Al's Blog

I’m excited to share that, after a full year, the sale of Arapahoe Basin to Alterra Mountain Company is complete. Now that the sale is final, I know many of you have questions about what Alterra ownership will mean for A-Basin and for each of us. Finally, we can start working on those questions. We will work with Alterra and shape the next phase of The Basin’s journey. Joining Alterra’s incredible network of mountain resorts gives us the support and partnership of a global leader in outdoor recreation, and it’s a privilege to be part of this extraordinary team. Since we first partnered with Alterra in 2019 and joined Ikon Pass, we’ve worked to preserve the unique spirit and community that define Arapahoe Basin. With today’s closing, I’m confident that spirit will not only remain but grow stronger. 

Arapahoe Basin is much more than a ski area—it’s a home for passionate skiers, riders, and employees and all who cherish Colorado’s mountains and a spirit of adventure. Our community at The Basin is something special, and each of you helps make it that way. The thrill of skiing the Pali, hiking the East Wall, skinning up to a Moonlight Dinner, and the joy of sharing chairlift rides—these experiences are what make A-Basin home. Together, we’ll ensure they always remain at the heart of what we do.

I look forward to many more unforgettable days on the mountain with all of you.

Here’s to an amazing winter.

The Snowmakers shut their system down about 7 AM this morning. We had a snowcat working on the piles all day. We have a lot more to do tomorrow, but the trail is really shaping up. We will let the reservoir recharge for a few days and then turn the fan guns on for one final session as we approach the weekend. People around are starting to get excited to ride Lenawee Express.

The temperatures and the winds have been perfect the last 24 hours. Tonight should be just as good. It is quite difficult to make snow at 12,400+ feet and these conditions were ideal. Getting good snowmaking weather up there always gives me a big sigh of relief. Tomorrow we will have the snowcats tear into the piles and see how far we can spread the snow. 

I just took several runs on High Noon. Plenty of blue skies and great snow. There were lots of alpine racers and clinicing instructors out there working their craft and enjoying the day.

Focused on Lenawee Face and Dercum's Gulch, the Snowmakers will be turning the system back on Saturday morning. The temps look good and the reservoir is re-filling. I am expecting an excellent weekend of snowmaking.

A couple of days ago the Snowmakers had all the guns firing in the Lower Meadows just above Black Mountain Lodge.

Dawn was beautiful at The Basin this morning. As hoped for, the Snowmakers had another productive night. There is a fair bit snow cat work to be done pushing the snowmaking piles around. After a week of snow, we are expecting some sunny days which, with the new snow, will boost streamflows which will boost snowmaking. Over the next week we have a couple of storms coming through. The journey to the Summit continues.

Upwards of 50 people enjoyed skinning up High Noon this morning.

This morning Louis and I took a snowcat tour to the Summit. Visibility was a bit challenging (ok - it was a whiteout). That said, the natural snowfall is starting to stack up. The snowfences have successfully caught some snow. Most importantly, the Snowmakers have done some excellent work. Tonight looks to be another good one. We still have a ways to go to get Lenawee Express open, but we are well on our way.

This is a good storm. It is snowing. We are making a lot of snow right now mostly on the Upper Mountain, but we have one gun running on Wrangler. Again, the outlook for snow is great. It snowed much of the day. I saw a lot smiling faces as people skied into the Black Mountain Express maze. 

The Snowmakers are setting up the guns on Lenawee Face and Dercum's Gulch. The reservoir is re-filling. The snowmaking temps look really good all week. In another day or two we will fire the system back up and convert the water in the reservoir into snow on the Upper Mountain. We have to do that two or three times to get Lenawee Lift open. We have had some snow already this week and the forecast looks good. I like the outlook.

It made my day seeing people having so much fun at The Basin.

I just rode Black Mountain Express and took my first ski run down High Noon. The cats had just starting tilling the surface and leaving the corduroy. I could smell the pork in the smoker at Black Mountain Lodge. The boots felt good. The skis still turned when I asked them to. Saturday looks to be a perfect Fall, bluebird day. It felt great to be sliding on the snow. We are kicking off our ski season tomorrow morning at 8:30.  I look forward to sharing the fun with the A-Basin faithful. See you out there.

We are opening for the 2024-25 Winter Season this Saturday, November 2 at 8:30 AM.

The Snowmakers have continued to have great success both day and night. Snowcat Operator Extraordinaire, Scott Buell, has been in for a couple of days working his magic with snow. The Ski Patrol and Lift teams are outfitteded and ready to go. We still have some more snow to make and Scott will be busy up until Saturday morning, but it is time to kick off ski season. Cheers to another great winter.

The snowmaking last night was just what we wanted. The wet bulb temp dropped down to 10 F. Most of the fan guns were cranked. There was minimal wind. The snow is piling up. The process is going just the way we want it to and the suspense is killing me.

Al's Blog has moved. With a new and groovy look, it is now located at arapahoebasin.com. If by chance you have this saved as a "favorite," you will have to update your link.

Louis and I just took a stroll down High Noon. We have a bit of snow on the ground. The forecast is still showing a big drop in temperature this afternoon. The Snowmakers are here and ready to fire up the guns as soon as the temp drops a touch more.

Today has been absolutely gorgeous. High Noon is the whitest strip right down the middle of the photo. It is shaping up. As I said yesterday, we don't expect much out of snowmaking for a couple days, but hang on for early next week. It is going to snow a bit and we are going to make a lot of snow.

Last night was another good night of snowmaking with the wet bulb temperature dropping to 21 F. In terms of putting enough snow on High Noon, we are a tiny bit more than halfway there. The outlook for snowmaking the next few nights is not promising, but starting early next week the temperature really drops, maybe to single digits. That is excellent for snowmaking

So, we are looking good today. The next few days will be quiet. By Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, we are going to have a lot to get excited about. You might want to start clearing your calendar for next weekend.

Ski Patroller Jasmine Wieger caught this rainbow a couple mornings ago during snowmaking.

As I write, the sun has cracked the ridgeline, the temperatures are starting to go up and the Snowmakers are preparing to shut down. They had a very productive session on High Noon over the last 36 hours. For a period yesterday afternoon they had to turn off the fan guns near the bottom, but at other times, they had the pumps running at full capacity. Previously, we had a few test and trial runs, but this session is very meaningful. Looking forward, with clear skies and temps below freezing at night, each night this week could have low wet bulb temps and good opportunities for snowmaking. While it is way too early to pick an opening date, we are heading in the right direction and very happy with this snowmaking effort.

Now that was a good night - definitely something to get excited about. The snow stake shows beautiful and plentiful natural snowfall. The snowmakers have had a productive morning. The wet bulb temperature has been in the low 20's. All fan guns on High Noon are operating. The pumps are spinning just shy of full capacity. This is good. Tonight should be another good night for snowmaking.

We have taken a nice step towards winter.

I am certain this will be the last summer ops post of the year. The A-Basin Trail Crew has completed the "Up At Arapahoe" trail. Hikers and mountain bikers can now ride a purpose built single track all the way to the Summit. And they completed it just in time. Our plan is to close all the summer trails this Monday. With the forecasted weather this weekend, it might be a little snowy up there. If you can sneak your way up here the next couple of days, I encourage to get in one more ride at The Basin.

For many years we have had a goal of a bottom to top to bottom loop. With Argentine North Fork, Up At Arapahoe, Beavers Loop and Wheels Up now all complete and connected, our goal is finished and complete. This has been a big effort between our team and IMBA to make it happen. Thanks to everyone that had a hand in this especially Trevor, our Trail Crew and our chief designer Joey Klein. This is a very fine and very substantial piece of work.

Waiting for some colder weather. Although today isn't too bad.

Last week our Lift Maintenance team met with a Colorado Passenger Tramway Safety Board (CPTSB) engineer for a couple days of annual inspections. For each lift, (6 chairlifts, 2 conveyors, 1 rope tow) we are required to have an individual license to operate. That license is good for one year. Prior to getting a license, each lift is inspected. There are visual inspections. Every button and mechanism is pushed and tested. There is a thorough review of all maintenance records to ensure we are doing all required tasks to meet the various tramway codes. For this year the inspection phase is complete. We have a few remaining administrative and physical tasks to complete. We should see our first licenses by next week and be approved to operate for another year.

 From Summit Cove neighbors.

Our snowmakers are ready to go. All the fan guns and hoses and power cords are on the hill. The reservoir is full. Summer maintenance and Fall testing is complete. We will start as soon as the weather gets cold enough to make snow. Looking at the 7-10 day weather forecasts, I don't see snowmaking conditions yet. So, enjoy another weekend or two of hiking and biking Fall colors. We will be making snow just as soon as the temps drop. 

