Coloradoβs 2017-18 ski season launched this weekend with a crowd of delighted skiers and snowboarders celebrating the first runs of the season at Arapahoe Basin Ski Area. At 9 a.m., on Friday the 13th, atop an 18-inch base of packed powder, the Black Mountain Express lift began spinning, delivering skiers and riders to the top of intermediate High Noon trail.
Colorado ski resorts across the state received double digit snow totals during the first week of October with many taking advantage of the cold nighttime temperatures to make snow. Loveland Ski Area and Arapahoe Basin started their snowmaking operations on Sunday, September 24. Recent natural snowfall and cold temperatures along the Continental Divide created good snowmaking conditions, allowing Arapahoe Basin to win the friendly #RaceToOpen this year.
Following a successful 2016-17 season in Colorado, and a summer and fall of major upgrades and improvements at Colorado Ski Country USA (CSCUSA) member resorts, A-Basinβs opening has skiers and riders across the country and around the world looking forward to enjoying Coloradoβs dependable world class winter conditions.
“Skiers and snowboarders everywhere look forward to the ski season kicking off in Colorado,” said CSCUSA President and CEO Melanie Mills. “Our snowmakers, groomers and operations crews work tirelessly to make this day a success, and itβs great to see the skiing community come together to celebrate the start of another season. Our resorts have spent the summer and fall preparing for this seasonβs guests by upgrading equipment, installing new lifts, opening new restaurants and preparing on and off mountain attractions.”
The race to host Opening Day is a highlight of the early ski season, a title often held by either Arapahoe Basin or Loveland Ski Area. Both resorts are perched atop the Continental Divide, which provides higher elevations, earlier frosts, and colder temperatures, allowing them to stay open long into the spring, giving Colorado one of the longest ski seasons in the country.
Below is a current list of scheduled opening dates for CSCUSA member resorts*.
Listed by Opening Date:
October 13 γγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγ Arapahoe Basin
Mid-Octoberγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγ Loveland
November 3γγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγ Wolf Creek
November 10γγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγ Copper Mountain
November 15γγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγ Winter Park
November 17γγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγ Eldora
November 18γγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγ Purgatory
November 21γγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγ Echo Mountain
November 22γγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγ Monarch
November 22γγγγγγγγγγγγγγγ γγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγ Steamboat
November 23γγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγ Aspen Mountain
November 23γγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγ Crested Butte
November 23γγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγ Snowmass
November 23γγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγ Telluride
November 25γγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγ Howelsen Hill
December 8γγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγ Sunlight
December 9γγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγ Aspen Highlands
December 9γγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγ Buttermilk
December 9γγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγ Cooper
December 15γγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγ Granby Ranch
December 15γγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγ Hesperus
December 15γγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγ Powderhorn
December 28γγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγγ Silverton
Dates are subject to change.
