'A Lot Of Smiling People': A-Basin Reopens After Days Of Avalanche Mitigation
SUMMIT COUNTY, Colo. (CBS4) - Saturday was the perfect day for skiers to hit the slopes at A-Basin. With all the new snow they received and the warmer temperatures, lines for tickets were long.
"Boy the snow's great, the conditions are great and people are loving every second of it," said Alan Henceroth, the Chief Operating Officer of A-Basin. "There's a lot of smiling people around."
Saturday was the first day A-Basin has been open since Thursday. The resort had to shut down because of significant avalanche danger.
A slide hit close to home about half of a mile away on U.S. 6 on Thursday and Friday. A slide on The Widowmaker pushed 30 to 40 feet of snow and debris onto the road. The Colorado Department of Transportation and A-Basin worked together to clean it up.
Crews also performed avalanche mitigation on The Professor.
"It is a big job to clear up something like that. We had a couple snow cats, a couple of loaders, a dozer down there. It's a ton of work," Henceroth said.
For the resort and the skiers who come here it's a double-edged sword. All the new snow means great skiing conditions and a longer season, but the avalanche danger it creates makes traveling to the mountain and staying safe a challenge. It's a trade off some are willing to make.
"This is great snow. We got a heck of a long season ahead of us still so short-term setback, but long term, it's a big big gain" said Henceroth.
