Arapahoe Basin
08 June 1997

Weather

Rail overnight. Started heavily overcast, but dry. Gradually, the clouds came lower and around 10:30 it started to rain.

Conditions

Spring conditions. At higher elevations, there was a slight frost overnight, so the snow was a little crisp. It soon softened up, but not to the heavy conditions of the previous day.

Overall

Not a very promising start.

When I woke up after a very long nights sleep, it was raining. I got wet walking to breakfast and considered calling it a day and just going back down to Denver.

However, I had rental skis from A-Basin and by 8:00 was ready to go. It was still raining as I left the hotel, but it was clear at A-Basin, so I bought a lift ticket and gave it a go.

Unlike the previous day, there was not even a hint of blue sky; the only question seemed to be when it would start to rain!

Heading up the mountain, this time I started on Norway lift. Part of Norway Face had been groomed and there had been a hint of an overnight freeze, so the snow was actually in somewhat better condition.

The groomed section split into two near the bottom of the face. The first run was fine. The last 100 metres or so was 1 grooming machine width, but comfortably skiable. The other section was not finished and led into an ungroomed section of the bowl.

The rain came rather earlier than the previous day and it was barely 10:30 when I got to the bottom and called it a day.

Runs

Last updated: 13/07/97