Tag Archive for: A-Basin

A-Basin historic photo
Evelyn Kanter

Happy Anniversary Deals and More Deals

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Lucky us. Several resorts marking milestone anniversaries this season are celebrating with steeply discount deals for lift tickets, and others are discounting prices just for fun- our fun. Some lift tickets are just $9 on certain days, even $3.75, even free. Now that I have your attention, here’s where the deals are –

Arapahoe Basin Ski Area– better known as A-Basin or “The Legend” – is marking its official birthday the first weekend in December, Friday, Dec. 4 through Sunday, Dec. 6, with giveaways, a live DJ, a moonlight dinner, a short film about the ski area’s history and more.

The “more” is $80 lift tickets every Wednesday all season. On early or late season Wednesdays, this price will drop to $50.

Also, skiers and riders 80+ ski or ride FREE every Wednesday all season.  We love free.

More also – A-Basin will be running an “80-day scan challenge.” For the first 80 days of the season, each time a guest scans their A-Basin or Ikon pass, they will be entered to win 80 different prizes, including the grand prize — a Mike Wiegele heli-skiing trip.

A-Basin historic photo

Photo Credit: Arapahoe Basin Ski Area

Aspen is celebrating its 80th anniversary with season-long special events and offers at all four of its resorts, including Snowmass, Buttermilk and Aspen Highlands.

It all starts with Wintersköl, Aspen’s annual toast to winter since 1951. On Saturday and Sunday, December 12 and 13, lift tickets are $80 across all four mountains. On December 14, the day the lifts first operated in 1946, tickets drop to $3.75, the same price they were on opening day.

During those dates, on-mountain dining outlets will run $19.46 food and beverage specials, and a limited run of anniversary apparel will be available during the season, both online and in-store, throughout the season at Aspen Collection, Aspen One’s premium apparel brand.

Of course, these super-deals are limited and likely to sell out. Once purchased, they are non-refundable and non-transferable. From there, the season keeps delivering, including X Games Aspen, the Toyota U.S. Grand Prix, the 50th annual Aspen Gay Ski Week, and so much more. A calendar that stays stacked from opening day through slush turns in the spring.

Editor’s Note – the 70+ Ski Club is spending two weeks in Aspen/Snowmass this season.

Purgatory Resort is pricing lift tickets below $50 on 95 days during the 2026–27 ski season, including $9 tickets on select dates. That’s about 70% of its scheduled operating days.  Kids 12 and younger ski free all season with the Power Kids Pass, with no blackout dates.

Purgatory is scheduled to open Friday, Nov. 20, weather permitting.

Schweitzer has a new Learn to Ski in 3 program for guests ages 13 and older, which bundles three days of lift access, lessons and equipment rentals for $405. Participants who complete it earn a special “grad pass” for unlimited mountain access in March and April. There’s also a 3-Pack pass for $249.

More Resort Anniversaries with Season-Long Events

Blue Mountain turns 85 this winter Ontario’s largest ski and snowboard destination is planning to throw it back to some of the best ski memories with events, live music, and ski vibes from the 80’s, 90’s and 00’s.

Mammoth Mountain’s Unbound Terrain Parks – boasting 10 terrain parks, 2 halfpipes, 100+ jibs and over 40 jumps covering 100 acres – are celebrating 30 years this season, with special merchandise, activations and buildouts rolling out throughout the winter.

Panorama is turning 65 and turning back the clock to celebrate 65 years of memories with epic après and retro events all season long.

Sierra-at-Tahoe also celebrates its 80th Anniversary this winter with events all season, highlighting the mountain’s history from its early days post-WWII to moving to its present location, expanding to 2,000 skiable acres and becoming an early champion of snowboarding and terrain parks.

This winter marks Brighton‘s 90th Anniversary, celebrating nine decades of unforgettable turns, deep powder, and an incredible mountain community. Guests can expect special anniversary events, limited-edition merchandise, throwback moments, and a few surprises throughout the season.

Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

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Are older skiers the Rodney Dangerfields of the slopes? Sometimes it feels like ski resorts show us no respect.

Consider that there are no Epic or Ikon senior discounts, and, in the case of some Ikon resorts, there no longer are local season passes and the senior discounts associated with them.

Some of the big players are doing very well. Vail Resorts, which owns Epic, reported a 58% increase in second quarter net revenue over second quarter 2017. Part of the increase was a one-time bonus from the new tax law; part of it was from increases in lift ticket and season pass products.

Like any other business, the ski industry follows the money. Which brings me to one of the key findings from our most recent reader survey. Fifty-six percent of all respondents spent $1000 to $5000 per person on skiing and related activities last season. More than 10% spent $5000 or more per person.

The same can’t be said for Millennials and Gen-Xers, the industry’s primary target markets.

One in five U.S. skiers and boarders are 52 or older. Our survey, which had more respondents than any of our previous reader surveys, showed an average of 15 days on the hill. More than one-third skied 23 days or more.

For those bottom line oriented ski executives who may be reading this: We use your facilities more and spend more than the youngsters. Think twice before removing senior discounts.

 

New Canadian Resort to Have Longest Vertical in North America

Valemount Glacier Destination is being developed in the Cariboo Mountain Range in British Columbia. When completed, it will have the longest vertical drop in North America (6726′) and the third longest in the world. Developers expect it to become a year-round skiing and sightseeing destination. Near Jasper National Park, the area already has substantial infrastructure. When completed, there will be skiing on several mountains, the largest of which is Mt XXXX, which summits at XXXXX ‘. The resort is a 75 minute drive from Jasper. It is located on the trans-Canada rail line and has a local airport within walking distance of the resort base. Larger airports are several hours away.

According to Tomas Oberti, project manager, the first phase is expected to open for day skiing in December. Full build-out of the project will occur over 20 years.

More on Valemount Glacier Destination at http://valemountglaciers.com.

Seven Skiers Die in Alps Storm

Seven skiers on the Haute Route in Switzerland died in a sudden storm in early May. They were part of a guided group forced to overnight in freezing temperatures. Adding to the tragedy: they were just a few hundred meters from an alpine hut. Elsewhere in the Alps, the storm claimed the lives of another seven climbers and tourists. It was the most loss of lives in Switzerland since 1999, when 12 died in an avalanche in the Valais.

 

The Daily Senior Skier Skinning Session at Arapahoe Basin

Doris Spencer is 72; Kent Willoughby, 79. They have been skinning up A-basin for nearly 18 years. This short documentary inspired me. I expect it will do the same for you.

 

Snowbird’s One Star Season

The Bird just issued this one-minute video summary of the season. The resort characterizes 2017-18 as a “one star” season, but you’d never know it from the skiing and boarding in the video.

 

Baltimore Ski Club Celebrates Member’s 90th Birthday

Dave Karczmarek, BSC Director of Ski Trips, recognizing John Wotell on his 90th.

John Wotell turned 90 in February, and the Baltimore Ski Club recently turned out in force to celebrate. A long time skier, he and his wife, Ann, were active members of the Ski Club of Maryland since the 1960s. For years, he was president of the group and made “President for Life” when he stepped down. He celebrated his 90th at Big Sky. Happy Birthday, John!

 

 

Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

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I hope you’ve been following the new weekly Mystery Glimpse feature.

It’s our way of drawing attention to ski museums. The idea is to ask readers to identify old photos or pictures of objects from museum collections. Mike writes copy explaining where the item comes from and links it to the institution’s website. We figure the more you know about the place the more likely you are to visit and support it. The first Mystery Glimpse images came from The Alf Engen Ski Museum in Park City. Soon they’ll be coming from the Vermont Ski and Snowboard Museum in Stowe and the Ski Museum of Maine in Kingsfield.

If you’re a friend of a ski museum that might want to participate, please let them know what we’re up to.

