More Than Two Feet of Snow Buries Colorado From May Storm

For skiers and snow fans, it's better late than never, right?



As a historically warm season in Colorado wound down, Mother Nature offered a reminder: it can always snow, even in May.



At Arapahoe Basin, that translated to nine inches of fresh powder this morning.



The ski resort's president and COO, Alan Henceroth, writes posts on his blog, describing news from around the mountain. After this storm, though, he just shared a photo of the snow stake looking as wintry as you'd hope.



Sometimes, you don't need words to convey an exciting message.



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Arapahoe Basin wasn't the only place that saw winter's return. Estes Park, in north central Colorado, has picked up almost 30 inches so far. Denver saw five inches. Flights have been delayed, some schools closed on Wednesday, and the roads have gotten slushy.



A bit more snow is expected, with warmer weather right behind it. Highs will reach above 80 in Denver next week, according to the National Weather Service. You'd be hard-pressed to find a better example of spring in Colorado.



The snow arrived ahead of Arapahoe Basin's closing weekend, Friday through Sunday, May 10, 2026. Until then, operations are paused at the ski resort. Towards the end of the season, Arapahoe Basin, like some other resorts, shifts to a weekends-only operating schedule.



"This is how we typically handle late-May, early-June operations when snowpack is low. And it is currently low," the resort explained on social media. "Being closed allows good stuff like this that we need to pile up, it saves snow surface, and it gives our staff a much-deserved break to finish the season strong."



In the meantime, Arapahoe Basin is open for uphill access for people with touring equipment who can't wait to get their fix.



The fresh turns they find should be a welcome, if delayed, send-off for Colorado's season that wasn't. First, there was low snowfall. Then, the unprecedented March heat wave came, cooking what little snow was sticking around.



If you don't have skins or touring bindings, lift tickets are only $39 for Arapahoe Basin's closing weekend.

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This story was originally published May 6, 2026 at 12:06 PM.