Winter Is Here: Ski Season Starts Early as More Colorado Resorts Open
After a less-than-award-winning ski season last year, the 2018-2019 US ski season is off to a tremendous and earlier-than-normal start, courtesy of Mother Nature. Last week, the Wolf Creek Ski Area in south central Colorado powered up its lifts well ahead of schedule thanks to 30 inches of October snow. Now, two more Colorado ski resorts have announced opening dates this weekend.
Arapahoe Basin to Open on Friday
Arapahoe Basin (A-Basin), located 96 miles west from Denver International Airport (DEN) via I-70, has announced a start to the ski season beginning on Friday, Oct. 19, thanks to two feet of natural snow and temperatures that can accommodate additional snowmaking.
While A-Basin plans to be open seven days a week, not all of the terrain is ready for prime-time skiing. At present, Black Mountain Express and High Noon will be open as of 9am on Friday with additional terrain open as conditions permit.
Opening day tickets at A-Basin are currently available online for $50.99, with discounts available for children and seniors. An even better deal, especially if you plan to ski on pricier peak season days, is the four-pack available for $189. This gets you four unrestricted days of skiing during the season. Child's four-packs are available for those ages 6-14 at $119.
Loveland Ski Area to Open on Saturday
Not to be (too) outdone by nearby A-Basin in the annual race to open first, Loveland Ski Area will also open this weekend at 8:30am on Saturday with two feet of snow from Mother Nature — and a little extra help from the machines. Chet's Dream, the new high speed lift, opens on Oct. 20 with access to Catwalk, Mambo and Home Run available. Chet's Dream will be open from top-to-bottom with an 18-inch base.
Early season lift tickets at Loveland are $65 for adults and $31 for children 6-14. However, you could also get an even better "4-Pak" than A-Basin. The Loveland packs are just $169 for four lift tickets can be used by the same person or shared among multiple people on any day of the 2018-2019 ski season. You need to order your Loveland 4-Paks by Nov. 18, 2018.
Stay Near the Snow on Points
If you are looking for a points-friendly lodging option near both Loveland and A-Basin, check out the Hyatt Place Keystone located about five miles from A-Basin and 13 miles from Loveland. That property becomes an even sweeter deal at 15,000 World of Hyatt points per night once the family-friendly Keystone Resort opens (currently set for Nov. 9), but it also isn't a bad choice when doing early season skiing at A-Basin or Loveland.
When rates are lower, such as during the early season, paid rates may be the better play so you can earn points to use when rates increase during peak ski season (be sure and check for this offer).
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Rewards Rate
| 2X miles | 2 miles per dollar on every purchase |
| 5X miles | 5 miles per dollar on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Business Travel |
| 10X miles | 10 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Business Travel |
Intro Offer
Earn 200K miles when you spend $30K in the first 3 months, and an additional 200K miles when you spend $150K in the first 6 monthsLIMITED-TIME OFFER: Earn up to 400K bonus milesAnnual Fee
$395Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.740-850Excellent
Why We Chose It
The Capital One Venture X Business Card has all the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card has to offer and more. It offers an incredible welcome bonus and requires an equally impressive spend to qualify. In addition, the card comes with premium travel perks like annual travel credit. (Partner offer)Pros
- The Capital One Venture X business card has a very lucrative welcome offer.
- In addition, the card comes with many premium travel perks such as an annual $300 credit for bookings through Capital One Business Travel.
- Business owners are also able to add employee cards for free.
Cons
- The card requires significant spending to earn the welcome offer.
- Another drawback is that the annual travel credit can only be used on bookings made through Capital One Business Travel.
- LIMITED-TIME OFFER: Earn up to 400K bonus miles: 200K miles when you spend $30K in the first 3 months, and an additional 200k miles when you spend $150k in the first 6 months
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, everywhere—with no limits or category restrictions
- Earn 10X miles on hotels and rental cars and 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Business Travel
- With no preset spending limit, enjoy big purchasing power that adapts so you can spend more and earn more rewards
- Empower your teams to make business purchases while earning rewards on their transactions, with free employee and virtual cards. Plus, automatically sync your transaction data with your accounting software and pay your vendors with ease
- Redeem your miles on flights, hotels and more. Plus, transfer your miles to any of the 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Every year, you'll get 10,000 bonus miles after your account anniversary date. Plus, receive an annual $300 credit for bookings made through Capital One Business Travel
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®. Enjoy access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide, including Capital One Lounge locations and Priority Pass™ lounges, after enrollment
- Enjoy a $100 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Premier Collection
- This is a pay-in-full card, so your balance is due in full every month