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Arapahoe Basin First Ski Resort to Open in North America
DENVER – October 13, 2017 – Colorado’s 2017-18 ski season launched today with a crowd of delighted skiers and snowboarders celebrating the first runs of the season at Arapahoe Basin Ski Area. At 9 a.m., 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-Basin’s opening has skiers and riders across the country and around the world looking forward to enjoying Colorado’s 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 it’s 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 season’s 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 Resort Name:
Arapahoe Basin: October 13, 2017 – Early June 2018
Aspen Highlands December 9, 2017 – April 8, 2018
Aspen Mountain November 23, 2017 – April 15, 2018
Buttermilk December 9, 2017 – April 8, 2018
Cooper December 9, 2017 – April 8, 2018
Copper Mountain November 10, 2017 – April 15, 2018
Crested Butte November 23, 2017 – April 8, 2018
Echo Mountain November 21, 2017 – April 15, 2018
Eldora November 17, 2017 – April 8, 2018
Granby Ranch December 15, 2017 – April 1, 2018
Hesperus December 15, 2017 – April 1, 2018
Howelsen Hill November 25, 2017 – March 11, 2018
Loveland Mid-October 2017 – May 6, 2018
Monarch November 22, 2017 – April 8, 2018
Powderhorn December 15, 2017 – March 25, 2018
Purgatory November 18, 2017 – April 15, 2018
Silverton December 28, 2017 – April 8, 2018
Snowmass November 23, 2017 – April 15, 2018
Steamboat November 22, 2017 – April 15, 2018
Sunlight December 8, 2017 – April 1, 2018
Telluride November 23, 2017 – April 8, 2018
Winter Park November 15, 2017 – April 29, 2018
Wolf Creek November 3, 2017 – April 1, 2018
Listed by Opening Date:
October 13 Arapahoe Basin
Mid-October Loveland
November 3 Wolf Creek
November 10 Copper Mountain
November 15 Winter Park
November 17 Eldora
November 18 Purgatory
November 21 Echo Mountain
November 22 Monarch
November 22 Steamboat
November 23 Aspen Mountain
November 23 Crested Butte
November 23 Snowmass
November 23 Telluride
November 25 Howelsen Hill
December 8 Sunlight
December 9 Aspen Highlands
December 9 Buttermilk
December 9 Cooper
December 15 Granby Ranch
December 15 Hesperus
December 15 Powderhorn
December 28 Silverton
*Dates are subject to change.
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Colorado Ski Country USA (CSCUSA) is the not-for-profit trade association representing Colorado’s 23 ski & snowboard resorts. CSCUSA is the global voice of the Colorado ski industry. The Association’s primary functions are concentrated in marketing, public policy and public relations. Information about CSCUSA and its members can be found at www.ColoradoSki.com, on Twitter @ColoradoSkiUSA and on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/ColoradoSkiCountryUSA. This release and other press information can be found in the online press room at http://www.ColoradoSki.com/media.
