No, this isn't another throwback post, today, October 13th I welcomed in the 2013-14 ski season at Colorado's very own Arapahoe Basin Ski Resort. Ever since the first snow hit the mountains a few weeks back, my roommate and I had slowly been counting down the days until ski season started. It turns out my dances to the snow gods worked (or something like that). Thanks to a few inches of snow cover in the last week and the magic of snow making machines, A Bay officially announced on friday that they would officially open the gates 8:30 am Sunday morning. Any pre-existing plans were instantly dropped on the spot, we were going skiing.
Waking up groggy eyed to my alarm at 6:45 this morning, I rolled out of bed and began to pull on my ski gear. Wool socks were followed by shorts and snow pants. Beanies were stuffed into coat pockets, gloves into ski boots, after triple checking our passes were still hanging around our necks, we grabbed our gear and headed out the door.
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On the road at 7:30, we got in the car and headed West, where all the greatest adventures are waiting to be had. Snow capped mountains peek over the foothills in the distance.
Making our way towards the mountains, we passed the all-too-familiar landmarks any Colorado skiier can name by heart. Idaho Springs came and passed, the Georgetown scenic train chugged along the side of the mountain, and the bumblebee yellow Camaro monster truck stood proudly in front of the trailer park as it always does. Soon enough we had traversed Loveland Pass, crossed the Continental divide, and landed ourselves in the A Bay upper parking lot.
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| First official skiing picture of the year, proudly taken in the Arapahoe Basin Upper Parking Lot. |
Buckling boots, strapping helmets and zipping jackets, skis over-shoulder, we made our way to the base of the mountain. While it was only half an hour since the lift had started running, the lines were long. Like us, many other skiers and snowboarders across the state couldn't wait to get back on the mountain.
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With one lift open and hundreds of eager snow-enthusiasts wanting to get their opening day ski in, lift times were between 20 and 40 minutes long, for the short 2 minute trip back down the mountain. Worth it? Absolutely.
After the first grueling wait in the lift line, we had finally made it to the front. Passes scanned, we shuffled to the yellow "WAIT HERE" line in the snow. The four person chair swung around the corner and scooped us up. The feeling of the chair lifting you off the ground and up the mountain is one you will never forget, and let loose a feeling of bliss when we began to ascend the hill, officially starting our 2013 ski season at 9:16 on October 13th.
Getting off the lift at the top, we skied over to the top of the one run they had open for the day. Amidst the mess of people making their way down the hill, the moment was surreal, it seemed like it was just me, my skis, and the mountain. Carving my way down the hill, I was still in awe at what I was doing. It was the middle of October, Not even two weeks from Halloween, and I was skiing. 65 back in Denver and a torrential downpour back home in the midwest, I had found a slice of heaven that just happened to be covered in a blanket of snow.
Ending the day with 7 runs, quite a few hours of waiting in line, and numerous impromptu snowball fights in the lift line, we packed up the car and headed back in the direction of Denver, leaving a successful opening day behind us. Starting my ski season almost a full 12 weeks ahead of last year, things are looking good, and there is no doubt there will be another ski report to come in the near future.
Until next adventure,
-jf
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