DENVER -- Two Colorado ski resorts tied Wednesday morning to be the first resorts in the country to open for the season.

Arapahoe Basin announced Monday that it would open with one lift running at 9 a.m. Wednesday. On Tuesday, Loveland Ski Area said it would start the season Wednesday too -- at 8:30 a.m. Shortly after, Arapahoe Basin updated its Web site to say it, too, would open at 8:30 a.m.

Both resorts have an 18-inch base. Loveland has one mile of runs, and a top to bottom run that covers 1,000 vertical feet.

7NEWS reporter Jim Hooley said it was a "beautiful morning" with plenty of room on the lifts and on the hill Wednesday.

For the 13th straight year, snowboarder Nate Dogggg (yes, that's how he spells his name) was one of the first people up the lift. He and friends started camping out Tuesday evening to get their spot in line.

Bill Gillette said he planned to take his first run straight down with very few or no turns.

Loveland Ski Area said it started making snow on Sept. 24 but warm weather forced a stoppage until the temperatures cooled again on Oct. 4.

"Our crew has been working hard to make sure we could take advantage of every opportunity to make snow over the last couple of weeks," said Snowmaking and Trail Maintenance Manager Eric Johnstone. "It finally paid off and we will start the lifts tomorrow with an 18-inch base and tree to tree coverage."