Skiing is fresh on the minds of many residents in Colorado and after such an amazing season, how could it not be? While the days of intensely fresh pow and fully open terrain are behind us, the possibility of some pretty gnarly shred days are still here!
And now they’re here for even longer thanks to Arapahoe Basin EXTENDING THEIR SEASON yet again! June 9th is the date to remember now. A-Basin will have daily skiing access through June 2, after that, they will be open on weekends only and weekends to A-Basin run from Friday – Sunday (the way weekends should be).
So, what else do you need to know? Well, as of mid-May, A-Basin is offering more than 80% of terrain that is open and all of their lifts are still running. Those are pretty good numbers for this time of the year and just think, with the possibility of more snow in the forecast, the option of making turns through the month of June is there! C’mon Mother Nature!
Alright, now we need to talk about the conditions. It is May after all and skiing is not the main topic of thought for Colorado residents and vacationers. But it should be and I’ll tell you why. Have you ever thought about skiing under a Cobalt Blue Sky with temperatures hovering around 50° that makes it feel like pure bliss as you stare up to the top of a snow-covered, 13,000-foot mountain? I have and it is awesome.
Have you ever worn shorts while skiing? What about a t-shirt? What about just a bathing suit?! Yeah, that last one is a little strange but it has been done! (A-Basin hosted a swimwear day on May 11th!). Spring skiing is debatably the best time to ski in Colorado. You’ll be riding on some pretty interesting and fun conditions and you won’t have to many people to compete with since the majority of folks have already packed away their winter gear.
So here’s the sitch, you have two options for snow that linger into May: 1) intense, deep, beautiful powder (which lasts long cause of the lack of crowds), and 2) buttery, soft, surfy, sun-kissed slush. Obviously, that fresh-powder is the snow king, but hot-laps on a slushy day are almost—almost—as enjoyable. Also, the soft slush is great for warm days in the park and surprising good-times in the trees, but beware the melt!
It will be beneficial for you to make the short trip to the Continental Divide to play on the last ski area that is open for winter operation. Trust me. Don’t forget your helmet and don’t forget the sunscreen! The sun angle is higher this time of the year and snow is awfully reflective.
