Ski resorts all across Colorado are open, and more recently, these resorts were hit with a winter storm that covered many with over a foot of snow. Many resorts both on the EPIC and IKON passes have opened and Arapahoe Basin opened on Oct. 29. Keystone opened that following Wednesday, Nov. 1 with 3.5 miles of skiable terrain, and that subsequent Friday, Winter Park Resort and Eldora Resort opened. Many more ski resorts were able to open so early this year because of their snowmaking technology.
In 2019, Keystone Resort upgraded its mountain with a whole new system of snow blowers which include 53 automated fan guns. These snow blowers can make snow automatically thanks to a system that turns the snowmakers on whenever it is cold enough. This system lets Keystone build a good base layer of snow down the mountain completely artificially.
“Opening day was a blast, we opened on the first of November with all of Schoolmarm open and our hike to [the] terrain park opened on the peak of Durcum Mountain,” Taylor Gregory, Keystone Ski Patrol Member, said. “We are so excited to open up more runs on the mountain and have a great season,”
Taylor is a two-year ski patrol member at Keystone Resort. Taylor responds to medical related calls on the mountain and is part of keystones medical team.
Luke Pelham is an avid skier and a 10th-grade student at Smoky.
“I went to Arapahoe Basin last Saturday. It was crowded but a fun day, they were snow blowing all over the mountain so more trails are soon to open,” Luke Pelham (10) said.
Conner is a snowboarder who was born in Colorado and has been snowboarding his whole life. Conner snowboards at IKON owned resorts like Arapahoe basin and Eldora.
“I went to Eldora opening weekend, Eldora didn’t have much terrain open and it was icy and crowded but still a fun day,” Conner Arrastia (10) said.
Colorado is open for the ski season of 2023-24. All the resorts open right now include Arapahoe Basin, Loveland, Eldora, Winter Park, Breckenridge, Keystone, Vail and Copper. Both people with the IKON and EPIC passes can now enjoy Colorado ski resorts.
