While we haven't had much snow this year to make for a good ski season, places like Keystone, Colorado continue to accumulate blankets of soft powder. There is still plenty of time to get in some exceptional runs while introducing your kids to a sport you can enjoy together your entire lives. In fact, Keystone Resort will be open to at least March 31st. Beyond that is weather dependent, however, the timing lines up very well for most of us in Chicago with an early spring break this year.
The author was hosted to facilitate writing this article. All thoughts and opinions expressed are their own.
After only a two hour flight on Southwest Airlines from Midway to Denver, (skis/snowboards fly free by the way), we boarded the Epic Mountain Express for the one hour, forty-five minutes ride to the mountain. It was a relief to have this door-to-door transportation available versus worrying about getting a taxi or Uber that could accommodate our equipment. As we admired the scenery along the way, we passed by some relatively small ski resorts and kept thinking Keystone would look similar. Boy were we wrong!
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Keystone Resort is actually the largest ski area in Summit County, Colorado. It occupies more than 3,000 acres of skiable terrain across three peaks and five bowls. There are 20 lifts and 139 trails, the longest being a beginner run called Schoolmarm that is 3.5 miles long.
Fun Fact: While we were there, on February 8, 2024, Keystone became Colorado's newest town.
What we loved most about Keystone Resort:
1. There is an excellent balance of beginner and intermediate runs to advance runs. 12% of the runs are for beginners, 39% for intermediate, and 49% for advanced skiers/riders. This is ideal for families or friend groups with members that are just starting out or want to take it easy (like me), and others who want to challenge themselves like never before. We even saw a paraskier in the sky!
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2. There is a great mix of terrain from wide open bowls to serene glades, with magnificent views from every perspective. With peaks as high as 12,408 feet, the panoramas from the summit are other-worldly.
New this year, the Bergman Express lift, a high-speed 6-passenger chair, provides access to fifteen new trails. These trails are so desirable that prior to the new chair, skiers would either hike into the Bergman and Erickson bowls, or pay a snowcat driver to give them a ride!
3. Keystone is one of only a handful of Colorado resorts that offers night skiing/riding. Night skiing/riding is open on most weekends and holidays and is included in your day pass.
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4. There is so much more to do beyond skiing/riding for the whole family.
a. We enjoyed a Sleigh Ride Dinner experience. We boarded a horse-drawn sleigh, cuddled up in warm blankets, and went on a beautiful journey under the stars to an authentic homestead. Along the way, we learned all about the horses and the Soda Creek Valley. It was a pretty cold night, so the hot stew and biscuits that waited for us inside was the most welcoming reception we could have asked for. Hot cocoa for the kids and shots of peppermint schnapps for the adults soon finished the job of warming us up. We had a choice of entree between steak, chicken, or salmon all of which came with mashed potatoes and roasted vegetables. A guitarist sang folk songs as we devoured our meals before returning to the sleigh for our return trip.
On each table, behind the seating cards, is the recipe for the stew. Make sure to grab it. It was really delicious.
b. In River Run, (the village at the base of the mountain), there is an ice rink. You can also ice skate on the frozen Keystone Lake, right outside the Keystone Lodge and Spa. A section has even been made into a hockey rink if you want to slide a puck around.
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c. Adjacent to the ice rink, in River Run, is a playground. There is also a fun, Wild West themed playscape right at the base of the mountain.
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d. The snow fort at the top of Dercum Mountain is really cool (literally, as my son pointed out.) It is the world's largest mountaintop snow fort. The little ones will surely believe it is one of Elsa's creations. The ice feels like glass, but is as hard as concrete. The art carved into the walls kinda drops the gauntlet for ice sculpturers everywhere. It is a safe place for kids and parents alike to play in the snow or fly down one of the built-in slides.
e. Also at the top of Dercum Mountain is mountaintop tubing. Look for the yurts next to the snow fort to enter. You can purchase tickets to ride the gondola to just go tubing, or you can take a break from skiing and slip in a few runs. The speed, the steepness of the drop, and the surrounding vistas, all make it exhilarating. Be aware, children must be 42 inches to ride. Also, if you are wearing ski boots, you cannot connect your tube to another person's tube. There is a magic carpet that will bring you and your tube back to the top of the tubing lanes each time.
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Don't forget to stay hydrated to avoid altitude sickness! Base elevation alone is 9,280 ft.
