Colorado's Arapahoe Basin Opens Famous 'Steep Gullies' For First Time This Season

Matt Lorelli
·2 min read
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Arapahoe Basin Ski Area took to social media on February 12, 2024 to announce what pass holders have been patiently waiting for- The Steep Gullies are open.

The Steep Gullies are as-advertised. They're a series of technically challenging chutes that are amongst the most difficult in-bounds terrain in all of Colorado.

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Towering over motorists as they approach Arapahoe Basin from Dillon, CO along Loveland Pass Road, The Steep Gullies are as challenging as they sound.

The eight gullies are accessed by two in-bounds gates located off the iconic Pallavicini Lift with a short 30 minute hike required to return to the base area.

Considering the pitch and rocky makeup of the terrain, the ski area must wait for sufficient snow to build up before opening to them the public.

Arapahoe Basin does not report a seasonal snowfall total, but OpenSnow, who powers the ski area's daily forecast, is reporting an unofficial total of 152 inches on the season. The ski area added to their total with 9 inches of new snow over the last five days.

Check out Arapahoe Basin's tour of The Steep Gullies below:

Arapahoe Basin was in the news last week when Ikon Pass purveyor Alterra Mountain Company announced their intention to purchase the ski area from Canadian real estate company Dream Unlimited Corp.

Many pass holders expressed their concerns in the comments section of Arapahoe Basin's various social media posts. They fear that their beloved ski area will change under new ownership, and that an increase in Ikon Pass access will dramatically effect the number of skiers at the mountain on any given day.

There's a lot of uncertainty at the moment, but one thing has been made abundantly clear- Arapahoe Basin's COO Al Henceroth and his team are staying put.

I'm scheduled to chat with Al later this week about what Arapahoe Basin skiers can expect when Alterra takes over. Tune back in here at POWDER Magazine on Thursday, February 15th for my interview with Al.

Related: Alterra Mountain Company To Purchase Colorado's Arapahoe Basin Ski Area

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