We are just finishing up a significant project at the junction of Lower Wrangler and the bottom of North Fork. At that location, the stream (North Fork) entered a culvert, ran underneath Wrangler and popped out on the skiers' right side of Wrangler. Over the years that culvert had rusted, degraded, and collapsed and was ready to be replaced. Our initial plan was to replace that culvert, but as we looked closer and closer at the project, we realized we could, simply, return the stream to a more natural setting. Planning and construction tasks included project design, removing  the old culvert steel, regrading the area to a more natural stream channel, lining the channel with local rock and re-vegging the area with native plants. The project involved a lot of people including members from the A-Basin team, Forest Service staff, a civil engineer, a hydrologist, an ecologist, a local excavation contractor and Xcel Energy (of course the stream crossed a powerline). The earthwork is done, the stream is running down the rehabilitated channel and we are entering the re-veg stage. Over the next couple weeks, we will be planting wetland species and that process will continue again next summer.

I think it will be fun to watch the regrowth here and see a more natural stream return over the coming years.

It is now officially Fall. The golden aspen leaves will be peaking soon and we will see more and more snowy white dustings up high. The early snow always melts, but eventually and usually sometime in October, the snow starts to stick. The nights get a lot colder and we will be making snow before you know it. We all need to be thinking about getting our final high elevation hikes and bike rides completed soon.

We are in Day 1 of Okotberfest at The Basin - one of my favorite events. Hope you can join us. The weather might be challenge later today and tomorrow, but we will make the best of it, moving the fun indoors if we have to. Prosit !!!

The trail construction for the last section of "Up At Arapahoe" continues up Norway Face. The trail is now about 100 vertical feet from the Summit. The Trail Crew has crossed the summer road and is preparing for the final push to the top. No doubt we will be battling winter weather  in the coming weeks, but the finish is so close.

People are starting to think about winter. Saturday we hosted our first "Boot Camp." About 50 skiers and riders came up to The Basin and took part in some serious (and of course fun) ski training. We will see some snow on the Lower Mountain very soon. Almost all of the fan guns are out on High Noon now. In another couple weeks, the snowmakers will start focusing on the temperatures, looking for that first night when wet bulb temps drop below 28 F.

Some of the aspens are starting to show their Fall colors

No explanation needed.

The snowmakers are placing fan guns on High Noon. Some of the hydrants have been deployed. We are filling the reservoir. We will be testing pipes, pumps and plugs. The crew is gearing up for a busy few months.

Yesterday afternoon I went for a nice stroll around the base area and a little ways up the Argentine North Fork Trail. The Lift Maintenance crew is busy gearing up for their October annual inspections. The snowmakers are finishing their summer work. I savor these September days with the tall grasses and blooming fireweed. I am wearing a puffy, hat and gloves to walk the dog in the morning. The glorious summer days are winding down.  ..............And you know what that means.

Have you ever wondered how the Trail Crew builds those very nice sections of rock on the trails. The first step is to have the mini excavator operator over excavates a trail through the talus, setting the grade of the trail  (Photo 1). Once that is complete, the operator uses the machine to place large flat rocks in the over excavated section (Photo 2). Lastly, by hand, the Trail Crew staff adds a few more larger rocks and then fills the gaps with mineral soil and smaller rocks creating the final surface (Photo 3).

Photo 1

Photo 2

Photo 3

The Trail Crew has opened up another 1,000 feet of the "Up At Arapahoe" Trail. Leaving Steilhang Hut, riders and hikers can now skip another chunk of the summer road. Hard to believe, but it is another sweet section of trail that traverses across Lower Powerline and Lower Norway. From where this new section intersects the summer road, the trail work under construction on Norway Face is clearly visible. Man oh man, do I look forward to the Norway Face section being complete.

It was a great morning out on the hill. I rode BMX and hiked "Up At Arapahoe".  Along the way, I encountered a couple dozen people, including some friends, hiking and riding their bikes. Everyone was smiling ear to ear and enjoying the trail. I was eavesdropping on one group and heard one of their bikers describe the trail as "amazingly rideable." It was a fun morning.

And there were about 15 mountain goats hanging on Little Lenawee Peak.

This morning was a great time for a bike ride at The Basin. With a couple friends, I rode to the Summit and down the Beavers Loop and Wheels Up trails. It was a little chilly, but that made it comfortable for climbing. The rain held off and we had the best time. The views were so dramatic, we forced ourselves to stop and enjoy them. Of course the ride was followed by lunch in the 6th Alley. I'd call it a successful morning.

The Via Ferrata will be open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through September 22. This is still an incredible way to see A-Basin from a completely new perspective. The climbing route goes up the ridgeline between Willie's Wide and North Pole. Steel foot and hand holds have been installed in the rock to make climbing easier. A cable safety line allows climbers to be "clipped in" at all times. Always exciting and always fun.

We are having a nice, steady rain this afternoon. We savor the summer rain storms. They bring life to the streams and everything that lives on the hill. Sometimes the rain interferes with our plans, but we are always happy to see it come down.

The late blooming fireweed flowers are at their peak. This patch is on Lower Sundance. I think fireweed growth is expanding across the ski area particularly on the Lower Mountain.. Great news for me. I think the flowers are very beautiful and I enjoy seeing the new growth.

It is now officially late August. As I wander around the hill, I am noticing that the willows are starting to turn yellow. We still have five good 3-days weekends of being open, but this is definitely a hint that Fall is coming.

I never get tired of this view. We have a few, but not many, of these summer weeks left.

September weekends are fun around The Basin. The very popular Cirque Series trail running race is September 7 and, everybody's favorite, Oktoberfest is September 21 and 22.

September 14 we are trying something new, A-Basin Boot Camp. Get yourself ready for the season with a free work out, ski and snowboard tunes and live music. Come check out the fun and join us for a special afternoon concert featuring Dave Watts and Friends featuring members of The Motet. Dave and friends are no stranger to Summit County and have been putting on fun and energetic shows for years. Hope you will join us.

Almost 50 people came to The Basin yesterday for our annual "Mountain Cleanup Day." The group wandered down through The Beavers picking up a few seasons worth of trash and other goodies. They even found the skull of one of our native ungulates. Thanks to everyone that chose to spend a day taking care of A-Basin.

Grizzly Peak, 13,427', is about 1 1/4 miles straight east of the base area.  Check out The Basin from there.

Just like every other summer, there are loads of marmots running around The Basin. They are busy stocking their dens and eating as much as they can. By observation, when we first start seeing them in June, they are kind of skinny. As the summer progresses they just get fatter and fatter. They would eat 24 hours a day if they could. They are getting ready for winter.

The middle part of the summer has been warm all over the country. It was even a little warm by A-Basin standards. Recently we have seen some monsoonal type weather moving in and the temps have dropped a bit. Yesterday I woke to a temp of 39 F at my house. That was the coldest temp I had seen in many weeks. Fall is still a few snaps of the fingers away, but it is a little cooler.

Whenever we do a project on the hill, we try and keep our impact as small as we can. That said, sometimes we still have an impact and as the projects are completed, we try and return the site to as natural of a condition as we can. Installing Lenawee Express in 2022 was a big project. While we used a spider hoe to minimize heavy equipment impacts, there were still disturbances around the lift tower locations. As construction wound down, we re-established and re-seeding those locations, often using mats to hold vegetation in place. 

Earlier this week I was hiking on the Half Moon Trail which brought me close to Tower 6, one of our bigger impact areas. I was excited to see how well the re-veg work was going there. Our growing season is quite short and with only 1 1/2 growing seasons since construction, the vegetation looks really great. In a few more seasons, it will be hard to determine where the disturbance limits were.

We have more good news on the Up At Arapahoe trail. We now have completed trail up to the Steilhang Hut. There is now more stunning, above timberline, alpine trail to hike or ride. Remember this trail is for two way hiking and uphill biking. I can't wait until the team finishes the trail all the way to the Summit. They are currently working on the trail in the Norway Face zone.

During my morning walkabout, I bumped into A-Basin skier and mountain biker Alex, who was having a blast riding Up At Arapahoe.

 Check out the view of the Summit from Little Lenawee Peak

Up above timberline, commonly nestled in talus fields, the columbines are at their peak.

If you are doing the full Beavers Loop ride, there is a fine place to take a break and enjoy some quiet time. Just below the Beavers Loop Trail, just at timberline and just east of where the BLT crosses the winter ski trail, Loafer, and at the top of the ski trail Digger you will find the Digger Picnic Deck with a couple tables. On your next ride, bring a little food, bring a book if you are by yourself and bring an urge to soak in this great setting. Check it out.

This Saturday will be paradise. A beautiful Arapahoe Basin summer day. A summer version of the Festival of the Brewpubs. A crazy 4-hour mountain bike endurance race. Bratwurst cooked on the grill in Mountain Goat Plaza. This is a good way to spend your Saturday. Check out  Bikes, Brat, N' Brews.

As I mentioned in a post earlier this summer, we are having a banner wildflower season. Every other Monday we do guided wildflower hikes that include a ride up Black Mountain Express. You might even get some A-Basin insider information out of your guide. For details and to register go to Guided Wildfower Hikes.

Found between the top of Jamie's Face and Lake Reveal, I call this very, very cool riding.

