Peaks along the Continental Divide, including the Arapahoe Basin and Loveland ski areas, were blanketed with snow overnight, quickening the spirit of skiers and riders with a reminder that the season in Colorado may arrive in four or five weeks.
Both ski areas sent out photos of their snowy slopes. A mountain live-cam at Winter Park showed sparse fresh snow on a grassy slope above the base area, but the peaks of the divide to the east were covered with snow.
Breckenridge and Keystone also received noticeable snow at higher elevations.
Rangers in Rocky Mountain National Park closed Trail Ridge Road Tuesday night in anticipation of snow and freezing temperatures overnight. The road reopened Wednesday afternoon, but another closure is possible because more snow and freezing temperatures are forecast for Wednesday night.
An Arapahoe Basin news release disseminating photos of its snowy slopes said snowmaking crews have positioned snow guns and will test them as soon as temperatures fall low enough to support snowmaking. Snowmaking typically begins there in early- to mid-October.
A similar Loveland release said crews there expect to begin snowmaking in 16 days.
Both A-Basin and Loveland say they will open as soon as they have enough snow. While October openings are common at both areas, that didn’t happen last year. Arapahoe Basin and Keystone opened on Nov. 2. Breckenridge and Winter Park on Nov. 8 and Loveland on Nov. 9.
