Five years ago, I wrote about how Arapahoe Basin saved the 2020 ski season, becoming the first Colorado resort to reopen after the COVID shutdown with a carefully orchestrated plan that brought hope to a beleaguered industry. This season, with Colorado at 40 percent of normal snowpack, the Basin has launched a limited and directed on- and off-piste guided skiing program to help spread people out and open more terrain.
Ski patrollers will stand near closed terrain on Arapahoe Basin’s Front Side and Pali areas, waiting for groups to gather. When enough people gather, the patroller will lead them down a single run through closed terrain, closing the rope behind them.
The resort launched this program in response to having only 23 of 147 trails open as of mid-January. Colorado’s snowpack is at 62 percent of expected levels for this time of year, tied for the worst on record according to state monitoring data. Last week’s storm delivered 13 inches, bringing the season total to 67 inches. That storm represented 20 percent of the entire winter’s accumulation.
Other Colorado resorts are operating with limited terrain. Breckenridge, Copper, and Winter Park have less than half their terrain open. Meteorologists report quiet conditions expected through late January.
The new A-Basin program has no schedule and the resort will not post updates on its website and social media. Openings depend on weather and conditions hour by hour. Skiers and riders must watch for patrollers stationed by closed terrain. The guided skiing program will last “as long as it can possibly last,” according to resort communications. They received about 20 percent of total snowpack in just one recent storm. “So it’s still low tide out there,” the resort stated.
According to the resort, patrol is still managing terrain safety and helping injured parties. Importantly, these limited openings also help contain snow on runs that need compaction from skiers before they can officially open. Participants must know their own limits when it comes to skiing this terrain, where hazards may be visible and buried beneath a shallow snowpack, so bring your rock skis.
Alterra Mountain Company completed its acquisition of the resort in November; and last season A-Basin’s ski patrol voted 30-22 to unionize, joining the Communication Workers of America. The new Pallavicini lift opened January 10, providing access to Grizzly Road, West Wall, and Slalom Slope.
Just as A-Basin provided what Alan Henceroth called a “moral victory” in 2020 by pioneering COVID-safe skiing protocols, the resort has again found a way to adapt when the industry needs it most. In a season defined by scarcity, they’ve created something between traditional operations and off-piste exploration. Combined with the fact that the uphill skiing is always good and open before and after operating hours, it seems that the Basin has indeed once again saved the day.
It won’t solve the larger problem of climate variability affecting Western skiing, but it offers a practical response to immediate conditions. The Legend continues to earn its reputation once again.
Here’s a rundown of events at A-Basin for the rest of the month:
- Athletic Après Weekend Jan 16-17
- Moonlight Dinner Series – A Night in Vietnam Jan 17
- 6th Alley Dinner – Prime Rib Night Jan 23
- Uphill & Chill Breakfast Jan 30
- CMH Lines of Sight Jan 30
- Safety Weekend Jan 31
—Definitely Wild is a column by EO Contributing Editor Aaron Bible. He has been writing for Elevation Outdoors and Blue Ridge Outdoors, among other outdoor publications, for more than two decades, covering cycling, skiing, gear, adventure travel and mountain life. The opinions expressed here are his own. Follow him on Instagram at @DefinitelyWild.
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Fly Fishing with Eleven Experiences
Coming Home with George Hincapie
