Arapahoe Basin And Loveland Ready To Open
Arapahoe Basin Ski Area (A-Basin) will open for the 2018-19 ski and snowboard season on Friday, October 19, 2018. The Black Mountain Express lift will start turning at 9:00 a.m., giving skiers and snowboarders access to the intermediate High Noon trail seven days a week. Arapahoe Basin is often one of the first ski areas to open in North America. A-Basin mountain operations will continue to make snow as weather permits with the goal of opening additional terrain.
“With nearly two feet of natural snow combined with the low temperatures for snowmaking we’ve been able to create a quality base for Friday’s opening,” said Alan Henceroth, Arapahoe Basin Chief Operating Officer. “We’re excited to get the ski season started.”
Skier services available from opening day include ski and board rentals, retail sales at Arapahoe Sports, and private lessons. Dining options at the mountain will include the 6th Alley Bar & Grill open from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and lunch service at Black Mountain Lodge (mid-mountain). A-Basin Mug Club sales start opening day at 8:00 a.m. in Marnie’s Bar on the 2nd floor of the A-Frame; mugs are $45 and entitle the owner to beverage discounts in the 6th Alley Bar & Grill and a free beer to kick off the season. Purchasers must be 21 years of age or older.
Loveland Ski Area will kickoff the 18/19 ski season this Saturday, just a day behind their friendly rivals A-Basin. “Thanks to lots of hard work from our skilled snowmaking team and 2 feet of snow from Mother Nature, we are excited to announce that Loveland Ski Area will open with exceptional early season conditions this Saturday,” said Rob Goodell, chief operating officer. “We hope this early season snow is the start of a generous winter and invite everyone to join us on Saturday as we kick-off another long and powder packed season at Loveland.”
Chet’s Dream will run from 8:300am until 4:00pm on Saturday and will offer skiers and riders access to one top-to-bottom run covered from tree-to-tree with an 18 inch base. The trails Catwalk, Mambo and Home Run make up this Opening Day run which is over a mile in length and nearly one thousand vertical feet.
“This year Opening Day is even more special as Chet’s Dream, our new high-speed lift, will carry the first skiers and riders of its tenure here at Loveland,” continued Goodell. “This new lift will provide our guests with quicker and more reliable access to some of our most popular terrain while honoring ski industry pioneer and Loveland patriarch, Chester R. (Chet) Upham, Jr.”
Loveland Ski Area also opened on October 20 last season. Loveland’s snowmakers will continue to make snow on Home Run and around the base of Chet’s Dream this week before moving on to opening additional terrain.
Loveland will be the second ski area to open for daily operations, only a day behind A-Basin, and the third area in the U.S. to open to the public after Wolf Creek Ski Area in Colorado opened last Saturday for weekend operations. The race to open isn't nearly as important as the debut of its new lift, though. Loveland COO Rob Goodell said, "This new lift will provide our guests with quicker and more reliable access to some of our most popular terrain while honoring ski industry pioneer and Loveland patriarch, Chester (Chet) R. Upham, Jr."