5. Keystone is a part of the Vail Resorts network and hence features the Epic Pass system. The Epic Pass system offers a myriad of lift ticket options. You can purchase local season passes, regional season passes, or passes for 1 – 7 days with access to a group of 22, 32, or all 38 owned and operated North American and European resorts. Aside from season passes, an Epic Day Pass is the most economical way to purchase your lift tickets in advance, as the cost per day decreases with each additional day on your pass. Passes go on sale for the next season, the prior spring, and are available for a limited time. Some passes have date restrictions, so be very thoughtful in selecting the right pass for your future season plans.
Passes for the 2024/25 season are now on sale! Purchasing the Epic Pass now allows guests to ski and ride at resorts like Breckenridge for as low as $93 per day and Keystone for $71 per day. There is an Epic Product for every type of skier.
There are different benefits to each pass type, but all holders of an Epic Pass receive 20% off food, lodging, lessons, rentals, and more. Living as close as we do to Wilmot Mountain at the Wisconsin border, presents an added advantage to buying an Epic Pass. The Epic Day Pass with All Resorts Access includes matching bonus days that can be used at Wilmot. Therefore, if you plan a trip to any Vail Resort, you can get some days of practice in, for free, at Wilmot before you go.
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6. Keystone offers group lessons (ski and snowboard) for children and adults as well as private lessons. After 30 years of skiing, I was able to take my first lesson from one of Keystone's world class instructors. 30 years had been enough time to develop terrible habits that I just couldn't seem to break and that made skiing increasingly difficult for me, especially when trying to keep up with my family. Everyone has been offering me advice for years on what I needed to do, but it just wasn't registering. Any improvement seemed hopeless. However, I am happy to report that the way Cathy Spierling explained some techniques to me finally clicked. I had a true "Ah ha" moment.
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7. In addition to the great meal we had at the homestead, we had some other meals worth mentioning both on and off the mountain.
a. After we arrived on our first day, we ate at 9280' Sake House. Steaming ramen bowls were a great choice for our ravenous crew.
b. We had grab-and-go breakfasts, first from the Lakeside Deli at our hotel, the Keystone Lodge and Spa, and secondly from the Inxpot in River Run Village. The breakfast sandwiches from both locations were huge hits.
c. Our first ski break was spent at Summit House at the top of Dercum Mountain. The food court had lots of choices from burgers and salads to Tandoori Chicken. The second day on the mountain we ate at LaBonte's Smokehouse where I had what might have been the best chili I have ever tasted. Take in the sweet bbq aroma while lounging on the snow beach right in front of LaBonte's. It's a fantastic place to "skier-watch."
d. Since my son and I tended to end our day before the other two rippers, we started our après-ski early, with a small pizza and hot chocolate (Mexican for me), at Rotolos Craft & Crust. We also après-skied into dinner at Kickapoo Tavern. If you have nothing else here, have the pretzel bites!
e. Lastly, for some casual elegance, eat at Bighorn Bistro and Lounge at Keystone Lodge and Spa. It is quiet, spacious, and has a beautiful view of Keystone Lake.
Don't forget to use show your Epic Pass at all resort restaurants for a 20% discount. (Gift shops too!)
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8. Keystone Lodge and Spa was the ideal place to stay for this quick trip. It is only a ten minute shuttle ride from the base of the mountain at River Run. The lodge provides complimentary shuttles when requested at the front desk, and will come pick you up to return whenever you call. They do a good job of keeping track of whoever may be in queue and making sure they are picking up the right parties.
One of the best amenities of the property was the complimentary ski storage at the gondola. It makes such a difference to not have to lug all your equipment back and forth each day.
Lastly, shout out to Mimi at the front desk. She was incredibly helpful and friendly, starting our whole weekend off on the right foot.
When families stay and play for two or more nights, kids 12 and under ski FREE! You just can't beat it!
9. Despite being a huge resort, the overall vibe was still that of a small, family-run, ski slope. Everyone we ran into seemed to have some sort of connection to the founders, particularly Bill Bergman who recently passed at the age of 99, and many had a love story of how they visited once and then moved to the area as soon as they could.
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Perhaps not as well known as some other Colorado ski resorts, Keystone was an impressive discovery. My husband is an expert skier, my kids are very advanced, and I will generously call myself intermediate. Keystone was a place where we could all ski at our own level and pace and equally appreciate the experience. Between the benefits of an Epic Pass, the kids ski free program, and being merely a stone's throw from Denver International Airport, in my opinion, if you are considering a ski trip out west, it's kind of a no-brainer. And if you haven't been considering it, perhaps now is the time.
