DENVER – Arapahoe Basin is opening on Friday, becoming the second ski area in Colorado to open so far this year and the first in the northern half of the state.
A-Basin will start running the Black Mountain Express lift at 9 a.m. Friday, and skiers and snowboarders will be able to hit the High Noon run seven days a week.
Wolf Creek opened last Saturday – the first in North America to do so.
A-Basin says it has nearly two feet of natural snow and that snowmaking efforts have been productive so far.
A-Basin usually battles with Loveland Ski Area to be the first to open in Colorado. A-Basin opened last year on Oct. 13 – ahead of 2016’s Oct. 21 opening day.
Congratulations to our neighbor @LovelandSkiArea! Thanks for making the #RaceToOpen so much fun. Let ski season begin! https://t.co/Na0tiZEcpZ
— Arapahoe Basin (@Arapahoe_Basin) October 16, 2018
Loveland will open on Saturday, however, the resort announced Tuesday. The Chet's Dream lift opens at 8:30 a.m. with access to the Catwalk, Mambo and Home Run runs.
Skiers services and the rental shop will open at 8 a.m. The mountain is open until 5 p.m., but the Black Mountain Express runs 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday and 8:30 a.m. to 45 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
For more on A-Basin’s opening day, click here. For more on when Colorado’s other resorts are set to open, click here.