Steep Gullies Hike Back Trail

The snowcats and snowmobiles have made it down The Steep Gullies Hike Back Trail to Rendezvous Point. This really speeds up our avalanche mitigation and trail preparation work.

We now have a good, wide, hikeable, skinable path for people to travel on out of The Beavers and The Steep Gullies. The Grand Portage is a clear and established, West to East traverse from The Bald Spot across the bottom of The Steep Gullies terminating at Rendezvous Point. From Rendezvous Point, skiers and riders have an easy 20-30 minute walk back to the bottom of Pali Lift.

When you hit the Grand Portage or The Steep Gullies Hike Back Trail, take a right, enjoy a pleasant tour through the woods and follow the signs.

With snow in the forecast, we may need this soon.

F#*K CANCER

Join us for a fun evening and a special fundraiser Wednesday, January 10 from 5:30 to 8:30 in the A-Frame. Two of our employees, Tim Finnigan and John Catrambone, have spent much of that last year in personal battles with cancer. On Wednesday, this community event will lend a hand to our good friends and give everyone a chance to scream "F#*K CANCER."

Check out the details below or go to arapahoebasin.com.

Another Compaction Roller Image

Here is another cool image of the compaction roller working in Zuma Bowl. You might recognize the big rock feature in MGD. Check out the snowcat tracks in the top left corner. The cat drivers have made it all the way to the bottom of Zuma Lift. The bowl is packed and poised and waiting for new snow.

Compaction Roller In Montezuma Bowl

We had a team working the compaction roller in Montezuma Bowl today. A winch operator is in the snowcat lowering the roller and a snow safety team member is on the ridge steering the roller remotely. Today they had a big impact in portions of MGD and West Zuma.

NYE @ BML

Last night the Food and Beverage team brought in the New Year at Black Mountain Lodge. Lobster, filet, great music and a bright, bright moon made for a stellar evening. Celebrating the New Year in New York (10 PM Colorado time) and being home in bed when the clock struck midnight was especially good.

Revelstoke

Good to see a "Spacin' at the Basin" sticker at the summit of Revelstoke.

Finishing Touches On The Lazy J

The Lift Crew is putting the final touches on the Lazy J rope tow. It has been through its final inspection and just about all of the paperwork is complete. We are fine tuning the grooming around the lift. Smooth sailing into Montezuma Bowl with this Telecorde. And yes, you can skate or walk to Zuma if you don't want to use the tow.

Touring Loafer and Alex and Lower Davis

I went for a very nice tour out in The Beavers this afternoon. Upper Loafer was in excellent shape with one tricky break-over we need to cover just past Beaver Bowl. Alex was just WOW. That was the first time I had skied it with good snow cover since all of last summer's fantastic trail work. Great glade skiing with ideally spaced trees. You will love this one. We finished the tour off with a ski down Lower Alex, a traverse on the Grand Portage and a nice skin up the The Steep Gullies Hike Back Trail.

In an earlier post, I mentioned getting this terrain open will be a little tricky in its first season. We are in that tricky window right now. The Beavers is just about ready to open (much of it is ready). We are still working on the exit route across the Grand Portage and up the Hike Back Trail. The Steep Gullies still have a ways to go, but I anticipate some public Beavers skiing associated with the next decent snowfall. We have some serious fun coming our way.