Arapahoe Basin, CO – Officials at Arapahoe Basin Ski Area today announced that this Wednesday, Oct. 17, will mark the official start to the Colorado ski and snowboard season. The Black Mountain Express lift will start at 9 a.m. to shuttle guests to the beginning of the intermediate High Noon trail at mid-mountain.

“After a final tour with Tim and Scott, we are ready,” confirmed said Alan Henceroth, Arapahoe Basin COO. “We’re extremely excited to be the first ski area to open in Colorado. The staff and I can’t wait to see skiers and riders out on the hill having fun. That’s what we live for.”

Wednesday’s walk-up window price will be $64 for adult lift tickets, youth (15-18 years) $54 and child (6-14 years) $32. Children under age 5 ski free. These early-season rates at Arapahoe Basin will remain in place through Dec. 21, 2012.

There’s no word yet from neighboring Loveland Ski Area, A-Basin’s perennial first-to-open competitor, regarding their scheduled opening day, other than that it is likely to occur “in the next week or so.”

Neither resort, however, will earn the title for first to open in North America this season, for Wild Mountain in Minnesota, Killington in Vermont, and Woodbury Ski Area in Connecticut have all offered skiing and snowboarding thus far this fall on a limited basis.