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

Ah opening day! Is there anything as good as hitting the slopes for the first time for the season? Sure core season may offer better skiing, but opening day isn’t about the skiing! It’s about the fun and camaraderie of being in the great outdoors with like-minded ski bums.

I made it to Arapahoe Basin for their season opening day on Sunday, October 29. This was definitely a late opening day for Colorado, so I was beyond ready to ski. Winter storm be damned; I was getting to A-Basin! Road conditions were mostly packed powder (though I heard I-70 actually wasn’t as bad). I was able to get one of the last spots in the Early Riser lot when I rolled in late at 8:45.

A-Basin reported 14 inches of fresh snow in the 24 hours prior to opening day. While it didn’t feel like a typical powder day, the fresh snow was definitely fun.

The energy of hundreds of stoked ski bums is infectious and the people-watching was entertaining.

And man, did the ski bums deliver! It didn’t matter that the day started out at a balmy 10 degrees on mountain; many people still donned their best costumes. I rode a chairlift with a unicorn who was kind enough to let me touch his butt. I was passed by the Pope in line, which eased my Catholic guilt for skiing on a Sunday (that’s what I tell my mom at least). There were a lot of capes, proving not many people have seen or remember The Incredibles. I ran into someone I know, which is rare for me as a staunch introvert. Strangers shared lift line beers and snacks with a smile and a fist bump!

Opening day satisfied the intense desire to finally ski. The skiing was fun and the party was even better. Let’s hope the fun continues throughout this season. See you next weekend!

Photos Courtesy of skiingsolo

When Colorado resorts compete for the title of First to Open, they are typically very tight-lipped. After A-Basin’s devastating blow to Keystone in the final hours of the 2019 season opening announcement, resorts are usually hesitant to give any indication to how close they are to opening. Resorts will even change camera angles or even take them offline altogether to keep any secrets from escaping. In an interesting turn of events, three contenders have provided updates to their snowmaking operations. Here’s what they had to say:

Arapahoe Basin

A-Basin has been quiet on social media, but you can find updates if you know where to look. Specifically, COO Alan Henceroth provides regular updates on his operations blog: Al’s Blog. Here’s the status update he gave us on Saturday (10/14):

“The last two days of snowmaking were incredible. We made snow for just over 48 continuous hours before emptying the reservoir. The snowmakers will take a couple days off while the stream recharges the pond. After that we will be closely following the weather looking for that next opportunity to fire up again. If I had to qualify/quantify the snowmaking journey to getting the ski area open, I would say we are slightly more than halfway-ish there.”

Loveland

Loveland hasn’t secured a win in over a decade, but they still push to open first every year. Based on their recent report, they are seriously in the running this year. Here’s the snowmaking update from Loveland on Monday (10/16):

“It’s a bluebird Monday at the mountain. The Loveland Snowmaking Team had a very productive weekend of snowmaking. The guns were fired up on Thursday at 8pm and stayed on until Sunday morning. Loveland Ski Area is about 1/3 away from completing the Opening Day run.” 

Keystone

Keystone shared some tasty pictures to social media, but they are still keeping their cards close to their chest. While they haven’t given a percentage to their completion, the snow certainly looks plentiful. Here’s their Monday update with photos from Sunday (10/15):

“We’re still in the process of snowmaking down to Montezuma to give you over two miles of skiable terrain for opening day! With warmer temps this week, our snow cats won’t make their way up the hill for a few more days. But rest assured our teams are working hard to get us open as soon as conditions allow.”

Other potential October openers have remained quiet. Wolf Creek relies almost exclusively on natural snow, and with none in the forecast, they look to be out of the running. Winter Park had their first ever October opening last year, so they remain a wild card. They appear to have started snowmaking after the Summit County resorts, so a win for them also seems unlikely. Will skiing be open in Colorado this weekend? I hope so…..

Photos Courtesy of A-Basin, Loveland, and Keystone

Are you trying to figure out how to do some early-season skiing in Colorado? You’ve come to the right place.

We’re finally into October, which means a few Colorado ski resorts have started snowmaking. So far, this has included Arapahoe Basin, Copper Mountain Resort, and Loveland. It seems like Keystone, which is aiming for a mid-October opening, will start to make snow soon.

If you’re figuring out where to shred in October and early to mid-November, the mountains that are typically open include Arapahoe Basin, Breckenridge, Copper Mountain, Keystone, Loveland, and Wolf Creek.

Last week, YouTuber ShangRei Garrett posted a breakdown of what terrain and lifts you can expect to see open at Arapahoe Basin, Wolf Creek, Keystone, Copper, Keystone, and Loveland. Typically, the first ski resort to open in the state is Arapahoe Basin or Wolf Creek, with the latter depending more on natural snowfall.

