The ski season isn’t over for the lucky few who live in Colorado. Arapahoe Basin, or A Basin, is still open on weekends. This past Sunday I went up there with two adventurous friends to see how conditions really were. It was a last hurrah of sorts. During our drive up we wondered how much snow there could really be and if we’d make it back to Denver for the afternoon kickball game. The mountains are pretty green right now. By the time we made it up to A Basin, we knew it was going to be a good day. Although you can’t ski through the trees anymore, the runs are fully covered in snow. As with any ABay day, the people milling around in the parking lot are extra happy to be there. People gathered up their costume-wear, slathered on sunscreen, and had a few pre-lift drinks… like juice… and coffee. We arrived at 8:30am and parked right on the beach. If you know A Basin at all, you know that that just doesn’t happen. We later discovered that most people show up after 11am when the snow is sure to be soft.
A pond forms at the top of the mountain in the spring and summer, appropriately called Lake Reveal, that skiers and riders go across all afternoon on nice days. I wouldn’t recommend trying to ride through it in the morning when it is still half frozen, that has “bruised tailbone” written all over it. Take a look at the video below to see how brave people cross it and what happens when they don’t make it.
[It’s best to view this video in full screen]
All in all it was a terrific day. The snow was groomed well enough that you weren’t riding moguls all day. Even though the bottom got a little slushy, the snow was still fast. We had a better day in June than some of the warm days in April. I highly recommend getting some friends together and making the trek to the Basin, it’ll definitely be worth your while. See you on the slopes!
