#Arapahoe Basin Ski Area
In the twenty-first century, ski resorts are not built with tinker toy towers, Army surplus generators, and a wing and a prayer. In the mid-1940s, when skiing had all the appeal of a deep freeze, convincing investors that there was great fun in the snow on the snowy slopes of the Continental Divide, was a hard sell at best. Nonetheless, a hardy group of pioneers sold stock, cut down trees, put up “lifts” and voila – a legend was born.
Arapahoe Basin opened in December of 1946 with help from Larry Jump and his directors including Max and Edna Dercum. The inaugural season opened with a single rope tow and $1.25 daily lift tickets. Now at sixty-three years strong, A-Basin is just hitting its stride.