ShangRei Garrett’s video breakdown is below.

Image/Video Credits: Loveland Ski Area/Dustin Schaefer, ShangRei Garrett

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

Snow is falling, and ski season is about a month away for parts of the US. If you are anything like me, you’ve placed bets against your friends on who will win the race to open. With ever changing weather patterns and new enhancements to snowmaking, choosing a winner can be a tough call. However, did you know that only 4 resorts have won the title of “first to open in the US” in the past 10 seasons? If you are looking to place your bet on a previous winner, here are your options (in order of most recent win):

Wild Mountain in Minnesota

You might not expect a ski area with an average annual snowfall of 50 inches to appear on this list, but Wild Mountain is a consistent competitor in the race to open. Wild Mountain most recently took the prize last year for the 22/23 season when they opened on October 18. This was their second win in the past decade after winning the 20/21 season. Their earliest opening ever was on October 7 in 2012.

Wolf Creek in Colorado

Wolf Creek is a competitor each year mainly due to their high natural snowfall at about 430 inches each year. While they do have minimal snowmaking at the base, it’s their huge October storms that allow them to open early. They consistently open with hundreds of acres available, often way more acreage than any other resort in October. Wolf Creek has won twice in the past 10 seasons, with the most recent win in 21/22 on October 16.

Arapahoe Basin in Colorado

Being the first to open is a fun achievement for many ski areas, but things are a bit more serious at Arapahoe Basin. A-Basin treats opening day more like the Hunger Games than friendly competition, as it’s their personal mission to be the first to open and last to close in Colorado every season. A-Basin’s last win was in the 19/20 season, when they made the rapid decision to open for a few hours on October 11 to ensure Keystone lost the race. A-Basin has 5 total wins over the past decade, making them the record holder for most wins in recent memory.

Killington in Vermont

Of these 4 ski areas, Killington is the only resort to not have multiple wins. Although Killington is consistently the first to open on the East Coast, they only won this title for the entire US in the 15/16 season. They opened on October 18 that year, but they’ve had a few opening days on October 1 back in the 90s. Although they haven’t seen an October opening since the 19/20 season, it would be foolish to dismiss them from the betting pool.

Who are you placing your bet on for this season? Are you choosing a previous winner or a dark horse? Either way, it’s time to get your gear ready!

Photos Courtesy of Wild Mountain, Wolf Creek, Arapahoe Basin, Killington, and skiingsolo

Ski season is getting closer! Summit County in Colorado got a pre-season taste of some snowy peaks. Copper and Breckenridge stoked the hype with a flurry of pictures on their social media pages. Arapahoe Basin shared pics of their dusting on the COO’s blog.

While the snowy photos they shared are certainly exciting, neither Copper nor Breck are in the race to open first in Colorado. Copper is set to open on November 13, and Breck will open on November 10. A-Basin, on the other hand, is always looking to claim the prize. They shared on social media that they have begun setting up their snowmaking equipment. This is not a drill: snowguns are on the slopes of A-Basin.

Other contenders have been a little less bold online than last year’s first-to-open winner. In spite of planning a projected opening of October 15th, Keystone has been quiet, probably in large part due to A-Basin’s tenacity to beat them to the punch every year (especially after the insanity that was the 2019 opener). Although Loveland has struggled to open at the same time as these two resorts, they keep a countdown to snowmaking running on their website. Wolf Creek has been a frequent winner of the race to open but mums the word on their socials due to their reliance on natural snow.

Who will win the race to open in Colorado? Will a Colorado ski resort take the prize for the entire country? Stay tuned and stay hyped!

Featured Image Courtesy of Sarah Mclear, Breckenridge Ski Resort

Photos Courtesy of Copper, Sarah Mclear of Breckenridge, Arapahoe Basin, and Loveland

The ski industry is in the midst of a transformative period. During the 2022-23 season, $812.4 million was spent on capital improvements at U.S. ski resorts, which is an all-time record. 

While watching a short film about Big Sky’s rapid transformation to a major destination resort, I got the idea to analyze which U.S. ski resorts have changed the most over the past decade. Why ten years? Because I feel like you see more measurable change over the course of a decade rather than a shorter five-year span, as demonstrated by these ski resorts.

So here are five U.S. ski resorts that have seen the most change over the past decade.

Arapahoe Basin: Back in 2013, A-Basin was a partner on the Epic Pass, had a smaller skiable footprint compared to today, and its lift network was antiquated compared to its neighbors. A lot has changed since.

