Arapahoe Basin Applies to Replace Lenawee Triple and Enhance On-Mountain Facilities

Last week, Arapahoe Basin submitted an application to the USFS to proceed with several resort upgrades. The proposal calls for replacing the existing Lenawee triple chair with a high-speed lift, constructing a warming hut alongside the upper-mountain Lenawee Parks trail, and constructing a food service building adjacent to the mid-mountain Black Mountain Lodge. If approved, these upgrades would be completed over the following two seasons.

Our Take

On windy days, Arapahoe Basin’s Lenawee chair is without a doubt the most miserable chair at the resort (and up there with the worst in Colorado) due to its considerable exposure and slow speed. A high-speed replacement would do wonders by cutting the ride time in half, making the experience much more palatable. Given the terrain in this area, such an upgrade would especially improve the resort’s intermediate experience. 

As the main upper mountain lift, Lenawee can see high crowds during peak times (although they’re not nearly as bad as those at some other Colorado resorts). An upgrade to a quad or six-pack would presumably help move crowds more efficiently. However, the high-speed upgrade could also attract more visitors, which might then diminish some of the crowd flow benefits.

We found Arapahoe Basin’s facilities to be decent, with authentic meal options at fairly reasonable prices. However, these upgrades have the potential to elevate the experience to the upper tier. With both these lodges added, A-Basin visitors would have multiple dining options via short journeys from every chairlift. These upgrades would presumably also bring faster food-buying queues as well as more desirable indoor seating.

Considering a trip to Arapahoe Basin this winter? Check out our comprehensive mountain review. In addition, with COVID still a factor, see our guide on the state of 2020-21 resort operations.