Arapahoe Basin

Closed
Karl Sander
SnowPak Local Insider
Karl Sander
Pros
  • Arapahoe Basin boasts one of the longest ski seasons (October - June)
  • Incredible advanced terrain
  • Budget friendly compared to other Colorado ski resorts
Cons
  • Very limited amenities and no lodging at the base

Overall

4.6

Meet “the Legend.” If a ski resort is going to have a nickname like that, it’s got a lot to live up to - but believe me, Arapahoe Basin delivers! It’s been offering up some of the gnarliest big-mountain terrain in a part of the country known for white-knuckle skiing since 1946, after the site retired from its career as a defense contractor test site. Perched near the Continental Divide at Loveland Pass, its elevation helps give it a yearly average of 350 in of snow and some of the longest ski seasons anywhere in North America, often lasting into late spring and early summer (and, at least once, into August!). It maintains a small “locals’ mountain” vibe, complete with quirky staff, less stringent policies (at least compared to Vail resorts) and a more laissez faire atmosphere.

Best month to go

Mid-December to April

With its long season, it might seem like you could go to A-Basin almost any time. The snow is usually deep with good coverage for the majority of winter, from mid-December through April. Of course, that timeframe also includes some of the coldest months of the year in the highest of high country, so you’ll want to pack and layer accordingly if you visit from December through February. Arapahoe Basin doesn’t usually get too crowded, though like any resort it has times that are busier than others. These are typically over the Christmas / New Year’s holiday, the US federal holiday weekends in mid-January and mid-February, and spring break in March. During those times, you might see some crowding on the beginner and intermediate runs due to the simple fact there just aren’t many of them to begin with. That said, with its reputation for extreme terrain, it doesn’t really draw a lot of beginners and intermediates to begin with.

FLY TO

Denver International Airport

SHUTTLE TO

Arapahoe Basin (approx. 2.5 hours)

Base of Keystone (5-10 mi)

  • Most skiers stay here as there is no lodging at A-Basin
  • Wide range of accommodation options
  • 15 minutes drive away

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Summit Cove (5-10 mi)

  • Closest town to Arapahoe Basin
  • Wide range of vacation rentals
  • Quieter compared to Keystone

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Dillon/Silverthorne (10-15 mi)

  • Both towns are around 20 mins drive away
  • Inexpensive lodging
  • Limited nightlife

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Frisco (15-20 mi)

  • 25-30 minutes drive away
  • Inexpensive lodging; has many hotel and motel chains
  • Easy access to Breckenridge and Copper Mountain

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For beginners

Beginner terrain is limited here but if you must, the base area is a good learning area for beginners, with two magic carpets, the Molly Hogan Lift and a gentle slope for practising on. More experienced beginners can lap the greens off Black Mountain Express including the Wrangler, the longest green run here with wide and gentle turns through the trees.

More beginners tips

For intermediates

The resort has a handful of intermediate runs. You'll have a few good choices off Black Mountain Express we definitely think you should try out Larkspur and Columbine, two long groomed runs in the Montezuma bowl.

More intermediates tips

For experts

The advanced and expert runs are what Arapahoe basin is known for! Anything off the Pallavicini lift is great with steep trees, massive bumps, cliff drops, cornices and tight turns. This is how we'd tackle it: warm up on the Beach before heading up to the Pali Chair. From here try out the bumps on Pali Main Street and then duck into the Timber Glades when you're halfway down! Once you're out of there, weave through the boulders at Rock Garden and onto Poli Wog. 

More experts tips

Find freshies

Lap Pallavinci (Pali) until East Wall opens; then, dash over to the bowls in Land of the Giants and Lower East Wall. 

Ditch the crowds

You won't see many crowds at A-Basin, but if you do, it'll probably be around the Zuma Lift, which is the only chair on the backside, or perhaps The Montezuma Bowl and mid-mountain areas. 

Non skiers

Theres no tubing, sledding, heli or catskiing in Arapahoe Basin. There is the Frisco Adventure Park nearby, but Arapahoe basin is really all about the skiing and snowboarding.

Families

For families of differing ability levels should lap the runs off Black Mountain Express which serves a range of greens, blues and black runs. Cheaper lift tickets here are a great bonus for families though bear in mind there is no accommodation or resort amentities here.

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Arapahoe Basin Reviews

Very Good 4.2 / 5
based on 155 reviews

How well the resort caters for beginner skiers / boarders

Beginners

How well the resort caters for intermediate skiers / boarders?

Intermediates

How well the resort caters for advanced skiers / boarders

Advanced

How accessible and convenient it is to get to this resort from a major destination

Accessibility

Quality of the off-piste terrain

Side/Backcountry

Overall value for money of the resort

Value for money

Quality of lifts, lift speed and lift layout in the resort

Lifts

Quantity and quality of the snow

Snow

How uncrowded is the resort

Uncrowded

Après ski and dining options

Town

Services and facilities e.g. child care, tubing, health care, equipment hire

Facilities

How family friendly is this resort?

Family Friendliness
Superb!5 / 5Oct 20, 2017
PMPaige M.
A-Basin was where I first learned to ski and is still one of my favorites. The resort is beautiful, has a great food and drink options, friendly staff and awesome ski runs.
Superb!5 / 5Oct 20, 2017
KRKen R.
This is a great family resort with lots of runs for different abilities. We ski Arapahoe atleast 2 times a year. Great accommodations near by so we don't have to drive far to enjoy the amenities Arapahoe has to offer.
Superb!5 / 5Oct 19, 2017
LMLori M.
One of our favorite ski resorts to visit. Very family friendly and has a wonderful ski school for children. There are 2 nice restaurants to eat and have a drink after a day on the slopes. Also, ample parking and a nice store to purchase things you need are available.
Superb!5 / 5Oct 18, 2017
JGJt G.
Absolutely the best resort out there! Such a down home local feel. Really makes you feel at home. Montezuma Bowl is amazing and the new runs they are putting in look amazing.
Superb!5 / 5Oct 17, 2017
ARAleah R.
I love Arapahoe Basin because it's such a small town and the slopes aren't very crowded plus you can also rent bikes and commute around town which makes it really easy overall I think Arapahoe Basin is a really nice resort to ski at.
Superb!5 / 5Oct 15, 2017
AMAndrew M.
Fantastic mountain with a local flair! Big enough to get out and rip, especially on snow days, but doesn't feel as commercial as some of the other mountains on the I-70 corridor.
Superb!5 / 5Oct 13, 2017
RPRob P.
This a great little resort nestling in the rockies of Colorado. It has a family feel, everyone is so friendly and incredibly enthusiastic about the snow. It provides a great cross section of runs, from easy to challenging with access to some awesome backcountry.
Superb!5 / 5Oct 09, 2017
DLDalton L.
A true locals resort, Arapahoe Basin has many advantages over it's neighboring resorts. It is located close to Denver, offers extreme terrain at the famous "East Wall," and typically receives less traffic than neighboring Keystone. In addition to this, Arapahoe Basin competes to be the first resort open and last resort to close. Their season will... More
Superb!5 / 5Oct 09, 2017
DJDavid J.
Skiing or riding great terrain without the traffic and dangerous out of state visitors. The parking lot sits at about 10500 feet. The runs are steep and long.. the Beach is awesome...and don't miss out on the Bloodies......
Very Good!4 / 5Oct 07, 2017
JJason
Arapahoe basin is great for intermediate and advanced skiers, but not really for beginners. The terrain is mostly steep and at high altitude. There are lots of trees as well.