Our summer trails give us a physical perspective that is very different from what we see in winter. Whether we are hiking or biking, it often feels like we are in a very different place in summer versus winter. No where is that more notable than riding the forested areas of the Wheels Up trail. In particular, where the trail is west of the Pallavicini Lift, the trail switchbacks through The Glen and it feels completely different than skiing in winter. And you won't find the name The Glen on any trail map.

Trevor and the Trail Crew continue to work on extending Up At Arapahoe to the Summit. The trail is now complete all the way to Lake Reveal. For the moment they are skipping the zone just above and below the Steilhang Hut. The road is a bit more mellow there. They are carving the trail into Norway Face. This stretch might have people most excited because it will eliminate that nasty, steep final pitch of the summer road. Nobody likes that stretch of road and the new stuff is going to be SWEET.

Mountain Lodge. You get the bonus of enjoying a chairlift ride on Black Mountain Experess. I am not sure there is a better place to enjoy your Cobra pose. Some people hike down the Argentine North Fork Trail when they are finished. For details and to make a reservation, go to Mountaintop Yoga

When we designed our trail system, we made a key decision. We could have made every trail for everyone. Instead, we decided to make trails that were really focused on what the user was looking for. There are times when hikers and bikers can share trails and there are other times where it is nice to be separated. Instead of each trail being "OK" for every user, we want each trail to be exceptional for its intended user. That led us to three distinctive trail designations.

Two-Way Hiking and Uphill Biking Only. The Argentine North Fork and Up At Arapahoe trails form the main route to the Summit. Uphill bikers generally move kind of slower and on these trails hikers and bikers mesh well.

Downhill Biking Only. The Beavers Loop and Wheels Up Trails are for downhill biking only. On a good downhill trail, neither bikers or hikers want to encounter the other. These trails are designed for good fun downhill riding.

Hiking Only. The Halfmoon Trail is for hiking only. Portions of the trail are not suited for bikes and this is a good place for hikers to not have to worry about encountering bike riders.

This summer the 6th Alley Bar and Grill will be hosting two regular weekly events. Thursday nights are Burger Night and the restaurant will stay open until 8 PM. They will open at 10 AM  Sunday mornings for Sunday Brunch. Have some fun and enjoy the good food. For details, go to 6th Alley Bar and Grill.

OK, sorry if I was mis-leading, but we did extend the pass renewal period for one more week. With all the weirdness and confusion of the past year, we thought we would give people one more week to renew their season pass for the 2024-25 ski season. But, this is it. The last day to renew your winter season pass at the discounted rate is Friday, July 19.

I love the Beavers Loop Trail. This past Wednesday, I had a chance to ride the bottom to top to bottom loop. We are lucky to have this high quality of a purpose built mountain bike trail in such a high alpine setting. I was having so much fun riding, but I felt guilty that I needed to be stopping more to take in all the views.

Similar to last summer, the Steilhang Hut will be open Saturdays and Sundays thru August 18. After a nice hike or bike, enjoy a bratwurst at 12,000' surrounded by stunning Arapahoe Basin views. Eventually, as our trail system is further built out and more people enjoy the A-Basin summers, I hope we can have Steilhang Hut open even more.

Pali Main Street is pretty cool in the summer time also.

We are on our way to an amazing wild flower season. We had a good snow season and a wet June. The Basin has greened up beautifully and the flowers are really popping. July is the time to get out on the hill and enjoy the show. All of our trails are open and it is a wonderful sight to see.

Hazel never disappoints. A lot of old friends and new friends got together today and enjoyed The Hazel Miller Band in Mountain Goat Plaza. As always, she put on an incredible show. It was beautiful. People were hiking, biking, disc golfing, chairlift riding, climbing, eating and playing. It was a classic Colorado Summer day in the mountains. Good music, good people and good fun.
 

Happy 4th of July. This morning CNN said "The West is sizzling....." Today at The Basin skies are blue and the temperature is a warm 58 F. A perfect day in the mountains.

Don't forget tomorrow, Friday, July 5, Hazel Miller is bringing her brand of jazz, blues and R&B to Mountain Goat Plaza from 1-4 PM. She always puts on a perfect show. We will be serving up Jambalaya, brats, beer and wine in the base area. Is there a better way to bring the A-Basin community together?

All of our summer activities are now open. All of the trails, including bike trails, are now open. The Disc Golf Course is open. Aerial Adventure Park, Via Ferrata, Scenic Chairlift Rides, Arapahoe Sports and 6th Alley Bar and Grill are all open. Our regular events like Guided Wildflower Hikes, Yoga on the Mountain and Trail Running Races start next week. For details, check out Summer At Arapahoe Basin

This Friday, July 5, all of our hiking and biking trails will be open. That includes Half Moon, Up at Arapahoe, Wheels Up and the Beavers Loop  as well as the Argentine North Fork Trail. As a reminder, Argentine North Fork and Up at Arapahoe are open to two-way hiking and uphill biking. Half Moon is open just to hiking. Wheels Up and Beavers Loop are for downhill biking only.

Arapahoe Basin and Summit County's premier mountain biking loop involves heading up Argentine North Fork and Up at Arapahoe to the Summit (the last 3/4 mile is on the summer road still while we finish building that section) and then descending Beavers Loop and Wheels Up. This new loop is already a classic. Purpose built mountain biking trails in the high alpine terrain are rare. The views are over the top. Not to mention the trails are pure fun.

This Friday, when the city is hot and the mountain towns are busy, come on up, ride the Beavers Loop and then enjoy a Hazel Miller concert in the base area. It is a perfect way to spend a holiday weekend.

Just a reminder, a limited number of season parking passes go on sale July 9 at 10 AM. You must be an UNRESTRICTED SEASON PASS HOLDER by July 8 to purchase a season parking pass.

The mountain goats continued to be out and about near the Summit. More and more kids are visible - and so incredibly cute. Andrew Greene send me these wonderful photos he took earlier today.

Half Moon Trail is now open for hiking. This trail is actually a hiking only trail. Starting at Black Mountain Lodge, it winds through meadows and forests topping out right a treeline with commanding views of the East Wall. There are still some muddy spots along the way, but it is ready for hikers.

Today is opening day at Aerial Adventure Park. Pre-maintenance is complete. Park Ranger training is complete. The snow is gone and the Park is dry. It is time to get up there and start climbing. I think is a great activity for anyone with a moderate fitness level and a sense of adventure. It is beautiful and it is fun. Great for a any group of family and friends.

The Argentine North Fork and Wheels Up trails are clear of snow. Both are still quite wet in places.

The Argentine North trail is open for hiking to Black Mountain Lodge. Wheels Up is still closed while we wait for the trail to dry out more. There is still no on-hill mountain biking, but I expect that to change very soon. While it is hard to pin point a date, I think Wheels Up, Half Moon and Up at Arapahoe will be open within a week or two.
 

It has been a big couple weeks for the Via Ferrata crew. They have been through their annual inspections with the Forest Service, State of Colorado and third party engineers and inspectors. The snow only very recently melted off the course so it was time to give the gear a very close look. and review. It has also been a big time for training, both for returning and new guides.

Opening day for summer operations and the Via Ferrata is Friday. The Via Ferrata brings an entirely new perspective to checking out The Basin and the East Wall.

Since the February announcement that A-Basin was being to sold to Alterra, we have been in a holding pattern while the sale closes. The closing is still likely a few months away. That holding pattern and the lack of new information to share with our guests has caused a lot of uncertainty. There are still many questions that remain unanswered, but today we have three new important messages to share that will bring some clarity to your A-Basin thinking.

Ikon Pass Access - There will be no change to Ikon Pass access at Arapahoe Basin for the 2024-25 season.

Season Pass Renewal - Friday, July 12 will be the last day to renew season passes at the adult pass rate of $559. We will continue to sell season passes, but the adult rate goes up to $659 after July 12.

Season Parking Passes -  For unrestricted A-Basin season pass holders, Season Parking Passes will go on sale Tuesday, July 9 at 10 AM. For details go to Parking Reservations.

The rumor mill has proven to be a very inaccurate source of information about A-Basin. For the most up to date and accurate information, please check out our website Arapahoe Basin

Yesterday I walked up the Argentine North Fork Trail to Black Mountain Lodge. We had a couple of good nights of rain and there is still a bit of snow on the trail. It is still too wet and snowy to open, but our crew is working to remove snow from the trail where they can. The forecast for the coming week shows a lot of sunshine. While I am hesitant to predict a day for the trail opening, with the weather forecast, I think it will be open fairly soon.

We had a very successful closing day. Skiers and riders had loads of fun. There was a good turnout. Lake Reveal delivered. It was good. I am not sure we could have squeaked another day out of the snow. Our Snow Cat team did an amazing job holding the snow together, but by Monday Mother Nature was taking charge. Today is the Summer Solstice, the longest, sunniest day of the year and the snow is melting fast. We are prepping for summer operations.

