On February 5, 2024, Alterra Mountain Company announced their agreement to purchase Arapahoe Basin ski area, a well-loved Colorado destination, from Dream Unlimited Corp. Alterra is an American hospitality company, as well as the owner of Ikon Pass, a corporate conglomerate of several ski resorts around North America. This sale will bring Alterra’s extensive portfolio to a whopping 19 mountain destinations.
A-Basin, best known for its challenging terrain, laid-back atmosphere and raw ski culture, is located just 68 miles from Denver. It sits on the Continental Divide in the Rockies and offers some of North America’s highest-elevation skiing. Coloradans know that Pallavicini, the East Wall, the Steep Gullies, Beavers and Montezuma Bowl are amongst some of the most legendary runs in the front range. The Beach, a section of the parking lot at the base of the mountain, is home to one of Colorado’s longest-standing après traditions. Springtime at A-Basin is the epitome of ski culture. Simply put, this small ski area embodies the spirit of skiing in a pretty special way.
There has been a fairly large backlash on social media, as many locals are concerned for the integrity and culture of the ski area. The corporatization of skiing has been a very hot topic within the community lately. Comments like “another one bites the dust” are amongst the mass dialogue on the internet right now. But longtime leaders at the resort reassure us. Alan Henceroth, A-Basin’s Chief Operating Officer who has been with them for 36 years, will continue leading the resort with the intent to maintain the mountain’s unique culture. He will oversee daily operations as well as capital improvement plans, which include expanding parking and snowmaking.
“A-Basin has a long-time and loyal following among skiers and riders in Colorado and we care deeply about the culture of A-Basin that brings them back,” said Henceroth. “We have worked with Alterra Mountain Company since 2019 when we joined the Ikon Pass community, and we have every faith that Alterra is committed to helping us maintain A-Basin’s authenticity.”
In the last 27 years, the A-Basin Management team has expanded the ski area to 1,428 acres, opened the two highest-elevation restaurants in North America, and replaced all of the lifts and a majority of the buildings. In doing that, they stood strongly by their value for sustainability. In 2018, they pledged to be carbon neutral by 2025. They have taken massive strides towards this goal, recently announcing that they are using 100% renewable electricity.
Alterra Mountain Company claims that its goal is to “preserve, sustain and support its two most important resources: the mountains and the people who live and play in them.” The hope is that their recent sustainability initiatives will shine through and work in alignment with A-Basin’s recent progress.
Currently, there are no changes to 23/24 Ikon Pass access following this announcement. The transaction is presumed to close later in 2024 and is subject to certain closing conditions, including regulatory approvals. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Once the transaction has closed, more details will be released.