauce On The Blue, Ian Wood of Unofficial Networks

Utah vs. Colorado has become one of the greatest North American skiing debates. Utah devotees love the greatest snow on earth, while people who ski in Colorado like the expansive resorts, which feature towns that have things to do when you’re off the slopes.

The folks over at PeakRankings posted another great video yesterday, as they compared and contrasted the skiing meccas of Colorado and Utah. Some of the comparisons included the varying terrain difficulties, lodging costs, the challenge of getting there, resort towns, and which resorts are on the mega passes.

I prefer Utah due to the more reliable snowfall/deeper storms, more convenient options for Ikon passholders, and the shorter drive from the airport. I do like Colorado though for its actual ski towns, the après-ski experience, high alpine terrain, and expansive ski resorts, but dealing with I-70 is tough.

The video from PeakRankings is below, and a full breakdown of their comparison is attached here.

Image/Video Credits: Peak Rankings

Dylan Dethier and Sean Zak from Golf.com pulled off the daunting 9-9-9 challenge: ski, golf, and watch a ballgame in the Denver area all in a single day. They set the following guidelines: they needed to get 9 holes of golf in, complete 9 ski runs, watch 9 innings of baseball, drink 9 beers,  and eat 9 hot dogs. They got their laps in at A-Basin, golfed at Commonground course, and watched a baseball game at Coors Field.

The video from Golf.com is below.

Image/Video Credits: Arapahoe Basin, Owen Lystrup, Golf.com/Sean Zak