That is a wrap. The 2023-24 season is in the record books. Despite a slow start, we had an excellent ski season. From the January storm cycles to a near perfect East Wall hiking season to many Spring storms, this season was very special for me. This incredible mountain and its staff and guests have come together to create a culture that is hard to find elsewhere. Thanks to all of you for creating another phenomenal season at The Basin.

Now it is time ride the bikes, float some rivers and climb the Via Ferrata. I hope we will continue to see you through the summer. Those of us working here have a lot to do in the coming months. Stay dialed into A-Basin for announcements regarding summer activities and events, season pass updates, parking pass updates and, of course, the sale to Alterra.

This has been joyful season. We'll do it again in four months. Thank you.

Alan

I went out for a few laps first thing this morning. The snow was soft and the place was gorgeous. The mountain goats were thick. There were so many goats, it was hard to count them, but I spotted at least 25 different animals. There was a teeny, tiny, cute kid. We will see more of the little ones in the next few weeks.

See you tomorrow, closing day.

Can't wait to open the chairlifts Friday morning for the the final 3-day weekend of skiing.

Summer is almost here. Summer operations begin Friday, June 28. We have been doing an awesome pre-season sale for the Aerial Adventure Park and the Via Ferrata. We are even doing a "Summer Pass" combing these and other activities. The Summer Pass has an almost $900 value  and is on sale for $199. The pre-season prices are only available through Sunday, June 16.

If you like A-Basin in the winter, chances are you will love it in the Summer. Be sure and check out the summer portion of our website A-Basin Summer. Please take a close look at the Summer pre-season sale items.

We are open for one more weekend, this Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 8:30 - 2:00. This morning Rob gave me a snowmobile ride to the Summit. I took my time skiing down. To no one's surprise, our snowcat team  has done an A+ job holding the snow together to be open in mid-June. The trails are a little narrow, but the snow is plenty deep. The weekend will be a hoot. Skiing this time of year attracts its own special breed of skiers and riders. The experience is as much about people enjoying the mountains as it is about sliding on snow.

Shauna Farnell at Ski Magazine just wrote a sweet article on summertime skiing at The Basin. Check it out at A-Basin Summer Skiing

We have had a very nice weekend. People enjoyed sliding across Lake Reveal, skiing the slushy snow, being entertained by the mountain goats and, generally, soaking up the mountain beauty. We will be closed Monday thru Thursday and then we will re-open for our final weekend of skiing Friday, Saturday and Sunday, June 14-16. See you then.

The "Lake Reveal Games" have begun.

We have re-opened for skiing and riding. We will be open today, Saturday and Sunday from 8:30 AM - 2:00 PM. Ditto for next weekend June 14-16.

On Wednesday, there was a significant power outage in our region. While power returned in the afternoon, the outage caused some significant damage to our phones and IT system. By Thursday night we were able to get all of our systems back online. I know some of your frustrated trying to reach us or buy lift tickets during that period. Sorry for the confusion and inconvenience.

The good news is that we are up and running and OPEN !!!

Caught a glimpse of the bighorns driving to work this morning. I look forward to skiing again this Friday, Saturday and Sunday - and the next week.

With this much snow still on the ground, we are going to extend the ski season to June 16.

So, looking forward, we will be:

    -Closed Monday-Thursday, June 3-6

    -OPEN FRIDAY-SUNDAY, JUNE 7-9

    -Closed Monday-Thursday, June 10-13

    -OPEN FRIDAY-SUNDAY, JUNE 14-16

We will be turning Black Mountain and Lenawee Express chairlifts from 8:30 - 2:00 on the days we are open.

Sunday, June 16 will be closing day for the 2023-24 season.

We made it to June and today is about as nice as it gets. The snow is fun and the skies are blue. We are going to be open until  AT LEAST JUNE 9.

I just had a couple of great ski mornings, today and yesterday. Tomorrow is June and the temps warm quickly each day. While the snow is firm early, it softens quickly as the sun hits. An ideal first run is the West Wall as it faces East and gets the sunrise directly. As the morning progresses move to more northerly facing trails. Start with High Noon on the Lower Mountain and move to Norway on the Upper Mountain. Conditions today were ideal summer skiing.

We all need a conversation about mental health. Feel It All is a film created by Summit County's own Drew Peterson. As a youngster, Drew was one of those young groms ripping up the North Side and the East Wall. The film is about his struggle with mental health, his journey through skiing and running and creating lasting cultural change around mental health and suicide.

Join us Wednesday, May 29 at Summit High School for the World Premiere of his film. Doors open at 6:00 and the show begins at 7:00. Entry is free. See you there.

At least today will be mostly sunny. We should have warm temps all week with a chance of afternoon showers most days. I know the first day of summer is still a few weeks away, but after Memorial Day, I describe our conditions and atmosphere as "Summer Skiing." Today is the last day for Montezuma Bowl this season.

No sign of Lake Reveal yet.

While we often celebrate this weekend as a kickoff to summer, Memorial Day is a time for us to honor and mourn US military personnel who died while serving in the US Armed Forces. It is also a good time to honor all who have served. A-Basin' founder and first president, Larry Jump, served as a mountain trooper with the 10th Mountain Division in Italy during World War II. We should be thankful for the extraordinary sacrifice so many soldiers have made for us.

Yesterday afternoon I parked at the hairpin above The Basin to check the place out (which I do fairly regularly). For Memorial Day weekend I think The Basin looks great and we have a lot of good skiing to go. Not to mention tomorrow we host  Festival of the Brewpubs.

After a little bit of snow, we are back to bluebird Spring days. We have lots of fun to go with Festival of the Brewpubs Sunday and skiing well into June.

With continued great conditions, A-Basin will stay open until at least June 9. We will be open seven days a week through June 2. We will close Monday thru Thursday and then re-open Friday, Saturday, Sunday, June 7, 8 and 9. If conditions are still good, we just may go for another weekend.

This time of year, the Snow Safety crew spends a great deal of time looking at the changing impact Spring and early Summer have on the snowpack. Warming conditions lead to melting snow and, ultimately water running through the snowpack. Depending on the condition of the snowpack, the running water can significantly weaken the snow and lead to "wet snow avalanches." Just prior to conditions that cause unstable snow, we like to close steeper terrain to minimize the chance of people getting caught in wet snow avalanches.

While not a direct forecasting element of avalanche instability, we pay close attention to stream flows around us. Now, by chance, many team members are rafters and kayakers and are already paying attention to streamflows. A big increase in streamflows this time of year clearly means a lot of snow has turned to water and is flowing downhill. Below is a graph from our local Snake River. Over the last week, its flow has increased by about 340 percent. That increase clearly indicates a change in the snowpack.

Today is the last day of the season for Pallavicini Lift. The Pali terrain is already closed. Similar to closing The Beavers, there comes a time in the Spring to "let it go" until next season. Additionally, Pali has significant avalanche terrain and there comes a time to close for those concerns. Since my favorite run on Planet Earth is "The Spine," it is always hard for me to shut her down. We had a great season on the North Side, but it is time to let her rest.

Another super fun Pride event at The Basin. There was lots of great skiing, a ripping dance party on the BML deck and an overall awesome A-Basin vibe kind of day. We are so happy to share this place with so many people having so much fun.

Today the temperature at mid-mountain hit 50 F. This is a very fun and very different time of the year. As temps warm up further, the snow gets even more slushy and playful. Personally, I like skiing almost first thing in the morning, just after the sun touches the snow and the top inch or less is just barely soft, but very carve-able. 

Many of the folks skiing this time of the season show up at The Basin year after year. They come from ski resorts all across the country. I enjoy seeing their familiar faces and their never ending passion for skiing. This is a good time to enjoy our special place.

While I didn't stay up to watch the Northern Lights, Danny Cheresnick shared these two photos he took at A-Basin and Loveland Pass Friday night.

So the plan for the day had been to lounge around and have a Mother's Day brunch with the family. When Kay woke me up and said there was 10" new at The Basin, that plan fell apart. We got to A-Basin early, found first tracks on every run and had the time of ours lives. Nothing like skiing Spring powder. I think we are in for a very good week with temps in the 30s and 40s, some showers and some sun. Spring time.

And the brunch became a late lunch.

I wrote that 'Moody Spring Storm Days" blog yesterday afternoon. I guess the unexpected 10" of snow we received last night emphasizes the unpredictability of Spring. I am going skiing.

We have definitely been experiencing the moody storm days of Spring. We move quickly from sunny and warm to stormy and snowy. Sometimes all within a few minutes. The skiing can change from corn to slush to powder. Always fun and always unpredictable, I love these days. 

Skiing from Black Mountain Lodge to the bottom of the Lenawee Express, there is a big pile of snow on the skier's right side. The cat drivers stock piled this mound. As we progress into the later season, the approach into the bottom of LenX takes a great deal of snow management - and a lot of extra snow. This pile, in particular, was created to feed LenX and ensure it has a good long season.

When it comes to The Basin these days, we have a few things to think about.

The skiing and riding for this time of year is outstanding. We had nearly a foot of snow earlier in the week. The forecast the next several days looks good for that much or maybe more. Lots of good skiing to go.

