The Celebration of July the 4th

Arapahoe Basin Ski Resort, Colorado

For those who are short in American history: During the American Revolution, the legal separation of the Thirteen Colonies from Great Britain in 1776 actually occurred on July 2, when the Second Continental Congress voted to approve a resolution of independence that had been proposed in June by Richard Henry Lee of Virginia declaring the United States independent from Great Britain's rule.

The Declaration of Independence of the United States occurred on July 4, 1776.

It was 243 years ago today. I have witnessed the great celebration of the Independence by the American people at the ski slope of Arapahoe Basin in the Summit County of Colorado. Here's a picture story below.

The last time A-Basin was open on July 4 was in 2011. Its longest season was in 1995 when the ski area stayed open until August 10. I was not in Colorado in 1995 but I was here in 2011 but I failed to be there. Due to the exceptionally good snow condition of the 2018-2019 ski season, A-Basin had decided to open on the Independence day at the end of June. There, I was ready for it. This was my first time.

I got up at 5:00 AM and drove up on the I-70 West to Loveland Pass (12,000 ft) and arrived at the Arapahoe Basin Ski slope at 7:00 AM. It was a warm morning at 44 degrees F. The sun was just rising above the Continental Divide. Normally, no one should be here at this early hour but, today, the parking lots were almost full when I arrived. There were about a mile-long line of cars waiting to get into the upper parking lot in both east and westbound lane.

A gentleman in white tuxedo. He is about to go skiing.

An atmosphere of July the 4th celebration was evident all around me.

Looking down into the lower slope of A-Basin. Only the half of the trail of "High Noon" was prepared by pushing the snow from the other half. Only traces of snow left at Ramrod trail in the center.

A long line of day ticket buyers waiting for their turn. I've never seen such a long line before.

The snow was pushed on to the lift area. Long lines of skiers waiting for the chairlift to move before 8:20AM.

Skiers waiting. Short pants and red-blue-white shirts for today.

It was a totally different atmosphere in Arapahoe Basin today compared to other spring or winter days.

Everyone was in fun and celebration moods.

The last slope of High Noon from the lift lines.

The main square of A-Basin filled with ticket buyers and other skiers.

Waiting for the chairlift to start.

A lady with a decorated white helmet with American flags.

A couple of guys in an animal and white costumes.

Another group with a red-blue-white uniforms.

On the way up the summit chairlift, I see the frozen ponds where they tried water skiing with their snow skis and snowboards.

Passing above the summit slopes.

At the summit. It was a good place to take pictures of the July 4th costumes.

The frozen lake. No more dunking into the water this morning.

The wider slopes turned into two narrow slips of snow.

The lower part of the High Noon slope. Long lift lines below.

The beautiful blue sky of the summer in Colorado. What are we doing here? Skiing and snowboarding?

A lot of cars illegally parked along the highway. Obviously, it must be OK to do that today.