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  4 of 5, "Worth a day trip" 29/01/2011 @ 19:29 |
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| Revision #1 (Last edited: 29/01/2011 @ 19:41) |
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| Booked Trip Through |
| American Ski Classics |
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| Times Visited |
| Just Once |
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| Review Detail |
This is a subset of my main review - http://www.goneboarding.co.uk/review/breckenridge-usa/productid/1136/showproduct.aspx
A-Basin is a ski hill rather than a resort in the vein of Keystone or Breckenridge (i.e. The base area is just one bar/cafe), but definitely worth a visit if you're in the area, and it's covered on the Summit pass along with Keystone and Breckenridge.
The best part is the Montezuma bowl, with a few blues and lots of blacks. |
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| Strengths |
| Montezuma bowl |
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| Similar Resorts Visited |
Canada - Whistler, Fernie, Mount Norquay, Lake Louise, Sunshine Village
USA - Lake Tahoe, Breckenridge, Keystone, Vail
France - Morzine, Avoriaz, Tignes, Les Arcs, La Plagne
Austria - Kaprun, Zell Am See, Filzmoos, Flachau |
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| 4 of 5, "Ride the Legend" 20/01/2007 @ 21:51 |
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| Price Paid |
| $380 for Colorado Pass |
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| Booked Trip Through |
| Live locally |
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| Times Visited |
| 15 Times + |
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| Review Detail |
Arapahoe Basin nestles on the continental divide, and has around 490 acres of mostly blue and black runs, with plenty of black diamond, and double diamond terrain. Nicknamed A-Basin, or the Basin, and achieving the 60 year milestone, this is very much a local's mountain enjoyed by visitors for its small size, and great Bloody Mary's.
The base has a ski school, ski patrol, a rental/repair facility, and a hut containing a small giftshop, cafe and bar. There are 2 lifts leaving the base area (not including the bunny slope), the exhibition, leading to the mid-way area, and the Pallavacini, leading to some expert terrain on the west side of the mountain. From the mid-way area, 2 lifts take you to the ridge, and the basin literally opens up in front of you. |
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| Strengths |
| Lots of Expert terrain, cliffs, and steeps |
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| Hot Spots |
East Wall when open, anything west of the Pallavicini, the Falcon.
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| Weaknesses |
| Not good on a crowded day |
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| Similar Resorts Visited |
| Any small resort |
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 5 of 5 21/11/2005 @ 20:08 |
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| 2 of 2 people found the following review helpful: |
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| Times Visited |
| 15 Times + |
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| Review Detail |
A-basin is a good place to go in summit county when you want to get away from all the bullshit going on at breckinridge, copper, or keystone. The resort is low-key (no condos or shops, just a cafeteria and bar), and the mountain, while somewhat small, offers more terrain diversity than most anywhere else.
The Base Area:
Not much going on at the base, rental shop, cafeterrhea and a bar (good bloody marys). The parking lot is right next to the lift, so if you get there early your car is literally a few yards from the lift. This is where the action is. Tailgate BBQs, kegs & coolers of colorado brewed beer, people relaxing between runs. I actually watched two kids from boulder poppin ecstasy while listening to booty house in their car here. Funtimes dickin around in the lot.
The Terrain:
Much of A-basin is above treeline. There is the eastwall, which usually has a kicker or two at the top, is steep with cliffs and boulders. The west wall has nice cornices varying in size from maybe 10ft to 2ft. The other side of A-basin is Palvachini, which is steep tree runs, and plenty of cliffs. On a good snow day the basin rules because the steeps keep you moving through the pow. They have a park, but it isn't anything special.
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| Strengths |
| Old School. Steep, natural, alpine terrain. Opens early in the season and keeps a killer base through June. Big plus: you don't have to ride the damn bus to get to your car. |
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| Hot Spots |
| The parking lot is like a freakin dead show, where's my veggie burrito? |
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| Weaknesses |
| Flat light when you are above treeline - ya can't see sh*t. Cold, it gets very cold at the top with no trees to cover you. |
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