Winds causing delays at A-Basin Ski Area
The main issue for ski resorts isn't the cold right now, it's the wind speeds.
"Wind holds happen occasionally," Alan Henceroth, COO of A-Basin told CBS News Colorado. "A wind hold for every single lift is very unusual, like maybe 5-10 years unusual." That's exactly what happened Thursday morning, as dozens of skiers and riders waited patiently to get on the lifts. Eventually, only one lift would end up running, but folks didn't seem to mind or mind the wind and cold.
"You know, if it is worth the ride down, it is worth the ride up there, right?!" asked snowboarder Charlie Coy.
Happy folks finally being let onto the lift at @Arapahoe_Basin after wind delays.
— Spencer Wilson (@Spencer_WNews) December 22, 2022
Ski patrol told me they were registering wind gusts from 40 MPH up to the high 60s.
Nothing stops dedicated skiers and riders from getting to the pow. @CBSNewsColorado pic.twitter.com/5HUzoJnlq0
Ski patrol was able to confirm with CBS Colorado conditions around 11 A.M. Thursday morning. The mid-mountain was sitting around -7 degrees, tops of the mountains were more like -12 degrees. Factoring in the windchill, it felt like -41 degrees. That's from the steady winds gusting from 40 MPH to the high 60s.
"We did have a slow start this morning, it's cold, not near as cold as a lot of places in the state and the west," Henceroth said. He noted the snow is fantastic, if only for the issues with the wind. "There were lots of conversations about opening today, the wind made it a real easy decision, not a fun decision."
Still getting something moving was enough to lift spirits...with hopes the afternoon might have better conditions.
"I will be skiing this afternoon, Henceroth laughed. "Gonna wait for it to warm up a bit."