By Lisa Marie Mercer
Keystone
Located in Summit County, Colorado, the Keystone
resort is a member of the Vail
resorts family, which includes Breckenridge, Vail and Beaver Creek. For many years, it was both blessed and cursed with the distinction of being the best resort for novice skiers and families. It was blessed, because families and beginners loved the resort, but cursed because advanced skiers avoided it. However, this changed a few years ago, with the addition of the A51 Terrain Park and the Keystone Back Country Adventure Tour.
Features
Keystone is home to 3,148 acres of varied terrain. The resort has a 3,128 foot vertical drop. There are 121 trails, which are serviced by 20 lifts, including two gondolas, one express six-pack and five high-speed quads. In Summit County, Keystone is famous for its snow tubing and night skiing. Because of its location, it is usually the one of the first Colorado resorts to open. Keystone gets an average of 240 inches of snow each year.
The resort is made up of three mountains. Dercum Mountain has more than 50 beginner and intermediate trails. It is also home to the new A51 Terrain Park, which "Transworld Snowboard Magazine" ranked as one of America's best terrain parks. North Peak Mountain is famous for its challenging mogul runs, and the Keystone Outback boasts 800 acres of glades and bowls. It is also home to the Keystone Adventure Tour, which is a guided back country experience.
Pros and Cons
Keystone is the closest Summit County resort to the Denver International Airport. During the busy seasons, while people visiting other resorts will be stuck in traffic jams, you will already be at Keystone. That said, it is still at least a 90-minute drive, and in heavy snow, either 170 or the Eisenhower Tunnel may be closed. To get to Keystone, you either need to rent a car or take the Colorado Mountain Express Shuttle, which, depending on the season, can cost up to $90 per person. However, once you are in Summit County, Keystone is serviced by the free Summit Stage bus system. This is good news for anyone who wants to avoid the high price of on mountain lodging. However, of all the different Summit Stage resort bus stops, the Keystone stop is the furthest from the lifts. This means you have at least a 10-minute walk while carrying your gear. For most people, this is not an issue, but keep in mind that lugging gear at 10,000 feet is a lot more challenging than carrying it at sea level.
While everyone loves Keystone's early November opening, it is not without its issues. At the end of the day, everyone has to go down the same, super narrow, extremely icy trail. It is usually the site of a number of accidents.
Bottom Line
Most Keystone lift ticket packages give you the option of spending one day at Vail or Beaver Creek. Additionally, most Keystone tickets are interchangeable with Breckenridge or Arapahoe Basin. If you have a vacation planned for Keystone, be prepared to take these options. The other Vail Resorts offer better terrain, and a more interesting apres ski scene. That said, Keystone does have its benefits. Snowboarders love the terrain park, and if you have always wanted to try back country skiing under professional guidance, Keystone is the place to go. Additionally, the night skiing is a plus, for people who can't get enough. For this reason, many people book their vacations at Breckenridge, but ski Keystone in the evening.
Resources
About the Author:
Lisa Marie Mercer is the author of "Open Your Heart with Winter Fitness," "101 Fitness Tips for Women," "Breckenridge: A Guide to the Sights and Slopes of Summit County" and a novel, "Reflections in the Snow." She's been a fitness professional since the '70s, and has lived in New York City, Boston and Italy.
Photo Credits:
DK Wonsh Creative Commons