Festival of the Brewpubs is coming up Sunday, May 26. This is a sweet day to catch up with friends, ski your heart out in the morning and sample Colorado's finest craft beers in the afternoon. With live music in Mountain Goat Plaza, you won't want to miss this day.

Lastly, we have added the $199 Summer Pass. This pass gets you a full-day Via Ferrata tour, an Aerial Adventure Park (AAP) season pass, two AAP buddy tickets for your friends, unlimited summer lift rides, 5 yoga classes, all our trail runs and wildflower hikes and a bike pass. On top of that, the pass offers access to Festival of the Brewpubs, Summer Beer Fest and Oktoberfest. This is a $879 value for $199.

So, if you were planning to spend $40 for Festival of the Brewpubs, think about bumping that up to $199 for a full summer of fun.

Yesterday's storm was a favorable one. We reported 8 inches of new snow this morning with very favorable, mostly West winds. I didn't get out yesterday, but I heard some excellent reports about skiing The Spine. We should see unsettled weather all week. If this keeps up, we could end up with a pretty long ski season.

We had a few inches of snow overnight. It looks like it will snow all day and we are in store for wintry week.

As this image from the Il Rifugio deck attests, Saturday was stellar.

A buddy of mine was hiking on the Continental Divide near Loveland Pass this morning. He shared this image he took of The Basin.

If you have been around The Basin in the Spring, you might have noticed that we push a lot of snow around. We do that for a couple reasons. One reason is to make snow last longer in a certain area. Pretty simply, deeper snow takes longer to melt. To preserve a key area, we may pile the snow deeper there so it is skiable longer. The other reason is to manage Spring runoff as the snow starts to melt. In the picture below you can see we have consolidated snow on the bottom of Wrangler. Once the snowmelt begins, the area in this picture captures a lot of water that melts from Wrangler, Sundance and High Noon. There are water bars on these trails that carry water off the trails. The snow work opens some of those water bars, keeps the water flowing which prevents water from pooling on the Lower Mountain and keeps the base area skiable for a longer time.

Last night we celebrated the snowcat driving careers of Dick Dreyer and Gerry Dorsey, A-Basin longest serving employees - EVER. Both are retiring this Spring. Dick came up from Keystone in 1978 after Ralston Purina purchased The Basin. Gerry joined him the next year. A few years after that, Scott Buell joined them (he is not retiring). All three are know for their mastery of their machines, putting snow where it needs to be and leaving the most perfect corduroy. By nature, these gentlemen are creatures of the night and not always known to other employees and guests. A-Basin would not be the place it is today without them. Since 1978, no one has done more to impact the quality of the skiing than Dick, Gerry and Scott. It is an honor to have worked with them.

Gerry Dorsey, Bunny Terrill, Scott Buell, Francie Dreyer, Dick Dreyer

Gerry, Dick, Scott

Tomorrow, Sunday, will be the final day of the season for The Beavers. And it has been a very good one. Since the snow started piling up out there in mid-January, we have had nothing short of spectacular skiing and riding. We all have our personal favorites.  I seem to be growing fonder and fonder of the Western Glades especially Bighorn and Dreamcatcher.

Many of you have asked me why is it closing when the skiing is so good (and the skiing is really good). The transition to summer has begun. Many of our seasonal employees are heading towards their summer work. The number of people skiing each day has started to drop. More and more of our skiers are focusing on skiing the core runs of Black Mountain Express, Lenawee Express and Zuma. While we still have several weeks of fun, fun skiing to go, the winding down of our ski season has begun. Thanks for helping us enjoy another soft and fluffy year in The Beavers.

The snow conditions andcoverage on the Upper East Wall are at their peak right now. We did a couple of hikes skiing East Vertical Cornice and Booger. Both were really soft with a bit of fresh stuff on top. With a little snow forecast for Thursday and Friday, it doesn't look like it really warms up until the weekend. I think we have at least several more days of peak ski conditions up there. If you have been waiting, now is the time.

Hiking to Little Lenawee Peak

At The Top of Booger

I stumbled on this really nice viewpoint from an opening in the trees between Jetta and Jaeger. I was looking across Castor and the top of the Steep Gullies with the Continental Divide in the background. Skiing this afternoon, I had loads of fun in the Dog Woods and on the East Wall. I found a lot of good snow, but the best snow this afternoon was on Black Bear back in Montezuma Bowl. It has such a consistent and mellow pitch for a black trail. Way cool.

The snow really came down this morning creating a lot of excitement. We had serious winter weather. Things lightened up in the afternoon and the sun tried to pop out. It was fun to watch the "Spring, Powder Skiers" having so much fun.

Looks like we are in for a very good Spring storm. We reported 4" of new snow this morning. There is another inch or two on the stake already. We are forecast to see some nice snow tonight and tomorrow. I just came in from a 2 1/2 hour mountain ski tour riding all the lifts. There was lots of good snow out there. I found exceptionally good conditions on Loafer and Alex. Above timberline, the snow was a bit "drifty." Below timberline, in the glades, there were no wind effects. It was quite fun.

For most of the rest of the season A-Basin is test driving a Prinoth Husky E-Motion electric snowcat. There are only a couple of these in the United States at this time. The other is at Taos. This cat isn't quite as big as our normal grooming machines, but we are checking it out and giving Prinoth some feedback as to how it operates. We are doing some grooming tasks and other on-hill snowcat tasks like supporting our on-hill restaurants. The transition to electric vehicles is a lengthy process and we are glad to partner with Prinoth to test new equipment. For more details check out the Prinoth website.

Prinoth Electric Snowcat

The East Wall did not disappoint yesterday. While most of the mountain was basking in Spring conditions (which is awesome), it was cold and wintry on the Upper East Wall. Kay and I worked our way up the Willie's Wide Staircase. After putting our skis on at the top, we slipped through the Snorkel Door. There are not very many ski area experiences as cool as sliding through the Door. With a few couloirs to choose from, we decided to ski down "Booger." With cliffs on either side of us, we found perfect winter powder skiing all the way to the Traverse. It was The Basin at its finest.

Yesterday was a really fun powder day, especially in the afternoon. The snow came down quite heavily for a while. We are in for some vintage, A-Basin, April type Spring skiing this week. Yesterday, snow. Today, bluebird weather. For several days, we should see mostly sunny skies. As we move towards the weekend, there may be another good storm moving our way. We are not done powder skiing just yet.

One of the beauties of a morning skin is getting to enjoy views like this.

With yesterday's storm, we had some very happy powder skiers waiting for the Pali Lift to open.

It is deep and the snowfall intensity is still high. We reported 13" new and the snow is coming down. The drive up here was brutal. I think the snow plows are behind schedule. We are going to have a beautiful spring powder day, BUT, take your time getting here. Be careful. Be patient with others. Drive safely and enjoy the day. It will be one to remember.

Looking West, we have some tremendous views from A-Basin. From this point on Loafer we look down the North Fork of the Snake River which joins the Snake River at Keystone which joins the Blue River at Lake Dillon. This photos show the northern end of the Mosquito Range, the Ten Mile Range, the Gore Range and, if you look closely enough, parts of the Sawatch Range. You can even see Mt. of the Holy Cross. Today was a good day to soak all this in. And the skiing is as good as I had hoped. We'll have more bluebird weather Saturday and Sunday before the next snow storm gets rolling on Monday and Tuesday.

Wow. Wow. Wow. Today was a magnificent Spring day with a mid-mountain high of 36 F and not a cloud in the sky. The next three days the temps should get into the 40s with very few clouds. If you are a Spring skiing fanatic, the conditions could not be better. It will be a perfect weekend.

And, of course, starting Monday it may snow every day next week. Even better.

From The Beavers Lift

What a beautiful Spring Day to have a wedding reception. Monday, Anne Miller and Brian York, aka "Bumpy," celebrated their recent wedding with a reception at The Basin. They cooked on The Beach and enjoyed the eclipse. Kaeline Higney took this photo of the happy couple on the old Pali bullwheel just above the top of Pali Lift. Congratulations.

Not sure, but I think I have seen Bumpy wear that tuxedo as part of "Dumb and Dumber" Halloween costume.

While we did not experience totality at The Basin, we certainly felt and saw a partial eclipse here yesterday. Back in 2017, I drove to Eastern Wyoming and experienced totality from that eclipse. For me it was a very intense and moving experience. Something I was not expecting. I stayed in Summit County yesterday, but it was cool to watch so many people enjoy this phenomenon across Mexico, the US and Canada.

Another image from the weekend storm.

This has turned out to be a very good storm. We reported 4 inches of new snow this morning and have probably had 3 more inches since report time. It is still snowing nicely. While it was a windy, wintry day, we kept all the lifts running all day. So far we have not seen the monstrous winds that have been forecast for other parts of the state. The concert at Red Rocks tonight was cancelled due to the high wind forecast. For us the wind is supposed to diminish further after midnight with a bit more snow falling in the morning. Today the skiing was quite good. Sunday might be even better.

