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    Colorado, USA · Ikon / Mountain Collective

    Arapahoe Basin

    1,428 acres, 147 runs near Dillon. Colorado's first post-war resort, high-alpine terrain, Ikon Pass.

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    Season 2026 - 2027
    Opens
    24 Oct 2026
    Closes
    16 May 2027
    Days open
    204
    Annual snow
    350in
    Snow record
    0in
    2026-27 so far
    0% of a typical winter181in
    Explore 3 winters of snowfall→
    The Overview
    MF
    Michael Fulton
    Melbourne-based skier and snowboarder with 50+ resorts across 5 continents. Specialises in Australian resorts and international resort comparisons.

    Arapahoe Basin's summit reaches 13,050 feet, dropping 2,530 vertical feet to a base at 10,518 feet across 147 runs spread over 1,428 acres near Dillon, Colorado. Terrain splits 49 per cent advanced, 24 per cent expert, 20 per cent intermediate and 7 per cent beginner, with average annual snowfall of roughly 350 inches. The resort carries Ikon Pass and Mountain Collective affiliation. Eight lifts, including four quad chairs and one six-person chair, serve the mountain alongside one double chair, two surface lifts and one t-bar.

    Arapahoe Basin, affectionately known as The Legend, holds the distinction of being the first ski area to open in Colorado after the Second World War, and its genuinely high-alpine, largely above-treeline terrain has built a devoted following among serious skiers. The resort markets Colorado's longest season, often stretching from late October into June.

    10th Mountain Division veterans Larry Jump and Sandy Schauffler, hired to survey Colorado's winter sports potential, founded A-Basin, with Jump investing his life savings of 25,000 US dollars. Local forestry professor Max Dercum and his wife Edna, who also owned Colorado's oldest guest ranch, the Ski Tip Ranch, joined the effort alongside Thor Groswold and Dick Durrance, purchasing an 80-acre parcel for 3,000 US dollars and opening the resort in December 1946 with a single mid-mountain rope tow after just five months of preparation.

    A-Basin was sold in 1972 to Joe Jankovsky, then to Ralston Purina in 1978, before Vail Resorts purchased the resort in 1996. Department of Justice antitrust action forced Vail to divest a year later, and Dundee Resort Development of Canada, now known as DREAM, acquired A-Basin in 1997. Adult daily tickets run from 79 to 139 US dollars depending on weekday or weekend timing.

    2,530ft
    Vertical
    147
    Runs
    1,428 acres
    Skiable
    350in
    Annual snow
    Ikon / Mountain Collective
    Pass
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    The Terrain

    147 runs across 1,428 acres skiable

    Arapahoe Basin sits on the Continental Divide near Dillon and covers 1,428 acres (578 hectares) of high alpine terrain. The base is at 10,520 ft (3,206 m) and the summit tops out at 13,050 ft (3,977 m), a vertical drop of 2,530 ft (771 m) across 147 runs. The split leans steep, with 49% advanced, 24% expert, 20% intermediate and just 7% beginner, so green circle choice is thin. Average snowfall is around 350 inches a year, with the Lenawee Express carrying skiers to the top of the main peak.

    The East Wall is the signature steep zone, a billboard of double black chutes off Lenawee Mountain, bisected by the long East Wall Traverse that reaches a lot of difficult terrain. Pallavicini is a group of steep, mogul-covered double black runs, with gated access to Steep Gullies, narrow, rocky, expert-only chutes that were backcountry before joining the ski area in 2017-18. Montezuma Bowl on the back side, served by the Zuma lift, offers everything from groomed intermediate runs to advanced cornice runs. A-Basin rewards confident advanced and expert skiers and solid intermediates who want open alpine terrain rather than tree-lined groomers. Newer skiers will find bigger beginner areas elsewhere in Summit County.

    Terrain split
    147
    runs
    147 runs across 4 grades
    Beginner10 runs · 7%
    Intermediate29 runs · 20%
    Advanced72 runs · 49%
    Expert35 runs · 24%
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    Time it right

    When to visit Arapahoe Basin

    The 2025-26 season at Arapahoe Basin ran from 25 October 2025 to 14 June 2026, an exceptionally long roughly thirty-three-week season, among the longest in Colorado, supported by average annual snowfall of around 350 inches. This marketed longest season reflects the resort's considerable elevation and reliable early and late-season conditions.

