North America's 5 Highest Ski Resort Base Areas Are All Located In One State

"Ski area base elevation often determines how cold it stays at the lodge, how early the season can start, how well the snowpack holds through spring, and how the mountain skis on a warm March or April afternoon. In an era of increasingly unpredictable winters, high base elevations are becoming one of the most valuable attributes a ski resort can have."

"Sitting atop the Continental Divide alongside the Eisenhower Tunnel on I-70, Loveland's 10,800-foot base makes it the highest-based ski resort in North America. No other lift-served area on the continent starts higher. The high base keeps temperatures cold and snow dry long after the lower elevation resorts have gone slushy."

"Arapahoe Basin's sky-high base is behind one of the longest ski seasons in North America, with the ski area consistently opening in October and staying open into June. In the biggest snow years, lifts can run into July. Just over an hour from Denver along I-70, it pairs proper expert terrain on the East Wall and Pallavicini chair with a beloved base tailgate culture."

Base elevation significantly impacts ski resort operations and conditions, determining lodge temperatures, season start dates, snowpack durability through spring, and skiing quality during warm afternoons. As winters become increasingly unpredictable, high base elevations represent one of the most valuable attributes ski resorts can possess. Colorado dominates North America's highest-based ski resorts. Loveland holds the highest base at 10,800 feet, offering reliable snow and excellent value. Arapahoe Basin at 10,780 feet features one of North America's longest seasons, opening in October and operating into June or July. Monarch Mountain at 10,727 feet operates independently and receives approximately 350 inches of annual snowfall from its Continental Divide location.

Read at Unofficial Networks