I had to stop and catch my breath. Here is a slightly different image taken halfway down Snorkel Nose. The skiing was so good.

The Zuma Webcam regularly offers dramatic images. I plucked this one about 7 AM today and it is a good one.

Winter is hanging on. 

Check out the very nice view of the late day light on the East Wall. It is supposed to be Spring. I am looking out my office window and it is snowing. While we were getting into spring conditions, the weather has changed and the place is skiing like it is winter again.

Yesterday, we hosted several Japanese ski area managers at The Basin. Hailing from Tomamu, Nekoma and Tanigawadake Tenjindaira resorts, they were on a fact finding / best practices mission in Colorado. After they skied almost all day, we had a wonderful visit in Il Rifugio exchanging ideas about operating ski areas in both Japan and the US. They had insightful and thoughtful questions about why and how we do things. Mostly, we had a great time and shared a lot of laughs. The beautiful snow and weather and sweet skiing only added to the fun. I am lucky to have opportunities like this.

Today certainly was a return to winter. With colder temperatures and new snow, the skiing was really good. Kay and I spent some time on the North Side skiing Standard, East Avenue and North Glade before doing the North Pole hike and skiing West Vertical Cornice. The light, with the clouds, snowflakes and hints of sun, gave the place an almost eerie look. Zachary Jara shared a couple of excellent photos from the day. One from near the top of Pali another from the top of the Y Chutes. Both extraordinary images. They are worth a look on a big screen. I added a third photo from West Vert.

The forecast the next ten days is looking pretty good, especially for tomorrow.

This afternoon I found some nice wind buff down the left side Norway Face. Looks like it is going to start snowing tomorrow morning.

The Top of Pali is a very nice place to enjoy some late day light.

Our 2024-25 season passes went on sale today. Some of those passes include 3 days at Monarch and a day at Silverton in the unguided season. The Adult Arapahoe Basin Season Pass Renewal will be available for the same rate as last year, $559. Complete season pass details can be found at Arapahoe Basin Season Passes .

Until the sale to Alterra actually closes, we are still working for Dream and not Alterra. While not contemplated yet, upon closing there may be changes to Ikon Pass access. 

Parking has always been our pinch point for controlling busy days. In an effort to further focus on a quality guest experience, we will be implementing an online parking reservation system for the 2024-25 season. This has nothing to do with Alterra or the Ikon Pass. We are doing this to take care of the guest experience at Arapahoe Basin. Limiting season pass sales, ticket sales and Ikon Pass access has mostly worked well to control daily skier numbers. We will continue to do those things, but as many of you have noticed, the skier numbers are creeping up again. Following what is going on in other places, we now think implementing a parking reservation system is the best and most logical next step. With parking reservations we will physically limit the number of vehicles here at The Basin and reduce Highway 6 congestion around The Basin. 

Reservations will be required weekends, holidays and other peak days until 1 PM from mid-December until early May. General parking reservations will be available for $20 per vehicle. While a daily reservation is required for every vehicle, a limited number of parking season passes will be available for $150 to cover fees for the entire season. For carpoolers, vehicles with four or more people are still required to have a reservation, but the reservation will be free.

I have discussed the parking reservation concepts with several A-Basin skiers and riders. Responses from guests have varied from skepticism to immediate embracement. There is no doubt that requiring reservations will take away some of the spontaneity of skiing. That spontaneity, however, can be a major contributor to parking problems, especially on powder days. Some told me they would be in favor of reservations knowing that when they got to The Basin, they would have a parking spot. They thought reservations would reduce stress and eliminate the frantic rush to get here.

Currently, we are working to identify parking system vendors to create a reservation plan that will work for The Basin and its guests. We will be evaluating the different approaches and preparing for implementation. As our planning moves further along, complete details about the online parking reservation system, including information on how to make a reservation, how many reservations a person can have at once and the impacts to uphill access, will be released this Fall.

We are singularly focused on the quality of the Arapahoe Basin ski experience. Implementing a parking reservation plan is the next logical step to maintaining that experience. 

The weather this week has been as good as was forecast. Monday, Kay and I had a nearly perfect hike up to Little Lenawee and then a ski down North Pole. The big winds of last week's storm had a favorable impact to the snow in the North Pole entrance. Skiing it was soft and carvey. There was still a rock a two, but the skiing was great. Making turns down the right lower 3/4 of the chute was so fun. Of course that was followed by a hike up Willie's Wide and a cruise down Snorkel Nose. I treasure the hiking and skiing this time of year.

Yesterday in my blog, I tried to describe the beauty of early spring skiing. The picture below may do a better job than my clumsy words.

Spring is starting to arrive at The Basin. Early Spring that is. The forecast this week has sun in the forecast every day and high temps in the low 30's. The north facing slopes should still hang on to winter conditions while spring conditions are starting to be found on the south facing slopes. This afternoon, about 1 PM, I found perfect early spring conditions on Jump. No deep slush, but soft on top. Really fun, playful turns. The mornings will still be fairly cold, but late mornings and afternoons will be ideal. This is a great week to get on the hill.

March skiing can be so incredible. Today was nearly perfect. We are coming off a big storm that has packed out nicely. There is still a chill in the air so we are not into spring slush yet. Today saw partly sunny skies. The ski surface is soft and carveable. The picture says it all.

That was quite the storm. Usually the decision to remain closed is extremely difficult. The decision to remain closed yesterday was a relatively easy one. It was not about the snow. It was about the wind. There was no way to safely operate the lifts in that kind of wind.

After 18 inches in two days, and to no surprise, people were eager to get out and ski today. It was a good crowd for a Friday. From the wind, the snow was just a bit stiff first thing. The more it was skied, the better it became. I was kind of busy until about 2 PM when I finally got out skiing. The snow was incredible. Completing my 6 lift tour, I found sweet skiing everywhere I went. The next couple days are forecast to be partly sunny with temps in the 20's. Saturday and Sunday will be beauties.

The good news is that we received a lot of snow over the last 24 hours. The bad news was the wind. There was no way we could have operated the lifts most of the day today. Luckily the wind is dying down and is expected to be quite reasonable Friday. We anticipate an on time opening tomorrow. The back lifts, Zuma and Beavers, may come on line a little later in the morning.

Thanks for your patience today. Someone once said A-Basin belongs to Mother Nature. She just lets us use it. She took it back for a while today.

With the intensity of this storm, snowfall rates, high winds and avalanche concerns, Arapahoe Basin will not open today. At this time, we are unable to operate our lifts because of the high winds. We do have patrollers, lift mechanics, snowcat drivers, plow drivers and our base area crew on site working to get the place ready for tomorrow. Throughout the day, I will try and post photos. For now, we have to wait for this weather to die down.

The highway to A-Basin is closed. Please, do not attempt to come up here today. We will have some great skiing - just not today.

The Snow Stake at 3:30 AM Thursday.

The snow has started falling at The Basin. We are right on the edge of this monster Front Range storm. It is going to snow a lot........somewhere. Over the next 48 hours, it should be dumping in the foothills. We shall see how much of that spills over the Divide and lands on A-Basin.

Every once in a while I am just wandering and some random image really captures my eye. I am not sure what to call this one, but it definitely grabbed my attention. I think this is why I never get tired of The Basin.

Stay tuned for the storm brewing Wednesday and Thursday.

Nothing beats a journey through the "Snorkel Door." I am so happy that it is East Wall Season. Today, Kay and I hiked to the top of Little Lenawee and a little further. After a fun run down North Pole, we climbed to the top of the Willie's Wide staircase, paying homage at Borgy Rock along the way. Smiling from ear to ear, we slipped through the Snorkel Door. Looking down Snorkel Nose, we were tempted, but we took the extra five minutes to side step to the top of Booger. And it was worth it. Beautiful skiing all the way down.

There is nothing fun about the Willie's hike, but it delivers in a way that you can't find anywhere else. For me this is the pinnacle of all A-Basin experiences.

Sunday was the spitting image of Saturday. Enjoy the photo taken from the top of Long Chute.

I think people in Colorado realized that today was going to be one of those that is hard to experience anywhere else. They came. We were busy, but the day was magnificent. This morning the temperature was close to zero, but it warmed up very nicely. There were no clouds. The snow was perfect. Every view I looked at, was a magical panorama. "It was an A-Basin Kind of Day."

The phones are working again, the skiing is great and it is starting to snow.

Over the last three days we received about a foot of snow. We did have some wind holds, but for those willing to brave the elements, we had some incredible storm skiing. Saturday and Sunday saw afternoon closures in Zuma and The Beavers, but the mornings were excellent in those areas. We found sweet powder skiing on The Spine, The Steep Gullies, Digger, Jump and Lenawee Parks (and just about everywhere else).

The rest of this week looks unsettled and we are forecast to see another foot of snow. While I love skiing bluebird days, I am always a fan of getting out in the stormy weather (wind, snow, cold) and getting the very best of the snow. Get up early and get after it.