Four new chairlifts have been added over the past decade. Pali got replaced by a new double chairlift, the Norway chairlift got removed, the Molly Hogan double chairlift got replaced by a fixed-grip quad, and the Lenawee triple chairlift got replaced by a high-speed six-pack this past ski season. 

The other lift that was added was The Beavers, which added a whole new terrain pod. Opened during the 2017-18 season, a new fixed-grip quad chairlift, which opened during the 2018-19 season, services intermediate, advanced, and expert terrain. The other terrain expansion added during the 2017-18 season was The Steep Gullies. This double black diamond terrain off Pali added some of the most challenging runs at all of A-Basin.

In 2019, A-Basin shockingly announced that they were leaving the Epic Pass for the Ikon Pass. The effects on the experience have been profound. While their skier visits last winter were up 9% compared to the 2021-22 season, their numbers are only 75% of what they experienced during the 18-19 season, the last with Epic.

Big Sky Resort: Many changes over the past decade have made the Montana ski resort one of the major players in the North American ski industry.

The first major move came in October 2013, as Big Sky’s parent company, Boyne Resorts, acquired Moonlight Basin, increasing the total skiable acreage of the resort to 5,850.

In terms of lift upgrades, there’s been quite a few. 2016 saw the replacement of the Challenger Double with a fixed-grip triple chairlift, and Shedhorn double chairlift got replaced by the old Ramcharger high-speed quad in 2018. Three bubble chairlifts have been added: the Powder Seeker 6 replaced the Lone Peak Triple in 2016, the Ramcharger 8 opened in 2018, and the Swift Current Six began spinning in 2021. In addition, they added new lifts to their Mountain Village Learning Area in 2017.

Other improvements have included a mountain biking trail expansion, the addition of a significant amount of workforce housing, snowmaking improvements, more parking spaces, the renovation of some of their hotels and restaurants, along with new hotels and restaurants.

These changes, along with the rise of Bozeman as a skiing destination, have led to an increase in crowds at Big Sky. In response, they introduced an add-on cost if you wanted to ride the tram.

Next season will see the tram replaced. This will lead to a larger tram cabin and an updated price per ride of $10-40+. After that, the next major project will be a new gondola, which will travel to the base terminal of the new tram.

Palisades Tahoe: For one, there’s the name change. Once known separately as S**** Valley and Alpine Meadows, they were renamed Palisades Tahoe in 2021.  The move was made due to the word S**** being a derogatory phrase towards Native American women.

In terms of new lifts, back in 2019, Alpine Meadows opened the Treeline Cirque chairlift, a new high-speed quad that made a trip to the backside much easier. Previously, reaching the backside required rides on multiple lifts or taking a hike over the High Traverse. The long-awaited Base to Base Gondola came to life this past winter, making accessing Palisades Tahoe and Alpine Meadows possible without taking a vehicle. The 2022-23 season also saw the upgrade of the much-maligned Red Dog chairlift, which was replaced with a high-speed detachable six-pack chairlift.

Park City: Back in 2013, Park City Mountain Resort and The Canyons were two separate ski resorts. Park City was owned by POWDR and The Canyons was just taken over by Vail Resorts. Then, in the most epic fashion possible, POWDR fumbled its lease in 2011, and Vail Resorts was eventually able to acquire Park City in 2014. Vail then merged the two together, getting rid of The Canyons name, to become Park City Mountain Resort.

The 2015-16 season saw ginormous changes at the ski resort. The first monumental change was the opening of the Quicksilver Gondola. This connected the Canyons and Park City sides for the first time ever. This included a two-trail terrain expansion, which is accessible by Quicksilver’s mid-station. Other lift replacements from that season included the King Con Express becoming a detachable high-speed six-pack, and the old King Con Express replacing the Motherlode chairlift.

Since then, the other major new chairlifts included the High Meadow chairlift becoming a high-speed quad, and the new Over and Out chairlift, which brought riders back to the Canyons Village from the Tombstone Express.

Infastructure improvements on-mountain have included the Miners Camp building next to Silverlode and the Quicksilver Gondola, and a building for the popular Tombstone Grill. Numerous new hotels and buildings have been added over at the Canyons Village, which has included a large employee housing facility.

There has been resistance at times from locals. The most recent example of this was after the crowd-filled 2021-22 season. Locals successfully stopped the addition of two modern chairlifts for the 2022-23 season. Vail responded by shipping these lifts up to Whistler Blackcomb for installation. Vail also added paid parking to the Park City Mountain Village area for the 2022-23 season, which helped improve the guest experience, albeit at a cost.

