While most of you are still dealing with fall weather and pretending to care about football, resorts across Colorado are already in full winter production mode. This past week, Keystone, Arapahoe Basin, and Loveland all fired up their massive snowmaking machinery, blasting compressed air and water into the cold October nights. That familiar sound of snow guns echoing through the darkness means one thing: winter is coming, and it’s coming fast. Keystone is targeting a mid-October opening, making it one of the first major destinations to get the chairlifts moving for the season. It’s an ambitious goal that requires ideal conditions, specifically temperatures in the teens where snowmaking staff can really crank production. Each square foot of rideable man-made snow demands around 106 gallons of water—a staggering investment. A typical resort will churn through millions of gallons each season, with dedicated teams working brutal, 12-hour shifts around the clock to transform bare, rocky slopes into pristine, utilizable terrain. The usual suspects are all targeting late October or early November start dates. Wolf Creek was first to open last season on October 22, with Keystone and A-Basin following on November 2. These early-bird resorts have the infrastructure and determination to get people on the snow before Halloween, which is exactly what we need after months of watching old videos and realizing longboards are an inadequate substitute. What makes this early-season push possible isn’t just cold temperatures and expensive equipment. It’s the crews who genuinely love this industry enough to brave brutal conditions in the middle of the night. These are people who understand that getting the mountain open early matters, not just for the bottom line, but for every rider who’s been counting down since last April. The reality is that these October openings are rarely epic powder days. You’re riding on a narrow ribbon of man-made snow, probably on one or two runs, surrounded by dirt and rocks. But that’s not really the point, is it? That first day back on snow, even if it’s just a few laps on a man-made ribbon, feels like coming home after a long trip. It’s the moment when all that off-season training and gear prep finally has purpose again. So check the weather forecasts obsessively, watch the resort webcams like they’re streaming the Super Bowl, and start getting your setup dialed. The waiting is almost over. Go get your first laps. Read: Pre-Season Parks | First Tracks 2025 | Winter Storm-Cycle Forecast
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Kamis, 23 Oktober 2025
The Waiting Game is Almost Over
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