Located at 12,456 feet, il Rifugio at Arapahoe Basin ski area is billed as the highest-elevation restaurant in North America. It serves beer, wine, charcuterie and flatbreads to pair with 360-degree views of the Rocky Mountains. Perched on the ridge that separates the area’s frontside from backside, it is one of the investments Dream Unlimited Corp. made during its 27 years of ownership. Denver-based Alterra Mountain Company acquired the area in November 2024.
Littlebird felt better, though, after talking to A-Basin’s longtime chief operating officer, Alan Henceroth, whom he considers a friend he can trust. Master development plans are required by the U.S. Forest Service, which owns the land on and around Colorado ski areas. Typically the ski slopes are owned by the forest service while the base areas are situated on private land. In the case of A-Basin, the forest service owns both.
“We’re not looking at any expansions at this time,” Henceroth said, “and a major expansion like Montezuma Bowl or The Beavers seems really unlikely.” A forest service spokesperson said the new master plan would only cover potential improvements within A-Basin’s existing permit area, adding that A-Basin’s owners have committed to hosting a public meeting and making their plans publicly available before they submit them to the USFS.
“We don’t anticipate many changes,” Smith said. “In our operating models, since the very early days of Alterra, we honestly believe that decision-making is best made as close to our guests and our employees as possible. The authenticity of the mountain and the best decision-making comes from those who are most intimately involved in the day-to-day operation of these really unique businesses and really unique communities.
Andrew Stoller, who has lived in Steamboat for two decades, is mostly supportive of what Alterra has done there.