Rapid Cartelli waits in line at the Black Mountain Express lift on opening day at Arapahoe Basin on Oct. 11, 2019. Arapahoe Basin opened the lift at 3:30 p.m., edging out Keystone, which is slated to open at 9 a.m. Saturday. (Andy Cross, The Denver Post)
Skiers and snowboarders head up to the Black Mountain Express lift on opening day at Arapahoe Basin on Oct. 11, 2019. Arapahoe Basin opened the lift at 3:30 p.m., edging out Keystone, which is slated to open at 9 a.m. Saturday. (Andy Cross, The Denver Post)
Skiers and snowboarders enjoy good snow on the High Noon run on opening day at Arapahoe Basin on Oct. 11, 2019. Arapahoe Basin opened the lift at 3:30 p.m., edging out Keystone, which is slated to open at 9 a.m. Saturday. (Andy Cross, The Denver Post)
A snowboarder throws some snow on a turn coming down the High Noon run on opening day at Arapahoe Basin on Oct. 11, 2019. Arapahoe Basin opened the lift at 3:30 p.m., edging out Keystone, which is slated to open at 9 a.m. Saturday. (Andy Cross, The Denver Post)
A skier heads down the High Noon run on opening day at Arapahoe Basin on Oct. 11, 2019. Arapahoe Basin opened the lift at 3:30 p.m., edging out Keystone, which is slated to open at 9 a.m. Saturday. (Andy Cross, The Denver Post)
A skier is all smiles heading down the High Noon run on opening day at Arapahoe Basin on Oct. 11, 2019. Arapahoe Basin opened the lift at 3:30 p.m., edging out Keystone to open first. (Andy Cross, The Denver Post)
A skier heads down the High Noon run on opening day at Arapahoe Basin on Oct. 11, 2019. Arapahoe Basin opened the lift at 3:30 p.m., edging out Keystone, which is slated to open at 9 a.m. Saturday. (Andy Cross, The Denver Post)
A snowboarder heads down the High Noon run on opening day at Arapahoe Basin on Oct. 11, 2019. Arapahoe Basin opened the lift at 3:30 p.m., edging out Keystone, which is slated to open at 9 a.m. Saturday. (Andy Cross, The Denver Post)
Snow riders head down the High Noon run on opening day at Arapahoe Basin on Oct. 11, 2019. Arapahoe Basin opened the lift at 3:30 p.m., edging out Keystone, which is slated to open at 9 a.m. Saturday. (Andy Cross, The Denver Post)
Skiers head down the High Noon run at the Arapahoe Basin ski area on opening day Oct. 11, 2019. Arapahoe Basin opened the lift at 3:30 p.m., edging out Keystone, which is slated to open at 9 a.m. Saturday. (Andy Cross, The Denver Post)
A pair of skiers head up to the Black Mountain Express ski lift on opening day at Arapahoe Basin on Oct. 11, 2019. Arapahoe Basin opened the lift at 3:30 p.m., edging out Keystone, which is slated to open at 9 a.m. Saturday. (Andy Cross, The Denver Post)
Skiers and snowboarders arrive at the Arapahoe Basin ski area on opening day Oct. 11, 2019. Arapahoe Basin opened the lift at 3:30 p.m., edging out Keystone, which is slated to open at 9 a.m. Saturday. (Andy Cross, The Denver Post)
A snowboarder is all smiles even after falling down on the High Noon run on opening day at Arapahoe Basin on Oct. 11, 2019. Arapahoe Basin opened the lift at 3:30 p.m., edging out Keystone, which is slated to open at 9 a.m. Saturday. (Andy Cross, The Denver Post)
Open for business at Arapahoe Basin on Oct. 11, 2019. Arapahoe Basin opened the lift at 3:30 p.m., edging out Keystone, which is slated to open at 9 a.m. Saturday. (Andy Cross, The Denver Post)
Snowboarders and skiers head up a path to the Black Mountain Express lift at the Arapahoe Basin ski area on opening day Oct. 11, 2019. Arapahoe Basin opened the lift at 3:30 p.m., edging out Keystone, which is slated to open at 9 a.m. Saturday. (Andy Cross, The Denver Post)
