Arapahoe Basin
Arapahoe Basin is “The Legend” to many Coloradans, and A-Basin to the rest. Best known for the longest ski seasons in North America, averaging 233 days, Arapahoe is typically open from October to June. A-Basin is often the first ski resort to open for skiing in the fall, competing with nearby Loveland! A Basin offers 1,428 acres of skiing. Much of the terrain is scenic above tree-line. The summit at 12,472’ offers amazing 360-degree view of the Colorado Rockies and Summit County . You can see nearby ski resorts of Breckenridge and Keystone. A Basin has its doubled in size in the past decade.
For years, we loved that Arapahoe was an independent ski area, but in 2024, Alterra announced it would be buying A Basin, to add to its 18 resort collection, including in Colorado – Aspen, Arapahoe, Winter Park and Steamboat. So ABasin is on the IKON pass.
Arapahoe retains old-school ski roots in many ways still with one central base, sitting at 10,780′ on Loveland Pass. Arapahoe has steep terrain from its summit, but the front side offers a nice mix of groomed blues off the modern detachable Black Mountain Express quad. From the top of this lift, you can access the new upper mountain Lenawee 6-pack chair or the old school Norway Double to Pallavicini, or stop to enjoy a snack break at the beautiful Black Mountain Lodge.
For families, A Basin’s improved Pika Place is perfect for beginners. Kids will love the magic carpet and mini terrain park just steps from the base area. Two higher terrain parks- Treeline TP and High Divide – are popular with the next gen of free skiers and snowboarders. If your kids are just starting to go off piste, A Basin has lots of snowy natural runs and bowls that are easy to access, to test their mettle in Land of the Giants, The East and West Gully, and The Wall.
Arapahoe Basin’s Beavs and Montezuma Bowl are huge improvements, thanks to recent expansions. Zuma Bowl offers a whole backside of skiing for sunny double black extreme chutes like End Zone, Elephant Trunk and Max that drop off Zuma Cornice. A few more mellow Blues bring you to the backside fixed grip Zuma quad lift, or a bit of a hoof on the Hike Back Trail if you ski beyond Montezuma’s Revenge or Lightning Traverse. Newest is The Beavers & The Steep Gullies adjacent to the Pali chair, wrapping around toward Montezuma back bowls. This terrain features rolling trails, open bowls, gladed tree skiing, and steep, rocky chutes, adding 468 acres and a dozen new runs served by a fixed grip quad.
Arapahoe Basin gets plenty of snow, about 350′ annually, the ski area is an alpine classic, opened in 1946, and more affordable than bigger resort-style ski neighbors.
Lodging at Arapahoe Basin, does not exist slopeside. You are in beautiful US Forest, so look to nearby towns of Dillan, Silver Plume, Frisco or Keystone. You might ski Arapahoe Basin on your arrival day into Denver before your ski week at Vail, Breck, Keystone and Beaver Creek or before your later flight.
A Basin natives tend to tailgate apres ski in the parking lot. Provision accordingly, it’s a ski area beach on sunny spring days with drinking, bbqs, beach chairs and lots of beer. Good times, not always G Rated. Remember too – its high elevation – and you still have to drive home! Arapahoe is now charging for their premium steps-to-the-lifts parking, but if you carpool more than 4, its free. We love that environmental social movement, and the fact that you really do park steps to the lifts
Arapahoe Basin Stats: 147 trails, 9 lifts, 1,428 acres, 13,050′ elevation, 2,530′ vertical includes 13,050′ hike to summit elevation.
Base elevation 10,520’.
Since 1946 when lift tickets were $1.25. Now tickets are $50-$150 depending on your pre-purchase and holiday or not.
