DENVER, CO - The Colorado ski season bounded to one of its earliest starts ever this morning with Loveland Ski Area opening its chair lifts to skiers and riders. At 9:00 am this morning, with its lifts in motion and an 18-inch base, Loveland became the first ski resort in North America to open for the 2009-10 season. Loveland’s opening, combined with recently announced pass deals and new improvements at Colorado resorts, has skiers salivating about the turns that await them this season.

The race to be the first resort to open in Colorado, and the first in North America to open for the season, has been a long-standing tradition for Colorado Ski Country USA (CSCUSA) member resorts. For many years, the bragging rights have been claimed by either Arapahoe Basin or Loveland Ski Area. Last year, these two resorts both opened on the same day, October 15th. This was the first time Colorado had two resorts open on the same day for the season.

Loveland and Arapahoe Basin sit on opposite sides of the Continental Divide, and are generally the front runners in the race to open, due in part to their high elevations, which bring colder temperatures and earlier frosts.

Loveland won the opening day challenge for six consecutive seasons, from 1999 to 2005, Arapahoe Basin took the following two seasons, 2006 and 2007, and last year was dead even.

The CSCUSA resorts were taking advantage of the cold temperatures and ideal humidity conditions to make snow. Arapahoe Basin began snowmaking operations on the night of September 22nd, and Loveland got things started on the eve of fall, September 21st.

Not only have cool temperatures during the day and cold temperatures at night made for ideal snowmaking conditions, but Mother Nature brought her own snow showers to Colorado a couple times already this season. Last week, a snowstorm swept through the mountains. Resorts, including Aspen/Snowmass, Steamboat and Copper, reported anywhere from a dusting to a couple of inches.

Now the wait is over and Ski Season has officially begun.

Copper Mountain is slated to open on November 6th and Aspen/Snowmass is scheduled to open around Thanksgiving. For more information on resorts, scheduled opening dates, and pass programs, visit www.ColoradoSki.com.

Copyright 2009 Colorado Ski Country USA. All rights reserved. From http://www.coloradoski.com.
To view the Internet Travel Monitor Archive, click http://www.tripinfo.com/ITM/index.html.