[PHOTOS] These 3 Colorado Resorts Have Started Snowmaking

Loveland Ski Area and Copper Mountain, in Colorado, began snowmaking yesterday, joining Arapahoe Basin, who fired up its snowguns on September 23rd.

• Related: Which Ski Resort Will Open First This Year? #RaceToOpen

Copper Mountain not only kicked off its first day of snowmaking operations late last night but also received its first snowfall in the village.

Loveland’s snowmakers fired up the snow guns at 12:30 am on Tuesday morning, laying down the first manmade flakes of the season on Home Run. Mother Nature also chipped in with an inch of natural snow. Loveland began snowmaking on October 12 last season.

Arapahoe Basin began snowmaking on September 23rd and also received natural snow yesterday. In 2007, the resort opened on October 10th.

Copper Mountain is making preparations to host early-season alpine race training, expected to start on October 20. Young racers from across the country will head to Copper to log some early season turns ahead of the winter season. The Stifel U.S. Alpine Ski Team is expected to arrive at Copper in November to train at the U.S. Ski Team Speed Center, the only full-length downhill training venue available in the world this time of year. Copper Mountain is the Official Training Center for the U.S. Ski & Snowboard team and is the only resort in Colorado to hold this distinction, offering year-round training opportunities for alpine, snowboard, and freeski athletes.

Both Arapahoe Basin and Loveland will open as soon as they can, both vying for the title of ‘first to open’. Copper Mountain will open to the public for the 2023/24 winter season on November 13.

Here’s a list of the first resorts to open over the last 15 years or so:

22/23: Wild Mountain, Minnesota – October 18th
21/22: Wolf Creek, Colorado – October 16th
20/21: Wild Mountain, Minnesota – October 19th
19/20: Arapahoe Basin, Colorado – October 11th
18/19: Wolf Creek, Colorado – October 13th
17/18: Arapahoe Basin, Colorado – October 13th
16/17: Arapahoe Basin, Colorado – October 21st
15/16: Killington, Vermont – October 18th
14/15: Arapahoe Basin, Colorado – October 17th
13/14: Arapahoe Basin, Colorado – October 13th
12/13: Wild Mountain, Minnesota – October 18th
11/12: Wolf Creek, Colorado – October 11th
10/11: Sunday River, Maine – October 23rd
09/10: Loveland, Colorado – October 6th
08/09: Loveland, Colorado – October 7th

So who do you think it’s going to be? Who’s your money on? Let us know…