Arapahoe Basin

High, steep and old-school on Loveland Pass.

A-Basin turns 80 this season and still feels like a skier’s hill: a small base, a summit at 13,050 ft and 73% advanced or expert terrain, including the East Wall and Pallavicini. It has the longest season in Colorado, often into late spring. Best for confident skiers; it’s now on Ikon, not Epic.

The mountain

Vertical drop

2,530 ft

Summit

13,050 ft

Skiable terrain

1,428 acres

Trails

147

Lifts

9

Average snowfall

350″ a year

Longest run

1.5 mi

Snowmaking

9% of terrain

Terrain mix

• Beginner 7%
• Intermediate 20%
• Advanced 73%

What’s here besides skiing

• Terrain park
• Snowshoeing
• Kids programs

Holidays and events

2026–27 dates where they’re posted. “Usually” means the date follows past years. Confirm before you go.

• ChristmasDec 24, 10–11:30 am

  Santa at A-Basin

  Santa takes a few runs on Christmas Eve, followed by free hot chocolate in Mountain Goat Plaza.

• New Year’sDec 31, 7–11 pm

  New Year’s Eve Moonlight Dinner

  Ride, snowshoe or skin to Black Mountain Lodge for champagne, a buffet and live music, with the countdown at 10 pm on East Coast time.

• FestivalDec 4–6

  80th Anniversary Weekend

  Events every day to mark 80 years since 1946: uphill and breakfast, demo days and a birthday party at the 6th Alley.

• RaceApr 14

  A-Basin Enduro

  Teams of two lap the Pallavicini lift for 10 hours to raise money for a local in need, then dinner and an auction.

Where to stay

• hotelKindred Resort

  A-Basin’s featured lodging partner: a new hotel and condos at Keystone’s River Run village.

  15 min drive
• hotelThe Block Hotel & Commons

  Budget-friendly Silverthorne hotel with a social lobby and bar.

  25 min drive
• hotelBest Western Ptarmigan Lodge

  Simple, good-value rooms in Dillon by the lake.

  20 min drive
• innSki Tip Lodge

  Historic inn and restaurant on Montezuma Road in Keystone, on the way to A-Basin.

  10 min drive

Rates are typical winter lows before taxes and fees, and change constantly. Book on the property’s own site.

Things to do

• Il Rifugio · Summit

  European-style bistro at 12,456 ft, billed as the highest-elevation restaurant in North America. Opens around mid-December.

• Black Mountain Lodge Moonlight Dinners · Mid-mountain

  Themed evening dinners at the mid-mountain lodge; ride up or snowshoe or skin under the stars.

• Snowshoe tours · Base area

  Self-guided snowshoe package: rentals and a chairlift ride to 11,500 ft, then hike down. Ages 7 and up.

• Keystone Lake skating · 15 min drive

  Big outdoor rink on the lake in Keystone’s Lakeside Village.

Après and nightlife

• 6th Alley Bar & Grill

  The base-area bar and grill, home of A-Basin’s low-key après and themed pairing dinners.

• The Beach

  The slopeside parking row where people grill and tailgate, at its best on spring afternoons.

These themes are our summary of recent skier reviews, not quotes.

Getting there

• Denver International Airport (DEN) · about 1 hr 45 min drive
• Denver · about 1.5 hr

Directions in Google Maps