TheSkiReport’s Breakdown of Arapahoe Basin
TheSkiReport
Arapahoe Basin isn’t your typical ski resort. There are no luxury lodges, no crowded villages—just a raw, high-alpine mountain with incredible terrain and a community that’s all about the skiing. While it’s definitely known for it’s steeper runs and expert terrain, there’s something here for everyone who loves a good adventure. The vibe is laid-back, the snow is legit, and the experience feels a little more intense compared to your average resort.
First off, a huge thank you to Arapahoe Basin for having us out. We were there on Thursday, March 6th, and the day couldn’t have started better. Perfect visibility, cold temps, and fast snow made for some unreal morning laps. But if you know Colorado, you know how quickly things can change. By the afternoon, a storm rolled in, and the top of the mountain turned into a full whiteout. The wind picked up, visibility dropped, and just like that, the mountain showed a different side of itself. But honestly, that’s part of the A-Basin experience—unpredictable, exciting, and always keeping you alert.
Stats of A-Basin
A-Basin is known for its unreal stats that make it a top Colorado mountain for skiers. Here’s a breakdown:
State: Colorado
Distance From Denver Airport: 83 miles
Skiable Acres: 1,428
Base Elevation: 10,520′
Summit Elevation: 13,050′
Terrain Breakdown:
Beginner: 7% – A-Basin is more suited for experienced skiers.
Intermediate: 20% – A solid amount of terrain for intermediate skiers to enjoy.
Advanced/Expert: 72% – The majority of the terrain is designed for advanced and expert riders.
Number of Lifts: 9
Date Opened: 1946
Zones Overview
The Front Side
Arapahoe Basin’s Front Side offers a variety of terrain, with a focus on intermediate and advanced runs.
Favorite Trails
The Gulch: The G had some unreal gladed spots, which gave us a great place to get our legs under us at the start of the day. The trees offered some tight rips, making it a pretty dope warm-up spot.
PowerLine: A solid blue run with deep powder in the bowl. It’s a perfect way to start your day, offering some great lines to carve through to get dialed.
As you take the Black Mountain Express Lift, you’ll notice Black Mountain Lodge off to the left – a cool place to grab some food or relax for a bit. The top of the lift also offers some incredible views of the East Wall, a must-see aspect of the mountain.
Black Mountain Express Lift
On the Front Side, beginner terrain is pretty limited to just a few green runs, and one around the Molly Hogan Lift. There are only four green runs in total, and while A-Basin’s focus is definitely on more advanced skiers, these greens are perfect for beginners to get comfortable. The rest of the Front Side consists mostly of blue runs, making it an excellent area for intermediate shredders.
The trails off the Lenawee Lift are a bit tougher, with a handful of blues that give a solid challenge for intermediate skiers. Overall, A-Basin has solid terrain for intermediates, but it’s not the best place for beginners looking for a variety of easy runs.
Overall Grade: B+
Steep Gullies
The Steep Gullies at Arapahoe Basin are some of Colorado's toughest in-bounds terrain. Offering eight chutes and two access gates (Gates 1-3 and Gates 4-8), this area is designed for experienced skiers who want to push their limits. Known for its steep pitches, tight chutes, and unpredictable snow conditions, it’s a crazy challenge for anyone looking for an intense, inbounds ride.
Favorite Gullies
Gully 1: The only Gully we hit, it’s intimidating as you approach the drop-in, but once you start, you’ll find some nice snow on one.
SG1
You can access the Steep Gullies off the Pallavicini & Beavers Lifts, which drops you at the top of some of A-Basin’s most difficult terrain. The gullies are narrow, usually filled with deep pow, and take solid control and experience to get down safely, and not smoke a rock patch. With the gates offering different routes, skiers can choose from different levels of difficulty, but all take a high skill level & experience.
For those who are ready to take on the challenge, the Steep Gullies are an unforgettable part of the Arapahoe Basin experience. With incredible terrain, jaw-dropping views, and the thrill of the descent, it's an area that stands out for the big time skiers.
Overall Grade: A+
The Beavers
The Beavers
The Beavers at Arapahoe Basin offer some of the best glade skiing on the mountain, with steep pitches, deep snow, and plenty of tree-filled terrain for advanced and expert skiers. While The Beavers has its own lift for access once you're over there, you can also get in by taking the Pallavicini Lift, heading down West Wall, and then cutting over to Davis, which will drop you right into the area.
What sets The Beavers apart is the heavily gladed terrain. The two blue runs here, Loafer and Davis, are some of the steepest blue trails on the mountain. They serve as main routes, with a ton of expert terrain branching off of them, offering technical tree runs and deep snow pockets that make this zone a true playground for advanced riders.
