Monday, April 6, 2020

April Update


Just over a month ago, I did a blog post on the “State of the Basin” following our big change in partnerships. After a slow start to the season, business had picked up nicely since Martin Luther King weekend and we had even begun worrying about crowds on Saturdays. The first 10 days of the 2020-21 season pass sales had been terrific. It is amazing how rapidly COVID-19 has completely turned our world upside down. Today is the 23rd day we have been closed.

The core of what we do at Arapahoe Basin is providing opportunities for people to have extraordinary mountain experiences. Not being able to do that is very frustrating and it is very hard on our business and our staff. Our primary action since the closure has been taking care of our employees, helping them get through this crisis. Secondary to that we have been trying to figure out when we can get our business started again offering those mountain experiences.

This evening Governor Polis extended the "Stay at Home" Executive Order through April 26 and the Ski Area Closure Executive Order through April 30. Our average closing day is in mid-June. Whether we are able to re-open again this spring is yet to be seen. I can tell you with absolute certainty that there is still a lot of time and we will not give up on trying to re-open. If it makes sense to re-open and if our community is ready for us to re-open, we will re-open. This closure has forced us to change and re-think many issues. No doubt the pot will be sweetened for 2020-21 season pass renewals. Please bear with us as we work through the very challenging months ahead.

Perhaps what I miss most through this closure is seeing our guests and employees having fun at Arapahoe Basin. I am thankful that over the past three weeks I have received a number of very kind messages of support from many of you. The Basin is a wonderful place, full of wonderful people. I look forward to seeing all of you on the slopes and trails soon. We miss you.