Ski season on the horizon: Snowmaking starts in Arapahoe Basin

DILLON, Colo. (KKCO) - At 3 am Saturday morning, temperatures dipped to 25 degrees at Arapahoe Basin, and the sound of snowmaking machines kicking on for the first time since the ski area closed in June followed. The first snowflakes of the Colorado ski season were just a test, collecting in a thin, powdery veneer on the slopes, but it won’t stay that way.

As temperatures drop, Arapahoe Basin staff will turn the machines on again over the next couple of weeks. Staff are expecting the snow to start piling up sometime soon. “You know what happens after that,” said Arapahoe Basin Chief Operating Officer Alan Henceroth in a blog post.

Autumn temperatures in the area have been colder than expected, staff said, but temperatures in the region are still reaching highs of 60 degrees a few times a week. Here’s a look at the ski area right now, pulled from the ski area’s webcams:

The basin started snowmaking on its High Noon run for its first official snowmaking day of the 2023-24 season. The resort has not announced its opening date, but is aiming for a mid-October opening. The basin often remains open until early summer, and aims to have the longest ski and ride season in Colorado.

Arapahoe Basin Ski Resort is located 68 miles west of Denver in Summit County, Colorado.

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