If you’ve been anxiously waiting for the first chance to ski this winter — you’ll want to head to Summit County, Colorado.
Arapahoe Basin, one of several ski resorts in this uber-popular mountain range west of Denver, officially opened its slopes for business on Wednesday. That’s good news for Colorado residents, who faced the warmest winter on record during the 2025-2026 season.
Known as “A-Basin” or even “The Legend” to its many fans, the resort frequently opens earlier than most other resorts. That’s thanks to its north-facing mountain, according to Denver meteorologist Chris Bianchi. For example, the resort’s earliest-ever open date was October 9.
However, this year’s opening date is still two days later than last season, when the resort opened on October 26. So it’s hard to guess what this winter will hold. Regardless, Arapahoe Basin is the first ski resort in North America to welcome skiers back to the slopes for the 2026/2027 winter.
“It’s going to be filled with powder, Pali laps, Wall hikes, Wingo, Bloody Marys, Beach Days, and all the good stuff,” the resort said in a social media post Wednesday. “We can’t wait to celebrate it all with you. Wax your boards, tune your skis, and come on up.”
Conditions/Lift Tickets
Although open, most of Arapahoe Basin remains off-limits to skiers. There’s just one open lift (Black Mountain Express) and one open trail (High Noon). If you head there right now, you’ll find base conditions of about 18″ of machine-groomed snow, according to the website.
Lift tickets for the Black Mountain Express are available to buy, both online and in person.
As of Wednesday afternoon, full-day tickets were priced at $80 for Wednesday and Thursday, with prices increasing by $10-$20 for Friday and Saturday.
Since the resort didn’t announce its opening until Wednesday morning, tickets will likely sell quickly.
80th Anniversary Perks
It’s an auspicious year for A-Basin, as the famous resort celebrates its 80th season.
That round number also comes with several benefits for those who choose Arapahoe once again this winter.
- 80-Year-Olds Ski Free – Any 80-year-old can ski free every Wednesday of the 2026/27 winter season, plus the resort’s “birthday weekend” (December 5-6).
- $80 Lift Tickets – Snag a limited edition $80 ticket every Wednesday of the 26/27 winter, plus the resort’s “birthday weekend” (December 5-6).
- Legendary 80 Scan Challenge – For the first 80 days of the season, each day you scan your A-Basin or Ikon Pass, you are entered to win 80 different prizes, including a grand prize of a trip to Mike Wiegele Helicopter Skiing.
It also looks like Arapahoe Basin won’t be the only open ski resort for too long. Its neighbor, Keystone Resort, is just about ready to let skiers on its slopes.
