DENVER— Keystone Resort and Arapahoe Basin have officially kicked off the 2025/26 winter season this weekend, marking the much-anticipated start of Colorado's new ski year.
While A-Basin is typically the first Colorado ski resort to open for the season, it was beaten to the punch by Keystone this year as it began operations Saturday afternoon, making it the first ski resort officially open for the season in North America.
Building on this achievement, the resort said this is the first time since 1997 that Keystone "has led the pack" in North America, with two miles of freshly groomed terrain on the Schoolmarm and Silver Spoon trails.
To celebrate this early lead, Keystone’s opening day activities will continue into the early evening under the lights.
Meanwhile, ski lifts at Arapahoe Basin will start spinning at 8:30 a.m. Sunday and will go until 4 p.m. seven days a week, the ski resort said in a news release.
On opening day, A-Basin skiers and riders can enjoy skiing and riding on High Noon, a mountain-blue run accessible via the Black Mountain Express.
Both resorts plan to continue snowmaking and open more terrain as conditions allow.
Opening day at both resorts will also feature music, donuts, and coffee as a warm welcome to winter.
Tentative opening dates for other Colorado resorts are as follows:
- Breckenridge Ski Resort — Nov. 7
- Vail Mountain — Nov. 17
- Beaver Creek Resort — Nov. 26
- Crested Butte Mountain Resort — Nov. 26
As the excitement of ski season begins, there are also new warnings from the Colorado Avalanche Information Center after the first skier-triggered avalanche of the season was reported on Friday near Treasury Mountain.
No injuries were reported.
The CAIC said that even small early-season slides can happen on steep slopes. This risk arises where you find 10 inches or more of consistent snow.
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