Keystone
Keystone ski resort is celebrated for its family friendly culture, but is a good all-round friendly resort for everyone. Their motto is “everything is here” which pretty much sums it up. There is a large ski area, modern lifts, a vibrant village, plenty of activities, outdoor concerts and the infamous night skiing.
Where is Keystone?Keystone is part of Summit County in Colorado along with the neighbouring ski resorts of
Arapahoe Basin (only 10 minutes away),
Copper Mountain and Breckenridge. With an area lift pass you can ski at these resorts as well as
Vail and Beaver Creek, and there is a free shuttle bus service between the resorts. Conveniently, Keystone is located only an hour away from Denver International Airport.
Ski and Snowboard TerrainIntermediates love Keystone because there are oodles of smooth cruisers, but there is also ample terrain across the 1,279 hectares for all ability levels, the only exception being terrain for extreme skiers. There are three mountain peaks accessible from the Keystone village base. Dercum Mountain has lots of easy family-friendly terrain with slow zones to make sure the little ones don’t get bowled over by speedsters. North Peak is characterised by steep mogul runs, or if your knees are already ruined there are also groomed runs. The Outback has dark blue and black terrain including tree skiing. And if you want something a bit special, there is also cat skiing in Independence Bowl.
Keystone isn’t blessed with as much snowfall as most
other USA ski resorts, so the resort does their utmost to make up for it. The grooming is exceptional and extensive snow-making also ensures the trails are adequately covered.
In keeping with their family-friendly status, Keystone has a huge area for night skiing which includes the parks and pipes. The lights and lift operation is fully wind powered - it’s good to know that wind has a useful purpose in a ski resort rather than just making it chilly.
Keystone Accommodation and FacilitiesKeystone is purpose-built rather than being an old mining-town, so it’s got plenty of well designed amenities but is lacking when it comes to quaintness. The largest base area is River Run which has a pedestrian village that includes shops, restaurants and accommodation. The other villages are Lakeside and The Mountain House.There is a family focus at Keystone, and whilst the nightlife is not absent it certainly isn’t a super party town. In addition to bars and restaurants, there are also an abundance of activities on offer including ice skating, sleigh rides, indoor tennis and special events. Accommodation is mostly in condominium style lodging, and there are also a few hotels and B&Bs.
Why Ski or Snowboard at Keystone?Keystone is owned by Vail Resorts and subsequently has some similarities to the mega-resort. Lift ticket prices are at a premium, but plenty of money is channelled back into the facilities. The resort continues to evolve with improvements undertaken each year to both the village and the ski area. A new River Run gondola has been a recent enhancement for Keystone.
All in all, Keystone is a great destination for a snow holiday, or a “vacation” as the locals would call it.