Where to Ski And Snowboard - Colorado snow seals bumper season

Colorado snow seals bumper season

19th May 2017, by Abi Butcher

Arapahoe Basin yesterday: three feet of snow is predicted before tomorrow

Ski resorts in Colorado are celebrating a sudden dump of snow that is bringing glorious spring conditions to the slopes. The conditions are so good some resorts are considering re-opening the lifts.

“We had six inches in the town overnight, and a foot up high,” Aspen PR Maureen Poschman told Where to Ski and Snowboard yesterday afternoon — morning time in Colorado. “It’s supposed to snow all of tomorrow, too, we’re expecting three feet in total.”

“It will be good for the backcountry skiers — we call this the ‘second season’ after the lifts have closed as people go out and do a tonne of skiing — but we’re pretty confident the mountain will open again this weekend.”

Arapahoe Basin, closer to Denver, is still open on a limited lift basis but has just reopened terrain following the snowfall. Pali Lift will be open on Friday, Saturday and Sunday and Alan Henceforth, COO of A-Basin said in his blog: “I experienced many faceshots. The snow is DEEEEEP. Since we reported 9 inches new this morning, it has snowed A LOT. The skiing is amazing — but it will be busy the next few days … either get here very early or come in the afternoon.”

It’s more good news for North American resorts, many of which have experienced record-breaking amounts of snowfall this winter. So much so that the National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) reports that nearly two million more skiers and snowboarders went out in the mountains this winter compared to last.

“We had more snow this season in the California Sierra Mountains than the previous four seasons combined,” said NSAA president Michael Berry.

Colorado had its second busiest winter on record, with 21.7million skiers over the winter.