It’s not a museum, per se, but the International Skiing History Association does an outstanding job preserving and communicating about the history of skiing. Their bi-monthly magazine, Skiing History is one of those very special and superbly executed small magazines. The diversity of articles and always interesting graphics make it one of my favorites.

If you enjoy skiing’s past and haven’t already taken advantage of the free digital Skiing History subscription available to SeniorSkiing.com subscribers, I urge you to do so. You can find the link under Community/Subscriber-Only Content on the menu bar.

Mike and I are preparing for the SIA/Outdoor Retailer trade show next week in Denver. We’ll do our best to deliver a full issue.

Apex Ski Boot System

In one of last year’s reader surveys, we learned that 25% of you planned to purchase new boots. Your reasons had to do primarily with comfort, warmth, and fit. All of which contribute to performance.

If you’re thinking about new boots, I seriously recommend exploring the options in the Apex Ski Boot System. Apex is an alternative to conventional ski boots.

Apex combines a boarder-type boot with a detachable outer shell. An easy to use cable system allows for convenient adjustments. They are a staple in ski shops around the country. Domestic and international outlets are listed at the Apex Ski Boot System site. Also on the site are locations of demo centers in Colorado, California, Vermont and New York.

I skied them a few years with great satisfaction and look forward to trying them again. Excellent performance with improved comfort, warmth, and fit: If you’re among the 25% planning to purchase new boots, look at Apex.

The Better Mountain Cam

Resorts around the US are improving their Mountain Cam technology with Prism cameras. I don’t quite understand how it works, but Prism is a big improvement over the more conventional cameras currently in use. Following links are to Prism cameras (not too pretty in the fog and snow): Sun Valley, Tamarack, Deer Valley, Park City, and Mount Snow.

Colorado

Several Colorado Ski Country USA resorts offer an array of women’s programs. Most feature instruction. Some include meals, networking opportunities, yoga and other wellness activities, etc. They’re listed below. Visit websites for more information.

  • A-Basin: Legendary Ladies Clinic meets Wednesday mornings.
  • Aspen Snowmass: Women’s Edge Program four day clinic has been running for 30+ years.
  • Copper Mountain: Women’s Wednesdays.
  • Crested Butte: Women’s Tips on Tuesdays is a weekly half-day class.
  • Eldora: Women’s Days Program
  • Loveland: midweek Women’s Only Clinics.
  • Monarch: Women’s Wednesdays.
  • Powderhorn: Ski Like a Girl.
  • Silverton: All-women heli-skiing weekend Feb 10-12 in the San Juan Mountains; April 6-8, Annual Silverton Sisters’ Meeting weekend for experts-only.
  • Steamboat: three-day Women’s Ski Camp clinics.
  • Telluride: 36th anniversary of Telluride Women’s Ski and Wellness Week. Resort also offers its SheRide Women’s Snowboard Camp for every level boarder.
  • Winter Park: Women’s Ski Camps
  • Wolf Creek: Ladies’ Ski and Snowboard Clinics on specific Sundays

Europe

The Alps are getting good snow. I recently learned about Alpskitour Snow Adventures, a group of European ski professionals that organizes five day resort-to-resort guided alpine ski tours. Accommodations are lovely. Whether or not you plan to go, the website is fun to visit.

Parisian auction house Drouot will auction the official 10th Winter Olympic Games’ (Grenoble) torch, Wednesday 24 January at Drouot Auctioneers, Paris. Estimate: €40,000 / 50,000.

Utah

The public is invited to meet the U.S. Olympic Moguls and Aerials Team 2-3PM, Tuesday, January 23 at Deer Valley’s Snow Park Lodge Plaza. The team will compete at the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang, South Korea.

The Essence

This short video from Black Diamond gets to the essence of the ski experience. Not all of us will spend our time skiing backcountry, but the message in BD’s video should resonate with every older skier.

Finally

 

 

I hope you’re getting in more skiing than I am, here on the Colorado Plateau. On a hike a few weeks ago, I came across this track in the sand. Aren’t bears supposed to be checked in to Holiday Inn this time of year?

© 2026 Seniors Skiing

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