Conditions Report
Arapahoe Basin Conditions Report from Friday, May 15, 2026
For almost any ski resort in North America, having a ski season that stretches from October 26 to May 17 would be a dream come true. But for Arapahoe Basin, the ski resort with the third-highest base elevation in the United States, a closing date of May 17 marks the earliest in over a decade for the resort.
But instead of being all doom and gloom about the “early” closing date, the vibes were high at A-Basin on its closing weekend, because at one point this winter, things appeared to be much, much worse.
Quick Facts & History
- Date Opened: 1946
- Multi-Destination Pass: Ikon Pass
- Number of Trails: 147
- Skiable Acres: 1,428
- Vertical Drop: 1,936 feet (lift-served), 2,530 feet (total)
- Base Elevation: 10,520 feet
- Summit Elevation: 13,050 feet
- Average Annual Snowfall: 350 inches
- Terrain Breakdown:
- Beginner: 4%
- Intermediate: 23%
- Advanced/Expert: 73%
- Number of Lifts: 9
- Night Skiing: No
May 17 was not meant to be the closing weekend. As we all know, Colorado had an abysmal ski season that saw little precipitation combined with high temperatures, forcing ski resorts across the state to close early. A-Basin’s closing date was initially set at May 3, almost a month earlier than any time in over a decade. Shayna Silverman, the Communications Manager at Arapahoe Basin, said that at one point in early April, the resort feared they might not even make it to May, something that has only happened once in the resort’s history.
But thankfully, they were able to stay open through May, and then by some wild twist of fate, the powder tap turned on, dropping 2 feet of snow on the mountain in the first week of this month. It was a miracle May… First, it was one bonus weekend; now it has been two. Unlike other then-closed resorts across Colorado that got dumped on, Arapahoe Basin was one of the only resorts that was actually able to take advantage of the snow.
To give some crazy perspective–it has snowed more at Arapahoe Basin this May than it did in April. And it snowed more in April than it did in March. So really, what we are looking at are some of the best conditions on the mountain in almost 2 months. Everyone I talked with riding the lifts at Arapahoe Basin agreed. Many joked that the mountain was looking its best the entire season in early May.
So while this winter may have been a hard one for many skiers out West, for Arapahoe Basin, there has at least been a silver lining.
The cherry on top of that silver lining is that, finally, mid-day Friday, May 15, Lake Reveal finally emerged for closing weekend. While many locals had written off the lake ever appearing this winter, its surprise appearance is a welcome one and will only add to the vibes for closing weekend.
With more snow in the forecast for early this week, maybe, just maybe, there could be a chance for another weekend of lift-served skiing in Colorado. While the base of most trails was good but thin, if there is anything we have learned from this ski season, it is that you never really know what may happen…
Arapahoe Basin Ski Day Stats
Arapahoe Basin Snow Conditions
Arapahoe Basin Weather
Arapahoe Basin Photos
For more information, check out Arapahoe Basin’s website.
One thought on “Arapahoe Basin, CO, Report: Miracle May Allows the Lake to Finally Open”