Snowmaking operations began last night for the 2013-2014 season at Araphoe Basin and Loveland ski areas. (Arapahoe Basin)
A marked turn toward colder weather and a few light snowfalls has Colorado ski areas raring to get the 2013 – 2014 season underway. Last night both Loveland and Arapahoe Basin fired up their snowmaking gear.
Neither ski area has announced an official opening date but with snowmaking underway, it won’t be far off. Both began operations last night as temperatures were dropping below freezing.
Loveland and Arapahoe Basin stand at elevations approaching 11,000 feet which gives them a jump on other Colorado ski areas. The two are always in a race to see which can open first with A-Basin usually holding the edge.
The earliest A-Basin has opened is October 10, 2007. Two years later, Loveland bested that mark when it opened on October 7, 2009.
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Snow covers Loveland Ski Area this morning as they prepare to open for the first time of the season. (Loveland Ski Area)
Down here along the Front Range we continue waiting for our first snow but in the high country Mother Nature brought white gold in recent days. The 2010 ski season will kick off this morning as Loveland Ski Area opens and Arapahoe Basin will follow suit tomorrow.
The annual race to be the first ski area in Colorado to open is running a bit behind schedule as warmer than normal weather postponed the openings. The contest usually comes down to Loveland and A-Basin and for the second year in a row Loveland will be the winner.
Check out the announcement from Loveland in the video below
Loveland recorded five inches of snow Friday night and more throughout the day Saturday to add to their manmade base. Overnight Saturday and into Sunday morning snow has continued to fall assuring conditions will be more than adequate for the scheduled 9:00am opening.
On the other side of the Continental Divide in Summit County, A-Basin will open at 9:00am on Monday. The resort will also be opening with its new Black Mountain Express high speed chairlift.
A series of winter weather systems are forecast to move across the Colorado mountains in the coming days helping to add to the snow totals and pushing other areas closer to their openings. Winter Storm Warnings have been posted for mountain areas west of the Divide and Winter Storm Watches for the north central mountains on the west side.