    Midwinter, from December through February, typically brings the most consistent conditions to A-Basin's advanced-and-expert-weighted terrain. As an Ikon Pass and Mountain Collective resort, A-Basin draws substantial visitation from pass holders alongside dedicated local skiers seeking its genuinely high-alpine character and famously late spring skiing season.

    The resort's above-treeline terrain and Montezuma Bowl expansion continue to draw experienced skiers throughout the season, particularly during the extended spring period when few other Colorado resorts remain open. School holiday periods bring some family visitation, though the resort's advanced-weighted terrain skews its visitor base toward more experienced skiers.

    Specific event programming beyond standard operations is not confirmed in available resort information. Since Dundee Resort Development's 1997 acquisition, A-Basin has continued building on nearly eight decades of history since its December 1946 founding as Colorado's first post-war ski area. The Legend's long season and high-alpine terrain remain central to its identity each year.

    Season 2026 - 2027
    24 Oct 2026
    Opens
    16 May 2027
    Closes
    204
    Days open
    350 in
    Annual snow
    The record

    Historical snowfall at Arapahoe Basin

    Daily snow reports at Arapahoe Basin go back to 2025, 3 winters on the books. Open the record to compare winters, lifts and piste.

    12 in
    Snowiest day
    7 Mar 2026
    0 in
    This winter · 2026-27
    so far
    181 in
    Typical winter
    average of complete seasons
    Explore historical snowfall →
    Winter totals
    in
    Past wintersThis winter
    Getting there

    Getting to Arapahoe Basin, and where to stay

    Arapahoe Basin sits near Dillon, Colorado, along the Continental Divide, with a base elevation of 10,518 feet and a summit at 13,050 feet across a 2,530-foot vertical drop over 1,428 acres. This considerable elevation places A-Basin among the highest-elevation ski areas in North America.

    Dillon and the broader Summit County region offer substantial lodging, dining and services within a short drive of the resort. Denver, Colorado's largest city, lies within a reasonable drive as well, making A-Basin a popular day-trip destination for Front Range skiers.

    US Highway 6 provides direct access to the resort over Loveland Pass. Winter driving conditions on this high-mountain route can include significant snow and ice, and travellers should carry appropriate equipment given the pass's considerable elevation. There is no direct public transport service to the resort, though regional shuttle options connect from Summit County.

    Denver International Airport, roughly a two-hour drive away, is the primary gateway for visitors flying into Colorado, with A-Basin's proximity to Denver supporting strong day-trip and weekend visitation from the metropolitan area.

    Where to stay

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    Latest News

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    Arapahoe Basin Lift System

    Arapahoe Basin runs eight lifts: one double chair, four quad chairs, one six-person chair, two surface lifts and one t-bar, serving 147 runs across 1,428 acres of largely above-treeline, high-alpine terrain. This lift network has grown substantially since A-Basin's December 1946 opening with a single mid-mountain rope tow.

    That original rope tow, installed after just five months of preparation by 10th Mountain Division veterans Larry Jump and Sandy Schauffler alongside Max and Edna Dercum, established Colorado's first post-war ski area. Successive ownership through Joe Jankovsky, Ralston Purina, a brief period under Vail Resorts, and Dundee Resort Development since 1997 has supported steady lift and terrain investment.

    The four quad chairs and six-person chair distribute skiers across A-Basin's advanced-and-expert-weighted terrain, including access to Montezuma Bowl, a substantial terrain expansion on the mountain's back side. The double chair, surface lifts and t-bar serve additional terrain closer to the base area.

    Since Dundee Resort Development, now DREAM, acquired the resort in 1997 following Vail Resorts' forced divestiture, continued investment has supported this eight-lift network. Specific recent individual lift replacement projects beyond this ownership history are not confirmed in available resort information. A-Basin's genuinely high-alpine terrain and long season remain central to its identity as The Legend.

    9lifts across 5 types

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    Live Arapahoe Basin conditions, webcams & maps. Opens straight here.

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    Live Arapahoe Basin conditions, webcams & maps. Opens straight here.

    Download on the App Store
    1
    6-Person Chair
    4
    Quad Chairs
    1
    Double Chair
    1
    T-Bar
    2
    Surface Lifts
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    Arapahoe Basin lift system

    Arapahoe Basin is served by 9 lifts, listed here by type. Check which lifts are turning against the live conditions before you plan your first laps - early lifts and high-speed chairs get you to the best snow fastest.

    More Arapahoe Basin intelligence: trail map, snow report, webcams, resort overview.