The ski resort that turns its lifts up and down the mountain first in the United States wins the unofficial competition every year.
The competition to be the first resort to have chairs start moving up the slopes frequently involves Wolf Creek, Keystone, and Arapahoe Basin.
Location, weather, and snow making capacity frequently determine who can complete the task the quickest.
We now have a winner for the first ski area to open for the 2022–2023 ski season, however the race is ending a little later than it has in some recent years.
Colorado's Arapahoe Basin (A-Basin) has just announced that it will open on Sunday, October 23, at 8:30 a.m. for the first time this season.
You will need to wait a bit longer if you are planning your first ski trip, though, as the early season offers very little terrain and is not recommended for beginners.
Only the Black Mountain Express lift and the High Noon run will be open on the first day of A-Basin.
The rental shop and three restaurants will be open to welcome the first skiers and riders of the season; however, tickets for the opening day must be booked in advance.
In general, longer ski seasons are welcome news, but season pass holders should rejoice even more.
The Mountain Collective Pass, which covers Ikon Pass and two days at each participating mountain, includes Arapahoe Basin.
The Keystone Resort, also in Colorado, reports that it is hard at work making snow for the 2-mile School Marm run, which is often the first run to open on that mountain. Those who have an Epic Pass, however, should keep a careful eye on that resort.
Here is a summary of the main U.S. ski pass programs in case skiing is currently top of mind for you.
If you have a child between third and sixth grade, it's still not too late to use the Colorado Ski Country passport to earn some reduced ski days.
Anyone in those grades may use the pass for four days at each of the 20 Colorado ski slopes that are participating, including A-Basin, Steamboat, Aspen Snowmass, Telluride, Winter Park, and more. It is not only available to citizens of Colorado.
This translates to up to 80 ski days for the kids for only $59 (with some blackout periods), which is amazing.
Here are some of our favorite ski-friendly hotels that you can book with points while we're on the subject of "free."
Here's an article about how you can take the ski train all the way from the Denver airport to Winter Park if you're looking for a different method to travel to a Colorado resort this season.
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