Merely 129 days after closing for the summer, Arapahoe Basin ski area today has become the first resort in the nation to reopen.
“We’re all very excited. We’re champing at the bit,” said spokeswoman Leigh Hierholzer.
A string of subfreezing nights allowed snowmakers to generate enough snow to cover the intermediate High Noon run from mid-mountain to the bottom. There will be no beginner skiing.
The lifts opened at 9 a.m, with about a hundred hardy skiers in line. Resort officials expected about 1,500 skiers today, in total. Adult lift tickets cost $45.
The date marks the earliest opening in the 61-year history of Arapahoe Basin, which last year also won the race to open first, beating out neighboring Loveland ski area by a day.
“We’re getting close,” said Kathryn Johnson, marketing and communications manager with Loveland. “We have been making snow for two weeks now, but right now we don’t have our 18-inch base.”
Last year, the ski area opened Oct. 13.
The state’s destination resorts, which depend on pre-booked tourist traffic, target specific opening dates. Among those:
Aspen: Nov. 22
Breckenridge: Nov. 9
Copper Mountain: Nov. 2
Steamboat: Nov. 21
Telluride: Nov. 22
Vail: Nov. 16
Winter Park: Nov. 14
Coming off a second consecutive record year for skier visits, with 12.56 million lift tickets sold, the Colorado ski industry looks to generate national and even international publicity with opening day.
“When the first resort opens, it generates a huge buzz,” said Nick Bohnenkamp, spokesman for Colorado Ski Country USA, a trade organization for the state’s resorts. “People get super excited for the start of the ski season.”
Steve Lipsher, The Denver Post