New gondola cabins were put into the Red Pine Gondola this summer, and a new gondola could be replacing the Sunrise chairlift in the coming years.

Snow King: Back when JMI Realty bought the ski resort in 2012, not many sizeable changes had been made in years. Enter 2023, where the community ski hill in Jackson, Wyoming looks a bit different.

The major changes began in 2015. The Rafferty Chairlift was replaced by a Doppelmayr fixed-grip quad. For summer activities, The Cowboy Mountain Coaster opened for the first time, and the Treetop Adventure was constructed. In addition, two new base lodges were built. The following years saw new beginner surface lifts, improved night lighting, and more summer activities.

Then 2021 happened. A new eight-person gondola connected the base area to the summit. It replaced the Summit chairlift, cementing Snow King as a year-round destination.

The 2021-22 season also saw multiple terrain expansions. They added a beginner learning area at the summit with multiple surface lifts and added a new beginner/easy way-down run off the summit. The other expansion occurred over on the backside. Referred to as Sunnyside, this was made possible by expanding the USFS boundary by around 100 acres. This Sunnyside expansion added new intermediate terrain to Snow King.

Before the 2022-23 season, Snow King added a summit ridge surface tow, made more snowmaking upgrades, and made enhancements to the Kelly’s Alley & Towers trails, among other changes.

Projects for this offseason include the completion of the summit lodge, finishing the summit planetarium and observatory, a new beginner trail to the base of the gondola, and more. All of these changes have made Snow King a must-visit when you’re visiting Jackson.

What ski resort do you think has changed the most over the past decade?

Image Credits: Andrew Meehan, Arapahoe Basin, Big Sky Resort, Palisades Tahoe, Park City Mountain Resort, Snow King

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

The Rocky Mountain Way led to a record number of skier visits in Colorado during the 2022-23 ski season.

Yesterday, Colorado Ski Country USA announced that skier visits were up 8% compared to last season. The projected total for the 2023-23 season was 14.8 million people, which is a million more visits than the 2021-22 season. This season exceeds their five-year average visitation by a staggering 18%.

With ski resorts that are a part of Colorado Ski Country USA averaging 286 inches of snowfall this past season, along with having mostly cold weather throughout the winter, conditions across the state were excellent. Major capital investments were also believed to bring in more visitation. Some of these investments include the new Lenawee Express at Arapahoe Basin, Rip’s Ride at Breckenridge, the new Chair 6 at Loveland, the Wild Blue Gondola at Steamboat, and two new chairlifts at Vail. International visitors also increased substantially, thanks to reduced Covid restrictions around the world.

Another factor that I believed played a part in the record season, is the rise of the mega passes. Both Epic and Ikon have multiple major mountains in Colorado, leading to more people making trips to the state. In addition, the Indy Pass added multiple ski resorts in Colorado for the 2022-23 season, giving an incentive for their passholders to go there for a vacation.

Melanie Mills, who is the President and CEO of Colorado Ski Country USA, said the following about their historic season:

“The 2022-2023 ski season was buoyed by cold temperatures and consistent, abundant snowfall across the state, from the first days of the season in October to closing day on June 4. We are today celebrating a significant new industry benchmark for visitation, meaningful growth in our business, and the positive economic impact that this success has for our employees, our communities, our partners, and our state.

Approximately 23 percent of U.S. skier visits took place in Colorado this year, and this was not happenstance. Our member ski areas are fiercely dedicated to the guest experience, as well as to the employee experience at their resorts. Best-in-class infrastructure, facilities, employees, and ski towns welcome guests from around Colorado, the United States, and the world. There’s a mountain for everyone in Colorado. and our ski areas love to welcome one and all to our slopes.”

Colorado’s ski season started on October 23rd, with A-Basin winning the race to be the first open in the state. They were quickly followed by Keystone, Winter Park, and Loveland. Colorado’s ski season wrapped up this past Sunday, as Arapahoe Basin concluded its season on June 4th. Other late-season contenders included Breckenridge (May 21st) and Winter Park (May 29th).

Continued major investments during this offseason will give Colorado a shot at another record-breaking 2023-24 season. Aspen will be opening their anticipated Pandora’s expansion, Breckenridge is replacing the 5-Chair (which will help with those Peak 8 crowds like the one from this article’s featured image), Copper Mountain will be opening a new mid-mountain lodge, Steamboat will be completing the final phase of its Full Steam Ahead capital projects, and Winter Park is replacing the Pioneer Express with a high-speed six-pack.

Image Credits: u/CarlDonzo (Featured Image), Ian Wood, Colorado Ski Country USA