SAM Magazine—Arapahoe Basin, Colo., Oct. 16, 2018—Arapahoe Basin will open for daily operation for the 2018-19 ski and snowboard season on Friday, Oct. 19, 2018, Lifts will be spinning soon at A-Basin. Photo: Dave Camaramaking A-Basin the first area to open seven days a week. The Black Mountain Express lift will start turning at 9:00 a.m., giving skiers and snowboarders access to the intermediate High Noon trail. Neighboring Loveland Ski Area will open for daily operation on Saturday, Oct. 20. Loveland will celebrate the grand opening of Chet's Dream, a new high-speed quad named after the resort's founder, Chet Upham Jr. It's the first high-speed lift in the area's history.

“With nearly two feet of natural snow combined with the low temperatures for snowmaking we’ve been able to create a quality base for Friday’s opening,” said Alan Henceroth, Arapahoe Basin COO. “We’re excited to get the ski season started.”

Lift ticket window pricing through Dec. 21 is $85 for adults (ages 19-69), $70 for youth (ages 15-18), and $41 for children (ages 6-14). Children age 5 and under ski free every day of the season.

Skier services available from opening day include ski and board rentals, retail sales at Arapahoe Sports, and private lessons. Dining options at the mountain will include the 6th Alley Bar & Grill open from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and lunch service at Black Mountain Lodge (mid-mountain). A-Basin Mug Club sales start opening day at 8:00 a.m. in Marnie’s Bar on the 2nd floor of the A-Frame; mugs are $45 and entitle the owner to beverage discounts in the 6th Alley Bar & Grill and a free beer to kick off the season. Purchasers must be 21 years of age or older.

First chair at Loveland will go up at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, providing access to one top-to-bottom run comprised of three trails. Natural snowfall and good snowmaking conditions combined to put an average base depth of 18 inches on the planned terrain.

Loveland will be the second ski area to open for daily operations, only a day behind A-Basin, and the third area in the U.S. to open to the public after Wolf Creek Ski Area in Colorado opened last Saturday for weekend operations. The race to open isn't nearly as important as the debut of its new lift, though. Loveland COO Rob Goodell said, "This new lift will provide our guests with quicker and more reliable access to some of our most popular terrain while honoring ski industry pioneer and Loveland patriarch, Chester (Chet) R. Upham, Jr."

Early season lift tickets at Loveland will be $65 for adults, and $31 for children ages 6 to 14.