SUMMIT COUNTY, Colo. — In a race to be the first U.S. ski resort to open this winter, Arapahoe Basin (A-Basin) ski area grabbed the inside line and edged out Keystone for the victory. At 3:30 pm today, A-Basin's Black Mountain Express carried the first skiers and snowboarders into the 2019-20 season. It's official - ski season is here!
Arapahoe Basin’s Chief Operating Officer Alan Henceroth wrote on Al's Blog, “We are proud to announce that we will open Black Mountain Express today... Our team has done an extraordinary job making snow, grooming snow, getting the annual tramway licenses, hiring staff, training staff, etc. etc. etc. We have been having fun. I can't wait to get my skis on. As I write, the cat drivers are putting the finishing touches on the snow. The lift ops and the ski patrollers are getting their gear in order. The staff gets an A+ for this one."
Not to go unnoticed, Keystone has significantly stepped up their game. Tomorrow morning at 8:30 AM, Keystone will celebrate the resort's earliest opening in more than 20 years, thanks primarily to considerable investments to its snowmaking infrastructure this summer including installing a new state-of-the-art automated snowmaking system.
Breckenridge and Copper Mountain are both scheduled to open November 8. Vail will open November 15.
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Après-Ski Co. celebrates the ultimate transportation to freedom. For us, skiing isn’t just a sport, it’s a way of life. From first chair to last call, everything we do is geared to help skiers live in the moment, share experiences together and make the most of every adventure on and off the mountain.