A pair of snowboarders head down the High Noon run at the Arapahoe Basin ski area on opening day Oct. 11, 2019. Arapahoe Basin opened the lift at 3:30 p.m., edging out Keystone, which is slated to open at 9 a.m. Saturday. (Andy Cross, The Denver Post)
A snowboarder throws some snow on the High Noon run at the Arapahoe Basin ski area on opening day Oct. 11, 2019. Arapahoe Basin opened the lift at 3:30 p.m., edging out Keystone, which is slated to open at 9 a.m. Saturday. (Andy Cross, The Denver Post)
Skiers and snowboarders line up at the Arapahoe Basin's Black Mountain Express lift to open the 2019-20 season Oct. 11, 2019. Arapahoe Basin opened the lift at 3:30 p.m., edging out Keystone, which is slated to open at 9 a.m. Saturday. (Andy Cross, The Denver Post)
From left to right, Darren Droge, Lynzee Lewis and Adam Esker celebrate waiting in the Black Mountain Express lift line on opening day at Arapahoe Basin on Oct. 11, 2019. Arapahoe Basin opened the lift at 3:30 p.m., edging out Keystone, which is slated to open at 9 a.m. Saturday. Droge says he has been to every Arapahoe Basin's opening day for 26 years. (Andy Cross, The Denver Post)
Snow riders celebrate at the Arapahoe Basin ski area on the Black Mountain Express on opening day Oct. 11, 2019. Arapahoe Basin opened the lift at 3:30 p.m., edging out Keystone, which is slated to open at 9 a.m. Saturday. (Andy Cross, The Denver Post)
From left to right, Nate Dogggg, Sadie Tidwell, Karson Kosanke and Taylor Hutchinson celebrate being the first to ride up the Black Mountain Express at Arapahoe Basin on opening day Oct. 11, 2019. Arapahoe Basin opened the lift at 3:30 p.m., edging out Keystone, which is slated to open at 9 a.m. Saturday. (Andy Cross, The Denver Post)
From left to right, Nate Dogggg, Sadie Tidwell, Karson Kosanke and Taylor Hutchinson celebrate being the first to ride up the Black Mountain Express at Arapahoe Basin on opening day Oct. 11, 2019. Arapahoe Basin opened the lift at 3:30 p.m., edging out Keystone, which is slated to open at 9 a.m. Saturday. (Andy Cross, The Denver Post)
“Trailer Tom,” dressed in a full space suit, waits in the Black Mountain Express lift line on opening day at Arapahoe Basin on Oct. 11, 2019. Arapahoe Basin opened the lift at 3:30 p.m., edging out Keystone, which is slated to open at 9 a.m. Saturday. (Andy Cross, The Denver Post)
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Rapid Cartelli waits in line at the Black Mountain Express lift on opening day at Arapahoe Basin on Oct. 11, 2019. Arapahoe Basin opened the lift at 3:30 p.m., edging out Keystone, which is slated to open at 9 a.m. Saturday. (Andy Cross, The Denver Post)
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By John Meyer | jmeyer@denverpost.com | The Denver Post
PUBLISHED: | UPDATED:
Getting your player ready...
If you’re wondering whether it’s worth the gas money to head for the hills and get in some skiing when early season terrain is severely limited, Arapahoe Basin has a deal that just might sway you.
Starting Friday and continuing every Friday through Nov. 22, A-Basin will be selling $20 lift tickets for skiing and riding from 2-4 p.m. To sweeten the deal, there will be $5 beers and appetizers. Folks at “The Legend,” a local nickname for the mountain, are calling it “a new kind of happy hour.”
, with a lower-mountain intermediate trail served by the Black Mountain Express lift. A terrain park also is open. Snowmaking crews are hopeful they will be able to open a second run very soon.
Check out a of when other ski areas plan to open.
