Photos: See Why Arapahoe Basin Just Extended Ski Season Another Weekend

If you've been whining about the rainy weather pattern that's hung around Denver for weeks, you're not alone. But in the mountains, that rain turned to snow — and as a result of a jaw-slackening 84 inches of accumulation since mid-April, Arapahoe Basin Ski Area, which officially opened the Colorado...

By Michael Roberts

May 28, 2015

Audio By Carbonatix

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If you've been whining about the rainy weather pattern that's hung around Denver for weeks, you're not alone.

But in the mountains, that rain turned to snow — and as a result of a jaw-slackening 84 inches of accumulation since mid-April, Arapahoe Basin Ski Area, which officially opened the Colorado ski season last October 17, has announced that it will extend its season by at least one weekend.

The resort — one of only three major ski areas still open in North America at this writing — had originally planned to close on Sunday, June 7. But the white stuff is present in such abundance that it will remain open on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, June 12-14.

After June 7, A-Basin will be closed the following Monday through Thursday to preserve the snow for the big weekend and what's described as "limited skier services." On June 12-14, the Black Mountain Express and Lenawee Mountain lifts will run from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. , with terrain available based on the conditions.

Speaking of which: The ski area was actually open through June 22 last year, with skiing until July 4 in 1993, 1996, 1997 and 2011. The all-time record-setter was 1995, when the last day of skiing at A-Basin was (no, this isn't a misprint) August 10.

Get more details at arapahoebasin.com/summerski. In the meantime, check out the following photos showing conditions at A-Basin over the past couple of weeks.

Send your story tips to the author, Michael Roberts.

Michael Roberts began his career with Westword in 1990 as music editor. In 1999, he took on a new role, full-time media reporter, as author of a column called The Message. In 2008, he became the lead writer for Westword's news blog, The Latest Word, a position he held until January 2023. Michael continues to freelance for Westword, covering everything from business to sports and the media; he also contributes to Jazziz, a national music magazine. He holds a bachelor's degree from what is now Colorado Mesa University and master's degrees from the University of California, Los Angeles, and Northwestern University.

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