As we have said a few times, for now Arapahoe Basin is still owned by Dream. Until the deal with Alterra closes, there is a lot we do not know about the future. There are a few things we do know that may help some of you out.

A-Basin season passes go on sale March 21. We are still working on many details, but there will be an Arapahoe Basin only season pass. It will be priced very closely to this season's pricing. There will be Monarch days on the pass. As other passes go on sale in early and mid March, I hope this information is helpful.

Yesterday, I wrote a blog post titled, "She's Buffed." Today, multiply that comment by 10. The Spine is unbelievably good. With these conditions, skiers have an intimate connection with the snow. Carving turns on the wind buff is soft and beautiful and almost effortless. It is so over the top that it is a little weird. Incredible.

Now tonight and tomorrow, we will see some of that moisture that has been pounding the coastal mountains the last few days. The perfectly buffed snow surface covered with several inches of snow will make for near perfect skiing. You can count on me being in line for first chair Sunday morning. Don't miss this one.

The last three days here were stunningly beautiful. Literally, you could stop just about anywhere and find a spectacular view. One of my favorite places to stop and soak it in is the Steilhang Hut deck

The wind is blowing from the right direction. There is loose snow on the ground to be transported. And The Spine is buffed. The skiing there is so sweet and those buffed sections are popping up in other places, The Knolls, along the Cornice Run, Humbug and more.

The light this time of day continues to be incredible. The skiing is so much fun and we are heading into another  storm this weekend followed by a week of unsettled weather. 

We hosted the Fireman's Relay on Friday. This is a tough event to explain. Five fire fighters ski through a race course with each of them holding a 50' water hose. It doesn't sound that exciting until you watch it. To avoid getting whipped, the guy in the back needs to pay attention. The teams are hilarious. Not only are they having a great time, but last year they raised $25,000 for the "Colorado Children's Hospital Burn Camp." Kudos to this crew.

Skiing down the lower section of Larkspur, there is a stunning view of Independence Mountain (12,614'). This is such a nice spot to cruise down the groomer and soak in the view.

The grooming by snowcats and the grooming by the wind is favoring Lenawee Parks. When the kind wind blows, the snow feels and skis so smooth, like velvet

And the skiing was also incredible.

I suggest paying attention to the weather forecast for early next week.

I wish I was able to just ski all day. Usually I go out for an hour or two and try and visit as many zones of the mountain as I can. Today I linked together a series of spectacular runs.

A close family friend from the freestyle days was visiting from BC. She had never skied the Steep Gullies. We started our ski with a beautiful run in the 4th Steep Gully followed by a nice hike back to Pali Lift. We enjoyed the grooming on Davis followed by a ski down Upper Loafer and into Bighorn. That was followed by a spin down Cornice Run (best run for views) and West Wall. After a ride on LenX and the Lazy J, we did the mini hike and skied Long Chute followed by some powder turns on the East Wall and a nice cruise down Wrangler/Sundance. That was a premium mountain tour and there wasn't a bad turn.

The goggle reflections are the best part of this photo.

The East Wall opened today for the first time this season. Tony C and I slipped out there for a quick lap. Actually, it turned out to be three laps and they were all awesome. Today it was open below the traverse and south of the hot cold closure. We mostly skied in the zone below Willie's Wide. Seasoned A-Basin skiers know that The Wall is always a work in progress. With each storm, it will get better and better and bigger and bigger. Before too long the hiking routes will open up. We are at the very beginning of East Wall season, a truly unique Arapahoe Basin experience.

Yesterday the patrollers were making all kinds of noise out on The wall. They travelled out the East Wall Traverse deploying explosives all the way to the Y Chutes. While maybe a little thin up high, the lower and mid elevation coverage is looking pretty darn good.

I have been a little busy the last few months and I missed the Steep Gullies opening. Today Kay and I slipped out there for a couple of fantastic runs. The snow and the weather was superb. These images of the 4th Steep Gully show what a stellar day it was. Riding Pali Lift, working our way to the 4th Steep Gully gate, dropping into such rugged and beautiful terrain and hiking back to the bottom of Pali is a one of a kind experience. For the right person, this is hard to beat. The hike isn't getting any shorter.

I think today might have been the perfect ski day. We reported 6" of new snow most of which fell after closing yesterday. The day had brilliant blue skies. The high temperature was 14 F which is an ideal Colorado temperature for skiing in February. There was almost no wind. The snow coverage and surface was outstanding. The weather really spread people out and lines were generally very light. All the restaurant decks were full of people soaking in the sun and fun. The parking was easy. I am not sure what else a skier could ask for. 

It was beautiful. And we have another storm brewing for next week.

This morning we reported 2" of new snow and it has been snowing steadily since 5 AM. Snow is forecasted to last all day and tonight. Today and tomorrow will be sweet skiing.

The Ski Patrol has been all over the East Wall. After completing avalauncher missions, several teams have worked extensively on the southern half of the Wall. Teams have been deploying explosives and ski cutting in Hidden Chute, The Notches, North Pole and Willie's Wide. Today, weather conditions pending, they may get into Snorkle Nose and Corner Chute. A Tree Chutes route will be next. With our current storm and the storm forecast for next week, we are getting very close to an East Wall opening. I get excited just thinking about it.

Morning skinners enjoyed the sun lighting up the Top of Pali this morning.

It has been nine days since we announced that Alterra intends to purchase Arapahoe Basin. A number of you have shared your thoughts, either via social media or with me directly. While many have shared positive thoughts about the change, others have expressed more negative feelings. I understand that people have anxiety. This is a big change and we have been through big change before.

There are a few points I would really like to emphasize. Until the deal closes, it is business as usual. The same group of employees are running the resort now and are staying at The Basin through the transition to continue running the resort. They are committed to offering the same great experiences you are used to. I know the folks at Alterra want The Basin to continue to thrive and be that magical place we all love.

For the last 46 years we have been owned by two very large publicly held companies. Through that we managed to maintain our special culture and vibe and we thrived. 

I am antsy to know all the answers to our questions. I know I have to be calm and patient. We all have to be calm and patient. Arapahoe Basin will continue be a wonderful place to spend your time. Remember, it is all about the mountain and the people that spend time here. Be patient. We will come out of this better than ever.

I was on the Summit this morning just as the sun came up over the East Wall. Check out the Wall's shadow across Norway, West Wall and Slalom Slope. Beautiful morning to be on the hill.

Alterra Mountain Company has signed a contract to purchase Arapahoe Basin. The closing of the deal is expected to occur later this year. Until the closing, all of us at The Basin still work for Dream and our primary objective is to deliver the same incredible A-Basin experiences that you have come to expect. Alterra has asked me to continue in my role at The Basin and I have said yes. There will be no change to Ikon Pass access at A-Basin for 2023-24 season.

Since its founding in 1946, Arapahoe Basin has experienced dramatic changes. Founded by Colorado Ski Hall of Famer Larry Jump, The Basin is one of the state’s original and most dramatic ski resorts. In 1972 Larry sold the place to the area’s General Manager, Joe Jankowsky. Six years later, Joe sold The Basin to a very unlikely owner, Ralston Purina. Completing a near scrape off, the dog food giant began shaping the modern Arapahoe Basin. In 1997, after being spun out of what became today’s Vail Resorts, The Basin was purchased by another unlikely owner, Toronto developer Dundee Realty, later known as Dream. Through steady investment (snowmaking, all new lifts, buildings, parking lots, etc.)  and closely paying attention to what guests say and want, Dream fostered the environment and place we all know and love today. I don’t think another company could have created what Dream did.

After 27 years (the longest ownership of The Basin) and a tremendous amount of work and success, Dream has decided it is time to sell and Alterra is ready to buy. I am so thankful for all that my boss Michael Cooper and Dream have done. It has been a wild and fun 27 years, but it is time for the next step. Through the Ikon Pass, Alterra has created a partnership of the greatest resorts in the world. They know and understand The Basin and are enamored by its culture and vibe. I think they are the best team to help us through our next phase of growth and maturation.

Despite missing my friends at Dream, I think this is a good time for change. There will be hundreds, if not thousands, of questions to be answered. We will not know most of these answers until the closing occurs. It will take patience for all of us to get through the awkward and uncertain months between contract signing and closing. I want all of you to know that my commitment to running the best mountain in the business, focused on our unique guest experience and our passionate and dedicated employees, will be greater than ever.

Actually, we received 11" out of the storm, but I call that a foot. I think the image below says it all. Saturday was a socked in, snowing, blustery, wintery kind of perfect powder day. Today had a few clouds in the morning, but was mostly a brisk, clear, bluebird day. The skiing was beautiful and the vibe was even better. Kay and I topped off a great day of skiing Pali and The Beavers with a late lunch with friends at Il Rifugio. After a dessert cappuccino, we closed out the day with a 3:30 spin down The Cornice Run basking in the afternoon light. Hard to beat that.

We are in for some fun.

