It may be hard to believe, but the North American ski season officially begins today. Colorado’s Arapahoe Basin fires up the chairlifts this morning at 9 a.m. local time and soon there after, skiers and snowboarders will be making their first runs of the year. The resort has announced that its Black Mountain Express lift will be the first in operation, taking guests to the start of the High Noon trail at mid-mountain.
Although the calendar may say that it is only the middle of October, colder weather and snow showers have already begun across parts of Colorado. A-Basin, which is traditionally amongst the first resorts to open each year, receives an average of 350 inches of powder on an annual basis. They’re not even close to that much just yet of course, but they still have a solid base to get things started.
New for 2013, A-Basin will open Pika Place Learning Area in November, giving young skiers and riders a place to hone their skills. Older and more experienced skiers will want to test their abilities at the Rossignol Experience Center, which will give them the chance to build more advanced techniques.
For those planning to ski Arapahoe Basin this year, the resort has a host of different passes available, including their Double Down option. For just $499, that pass gives unlimited and unrestricted access to the mountain for not just this season but all of next season too. If you’re someone who loves to ski or snowboard, that is an incredibly great deal.
Over the course of the next few weeks, more ski resorts across the western United States will start to open their doors for the 2012-2013 season. If you’re getting antsy to hit the slopes, chances are you’ll get the opportunity very soon.
[Photo credit: Casey Day]