Arapahoe Basin Deals & Travel Info
This ski area is located in Summit County on the western side of Loveland Pass and the Continental Divide. A-basin has a legendary reputation among Colorado locals, and the combo of great snow and great terrain makes this a favorite for expert skiers. Keystone is just down the road and Breckenridge is within sight as well.
Arapahoe Basin Highlights
Families on vacation will often go to Keystone and consider skiing here for a day. Expert skiers that want to taste the goods will keep driving past Keystone and go directly to A-Basin.
- Often the first ski area to open in the US
- East Wall, Pallavicini, Beavers expert terrain
- The Beach (parking lot)
- High elevation = lots of snow
Mountain Stats
- Trails: 127
- Skiable Terrain: 1,428 Acres
- Total Lifts: 8
- Avg. Snowfall: 350"
- Vertical Rise: 2,530'
- Peak Elevation: 13,050'
- Base Elevation: 10,520'
Getting to A-Basin
This ski area is located high on Rt. 6/Loveland Pass. This means that when the snow starts falling hard, the pass can be closed from both sides until the plows can clear the way safely. If you are coming directly from Denver, you can exit I-70 before the Eisenhower Tunnel and this will take you on a scenic drive over Loveland Pass. You’ll descend the western side of the pass onto Arapahoe Basin.
The other option is to go through the tunnel and access the ski area from the western side of the Continental Divide. This means driving up Highway 6 in Summit County directly in front of the Keystone Ski Resort, and then up Loveland Pass for about a 10-minute drive to the mountain.
Arapahoe Basin FAQ
Not anymore. While never owned by Vail Resorts, there were various deals in place for many years allowing Epic Pass holders to access A-Basin, but not anymore.
It will often get more snow than nearby ski resorts and there is lots of expert skiing. Tickets are usually cheaper than the mega-resorts.
Yes! There is a magic carpet surface lift at the bottom for kids. Sundance and Wrangler are the main two beginner trails that descend the lower portion of the mountain.
There are short bursts of steep terrain throughout and the Zuma Cornice can be fun, but the most challenging terrain is found elsewhere on the mountain. This is a great place for lower skill level skiers on powder days when the combination of deep snow and intermediate terrain down the center makes it very slow and easily tolerable in some spots.
What other ski resorts are located in Summit County? The list includes Keystone, Breckenridge, and Copper Mountain.
Trail Maps
Frontside
Montezuma Bowl
Full-size trail maps are available on Arapahoe Basin’s official website here.
Tip for Skiing & Riding Arapahoe Basin
The Montezuma Bowl can be slow on powder days. This is not great for expert skiers, but if you are not an expert, this might be ideal for you. The pitch is relatively shallow down the middle,, and deep snow will make this very slow. The edges around the bowl are steeper.
Pallavicini is a gnarly warm-up. This is an iconic slope that towers over the parking lot. It is steep and usually the first stop on the list for a lot of people. This section of A-Basin is accessed by the Pallavinici double chairlift.
Beware of early season madness. Arapahoe Basin is usually a front-runner in the competition to be the first resort to open in the US. The season always starts off on High Noon, and you can expect a lot of people to be skiing and riding in a small area. Be ready for madness. This is not the best time to visit and it is more of a novelty experience for anyone that needs to get their fix.
The East Wall will never be open early in the season. The wind makes it tough for snow to accumulate here and it takes a lot of snow to open this area. Don’t plan on the East Wall being open if you are visiting for Christmas vacation.
During the spring, get to the mountain early to claim a spot on “The Beach”. This is a line of parking spots at the base of the mountain right along the hillside. Expect pop-up tents, goggle tans, parties, ski demos, hot dogs and snow games.