Favorite Trails in The Beavers
Thick & Thin – A deep-snow run with tight tree placements and some pretty steep pitches. It’s a great test of control and balance as you weave through the glades.
Jetta – A heavily gladed run off of Loafer, Jetta is an unreal, steep tree run that gave us a run for our money. It’s part of what A-Basin calls The Dog Woods, an area with four trails named after the first avalanche rescue dogs at the resort.
Overall Grade: A
Pallavicini (Pali)
Pallavicini Lift
The Pallavicini area, or Pali, is home to some of the most iconic and challenging terrain at Arapahoe Basin. Accessible via the Pallavicini Lift, this zone is a playground for advanced and expert skiers who love steep, technical runs. The alleys between the Steep Gullies offer incredible skiing, with a mix of rocks, trees, and steep gladed terrain that keeps things exciting all day long.
This area gets its name from the Pallavicini Couloir on Grossglockner, Austria’s highest peak—fitting for a zone that delivers some of A-Basin’s most intense lines. While Pali is known for its expert terrain, it does provide access to a few easier blue trails, offering a bit of variety. However, the heart of this area is the gnarly glade skiing found right under the lift, which can get technical fast.
Favorite Runs in Pallavicini
The Spine – The snow here was incredible, constantly refreshed by the wind depositing deep stashes. If you're looking for soft, untouched turns, this is the place to find them.
Wildcat – This run drops right off Pali and gave us some dope turns. Skiing it in a whiteout made for a gutsy line, with it being limited visibility.
Wildcat Trail
Overall Grade: B+
East Wall
East Wall
The East Wall at Arapahoe Basin is as big-mountain as it gets. This zone is home to some of the most extreme in-bounds terrain in Colorado, offering ridiculous chutes that push even the best skiers to their limits. To access these lines, you’ll need to hike, and every route here is strictly for advanced and expert skiers.
Hiking East Wall
This area is loaded with exposed rock, tight chutes, and steep drop-ins, making it one of the most challenging in-bounds experiences in the state. Theres a line that even requires to rope in, which speaks to just how technical this terrain can get. Unlike most resort terrain, the snow here is often less consolidated, meaning conditions can be variable with windblown pockets, rock exposure, and some seriously tight lines that take focus.
For those willing to make the hike, East Wall delivers a raw, high-alpine experience that few ski areas in Colorado can match. The views from the ridge are breathtaking, but the skiing itself is not for the weak.
Favorite Chute: North Pole
North Pole – The last line on the ridge hike and generally considered the "easiest" of the East Wall chutes. When we skied it thursday, it was the only line along the ridge without a mandatory drop-in. The actual skiing wasn’t too different from some of the steep terrain off Main Street near Pallavicini, but the hike to the ridge was arguably the most intense part of the experience for us.
Overall Grade: A+
Montezuma Bowl (Zuma)
Montezuma Bowl, or “Zuma,” is one of A-Basin’s most exciting zones, offering wide-open bowl skiing, steep chutes, and incredible glades. You can get there by taking Black Mountain Express to Lenawee Lift, then hopping on the Lazy J rope tow, which brings you right into the bowl.
We hit Zuma early in the day when the sun was shining, making for unreal riding conditions. The Mountain Goat Traverse is the key to accessing some of the best terrain, from incredible glades to steep hike-to lines. If you're willing to take your skis off and hike west, you’ll find some steeper, more technical terrain that is rewarding.
Favorite Trails in Montezuma Bowl
Long Chute – Dropping straight into Zuma Bowl through Long Chute was an amazing experience. The snow was soft, the terrain was wide and open, and it made for some of the best turns of the day.
Torreys – A gladed run accessed off the Mountain Goat Traverse, Torreys was a standout. Tight trees, great snow, and a technical challenge made it one of our favorites in the bowl.
Long Chute Trail
Overall Grade: A-
Best Mountain Feature
Lazy J Rope Tow.
One of the coolest features at A-Basin is the Lazy J Rope Tow, added in 2017. It’s a rare gem at most mountains and a game-changer for skier flow. The tow ride takes about a minute and a half, offering unreal views and a smooth connection from the top of the Lenawee Mountain Lift to Montezuma Bowl. With the capacity to move up to 1,200 skiers per hour, it keeps the mountain flowing and gives skiers a unique experience. Installing the Lazy J was a smart move by A-Basin—it adds a fun and convenient touch that makes the whole mountain feel more connected.
Overall Experience
A-Basin delivered on all fronts, from the Front Side to the East Wall to the Steep Gullies—it had everything The Ski Report could have asked for. The Steep Gullies were the highlight of the day, pushing us to our limits and getting the adrenaline pumping. Every part of the mountain held its own and proved just how legit A-Basin really is. The crew had an incredible time, and A-Basin absolutely earned its well-deserved A rating from The Ski Report.