This avalanche season marks 50 years of operation for The Colorado Avalanche Information Center. They will  be celebrating their anniversary at Black Mountain Lodge Thursday, February 8 at 6:30 PM. Guests can ride the chairlift or skin up the hill where they will enjoy a classic A-Basin dinner with scallops, stuffed chicken thighs and prime rib. Dinner will be followed with comments and presentations by some of Colorado's most notable avalanche pioneers including Knox Williams and Ethan Greene. This is a wonderful opportunity to catch up with old friends and make some new friends.

All proceeds will benefit Friends of CAIC to continue to support avalanche forecasting and education in Colorado.

For more information and to buy tickets, go to CAIC 50th Anniversary Celebration

Just finished up a nice little skin up to Black Mountain Lodge. I was lucky to catch the late day sunshine on the Divide. Today was another beauty. It looks like we will have partly sunny weather Wednesday and Thursday. There is another big storm brewing out there to the west and we might see snow falling on Friday and through the weekend. It just keeps getting better.

I am not used to seeing these guys hanging out in the base area in the middle of winter.

The day was as good as I was hoping for. With the slow start to the Colorado ski season, I think there has been some pent up demand. Today, the skiing was tremendous. We had a few morning clouds and then it turned into a near perfect bluebird day. The place was crawling with happy people. Everywhere I went, from the parking lots to the restaurants to the lifts to the trails, I had nothing, but great encounters with smiling people. And tonight we are going to top it off with a Black Mountain Lodge Moonlight Dinner - The Foods of South America.

Geez, that was good. This afternoon I skied several runs in Black Bear, MGD and West Zuma. So much fun. By the sheer luck of good timing, I got into Jump pretty early on - which meant skiing some sweet powder. As fantastic as today was in stormy weather, tomorrow, with a high of 20 F and sunny skies, is going to be - oh my - the best.

We have had 70 inches of snow in January including 8 inches over the last four days. Tomorrow should deliver a few more inches and the weekend looks to be mostly sunny. With the snow surface being unbelievable and the forecasted Colorado bluebird skies, the weekend is shaping up to be those classic "A-Basin kind of days."

The Ski Patrollers and Cat Drivers have been covering lots of ground and doing everything they can to deliver more and more skiing and riding. This afternoon should see an opening of MGD in Montezuma Bowl. It keeps getting better

Montezuma Bowl opened about 11 AM today. We started with the central core, Upper Larkspur and Columbine, being open and added much of the 14'ers a little later. The cat work back there was exceptional. The lift crew and the patrollers also put a lot into the opening. In the coming days, we will be widening the terrain, conducting avalanche mitigation steps and working towards the steeper stuff.

This weekend.

Still dumping and we reported 8 inches of new snow this morning. It has snowed a few inches since report time. Let's call it a foot new......so far.

We have a ton of new snow in Montzema Bowl. The lift crew spent a bunch of time digging out the bottom terminal of the lift. We have two snowcats back there today. The Ski Patrol is busy trying to get The Beavers open "side to side". Once they are done there, they will head back to Zuma. A lot of their work cannot be done while the cats are winching and on the move. As the cats wind down their work, the patrollers will ramp up theirs.

When I say Zuma is buried, there is a huge smile on my face.

The Dog Woods are Deep. The four gladed trails, Digger, Alex, Jetta and Jaeger, were named after our first four avalanche dogs. We have reported new snow for 13 days in a row and 32 inches over the last 4 days. Needless to say, the skiing has been incredible.

The Beavers are open and going strong. The Dog Woods opened today with exceptional conditions. We have have more work to do, but in the coming days, we can look forward to opening the Thick and Thin / Face Shot / Bailey Brothers zone as well as Pioneer Willy / Glockenspiel and the glades west of Loafer. This is going to be THE WEEK. You don't want to miss these conditions.

......And, oh yeah, it is going to snow Wednesday and Thursday.

This has been a weekend to remember. The highways and the winds were tough, but the skiing has been over the top. At least one person I spoke with thought Sunday was his best day ever at The Basin. It was that good.

What can we expect next? Quite a bit of snow fell during the day today. Tuesday morning will be very cold and I think we will have a slow start, but temps should be ski-comfortable by the afternoon. The remainder of the week looks like good winter temperatures and maybe another 1/2 foot of snow Wednesday and Thursday. Great ski weather.

With all the snow, the Patrollers and Cat Drivers will be playing catch up all week. Expect a lot of terrain to open on the North Side and The Beavers. The Upper Mountain will lose a lot of closures with more wide open alpine skiing. The big nugget is Montezuma Bowl. The winch cat was back there all day today and that will be repeated throughout the week. The stormy weather and limited visibility prevented us from seeing much back there the last couple days, but I expect some major changes. Getting that zone open takes a lot a cat work and patrol work. If all goes well, we just might have Zuma Lift - and actually all of our lifts - open by the weekend.

It is to imagine that the skiing could be better than yesterday.  Today just might be.

I think we just went from zero to 60 in about two seconds. Monday morning will be the 12th day in row that we reported new snow. The last two days we reported 11 inches and it snowed all day today. The snow stake is already loading up. Snow should to continue to fall for another 24+ hours. The base is in the mid 40's.

The real story is the conditions. The skiing was deep today. Pali was beautiful. Loafer was beautiful. Slalom Slope was beautiful. 13 Cornices was beautiful. Just incredible skiing all around. Over the next couple days we will see more of the North Side and The Beavers open. We had a snowcat working in Montezuma Bowl all day. Zuma is right around the corner.

My favorite part - all the smiling faces.

Today was a windy one. We had 4" of new snow, but the wind kept the ridge top lifts closed. The people that came today enjoyed temperatures that were about 10 degrees warmer than the previous couple of days. Tomorrow looks to be top notch. With 2+ feet of snow in the forecast, a foot of that snow could fall Sunday. The peak wind gusts should be about 25 mph less than today. I anticipate all lifts being open Sunday.

We are about to enjoy the best skiing of the season.

The Pallavicini Trail is open for the season. I just took my first Spine lap of 2024. Oh, was it sweet. The snow was soft and blown in. The turns were everything you hope for. The forecast for snow and wind should favor this zone. It is willow-y at the bottom, but the skiing is PHENOMENAL.

Have I told you, of all the ski trails I have skied on four different continents, The Spine is my favorite? 

This morning is the 8th day in a row that we have reported new snow. Heavy snow is forecast over the weekend. The place has changed. The sun popped out briefly yesterday afternoon. The skiing is great. The Beavers Lift is open. We will be skiing more and more of the North Side. If you have been waiting, I think your wait is over.

It is that time of year. Beginning Saturday, January 13, on weekends and holidays from 6 AM to Noon, the Early Riser Lot will be free for people carpooling with 3 or more people and cost $20 for those cars with less than 3 people per car. After 12 Noon, parking is free in Early Riser if space is available. High Noon and Last Chance Lots remain free this season.

I know some of you love this program and others don't. This is part of our effort on busier days to get everybody a parking space, manage to our comfortable carrying capacity, keep the highway moving and make sure Basin skiers and riders get to enjoy The Basin. The goal is to have fewer cars with more people, not make more money. I would be ecstatic if we had 100% carpoolers in Early Riser.

It is going to be a very good day........and the snow is still falling.

There is a lot to be excited about. Loafer and Davis are now both open. The Beavers Lift  is open for the season and will run at its normal hours, 9 AM to 3:15 PM. I had a great run down Loafer about 2:30. The grooming on those two trails has been fantastic

As I write, the snow is falling. Even better, the forecast has really shaped up. This will be a great week and weekend to go skiing. We are rounding the corner.......

This year's team of new patrollers have just completed their initial training are now officially Ski Patrollers, red coat and all.  Their training involved all kinds of stuff including emergency medical care, toboggan handling, risk management, trail maintenance, lift evacuation, avalanche management and lots more. Despite being a very challenging job in a tough physical environment, this is an exciting time for the crew. Now the real patrolling begins. Welcome aboard.

The new snow has been good. The Ski Patrol has been doing some directed skiing on Pali Main Street and Pali Face. It is a little thin, but there is some very good snow and soft turns. As we do this a bit at a time, mixing up the snow from each storm, the snow gets packed nicely prepping for a regular opening in the future. Most importantly, these continued impacts break up the snow slabs and reduce potential propagation pathways mitigating avalanche concerns.

And........it is really fun.

We have seen some light steady snowfall over the last couple of days. I just skied Loafer with Louis. It has been tilled top to bottom. This morning's 2" were on top of the corduroy. The one weak spot is the steep pitch just above timberline. With the forecast snow and wind, I think the snowcats will get that pitch in shape. I anticipate that all of us will be skiing Loafer, maybe Tuesday-ish. Stay tuned for more details.

We are in our final snowmaking effort of the season, making snow at the top of Norway and on Lenawee Face. Operating our snowmaking system involves roughly one gazillion rules. Of special note, we are only allowed to divert water through December 31 each season. So, at midnight on New Year's Eve, we plugged the diversion. While no longer diverting, there was a little bit of water still in the reservoir. Today and yesterday we are converting that final water into snow on Norway and Lenawee Face.