Keystone set to open on Wednesday

On Monday, Keystone Resort — joining nearby Arapahoe Basin, which opened Sunday — issued the following press release on its Wednesday, Nov. 1, opening:

After more than a foot of new snow and the return to cold temperatures for snowmaking over the weekend, Keystone Resort announced today that it will open for the 2023-24 winter season on Wednesday, Nov. 1, with 2 miles of skiing and riding on the signature Schoolmarm and Silver Spoon trails.

Additionally, skiers and riders will have access to a hike-to terrain park on Spring Dipper and beginners will have access to learning terrain at the top of the River Run Gondola, utilizing the Kokomo Carpet. In celebration of Opening Day, guests who arrive early will be treated to free donuts and hot coffee, as well as prizes for our first-in-line guests. DJ experiences at the River Run base area and the Summit House at the top of the gondola will keep the party going throughout the day.  

“Winter is here, and we couldn’t be more excited,” said Chris Sorensen, Vice President and General Manager at Keystone Resort. “Our teams have worked so hard to make this day possible, and it is such a privilege to kick off what will be a really special year for us at Keystone. Later this season skiers will have lift access to Keystone’s high alpine terrain for the very first time, thanks to the debut of our high-speed, six-passenger Bergman Express chairlift. This new lift will be a gamechanger for our resort and is just one of the many exciting things we have to look forward to this season!”  

Early season terrain will be accessed via the River Run Gondola, with skiing and riding off the Montezuma Express lift.  At the end of the day, guests will download the River Run Gondola back to the base of the resort. Keystone will continue to make snow at every opportunity to expand terrain offerings this early season and will aim to open the Mountain House base area in mid-November, weather and conditions permitting. 

Starting Wednesday, the resort will be open daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and until 7 p.m. during night skiing operations which will return this season on Fridays, Saturdays, and holidays, starting at Thanksgiving. 

For more information on what’s new and what to expect for the 2023-24, read below and check out the full update on the Keystone blog. 

Coming Soon: Bergman Unlocked 

Get ready to adventure further to new heights at Keystone with the new high-speed 6-passenger Bergman Express lift set to debut this winter season! Rise high above the trees where you can zig-zag through glades or make wide-open bowl turns that are snow-much-fun. Make your mark on our mountain playground, and for the first time ever at Keystone, get a lift to more than 550 acres and 16 trails of high alpine fun in Bergman and Erickson Bowls.While there is some snowmaking to support ingress and egress trails to access the new Bergman Express lift, the newly lift-served skiing and riding experience will primarily depend on natural snow to open for the season. The resort is targeting a mid-Dec. or early January opening, depending on Mother Nature. Stay tuned for more information on the highly anticipated opening of the new Bergman Express lift this winter. 

Mountains of Fun 

This winter at Keystone, skiers and riders can look forward to mountains of fun ahead, including the return of the World’s Largest Mountaintop Snow Fort, New Year’s Eve Fireworks, our signature Springtastic Slush Cup, and more. In addition, classic Keystone favorites will return including snow tubing, ice skating, night skiing, sleigh rides, and the Kids Ski Free program.  

Sunset on the Slopes 

Night skiing returns on weekends and holidays this winter, based out of River Run Village and the River Run Gondola. With a few adjustments to hours and operation dates this season, locals and visitors can ski and ride under the lights on Friday and Saturday evenings until 7:00 pm, plus during key holidays including Thursday-Saturday of Thanksgiving Weekend and every night from Dec. 23-31. The late-night fun kicks off on Thanksgiving, and the full night skiing schedule is available at KeystoneResort.com. 

More reasons to carpool with your #KeySquad! 

Snow days are better with friends, especially when that means prime parking spots. This year, Keystone has doubled the number of carpool and family parking spaces in its River Run parking lot. This change is intended to help the resort better utilize its available parking spaces for guests, while encouraging more sustainable behavior that supports a better resort parking experience and is also in line with the resort’s commitment to achieve a net zero operating footprint by 2030. Guests with children 12 and under in their vehicle, as well as vehicles with 4 or more passengers, will get access to free, up-close parking spaces in the River Run parking lot. Family and carpool parking spots are offered on a first-come, first-serve basis, so arrive early for the best chance to grab a spot up close! In addition, free parking is offered every day of the season at Keystone in the River Run and Mountain House East lots. 

Epic Pass & Lift Ticket Information 

2023-24 Epic Pass products, including regional passes and day passes, are still on sale and available to purchase this early season for a limited time! Don’t miss your chance to lock in the best value in skiing and riding by purchasing in advance, with a variety of options for every type of skier and rider from Epic 1-7 day passes, the Epic Local Pass and the full Epic Pass. Visit EpicPass.com for more information and to purchase.    

Your Pass, Now on Your Phone with the New My Epic App 

New this season, the My Epic app with Mobile Pass and Mobile Lift Tickets is now available to download, allowing guests to use their phone as their ticket to the slopes.  

Mobile Pass and Mobile Lift Tickets is a hands-free option for skiers and riders to use at all 36 of Vail Resorts’ owned and operated U.S. resorts for the 2023/24 season, with availability at Whistler Blackcomb to follow in future seasons. It allows guests to buy their pass or lift ticket online, activate it in the new My Epic app, put their phone in their pocket, and get scanned, hands free in the lift line using Bluetooth® technology designed for low energy usage to minimize the impact on a phone’s battery life. This season, to ensure a smooth transition, the company will continue to provide physical cards for passes and lift tickets to all guests. For guests choosing to use Mobile Pass this season, watch this video for some tips. 

The My Epic app also offers a range of guest-favorite features, including interactive trail maps with GPS location tracking, and mountain and resort alerts, including operational information like grooming updates, terrain status, snow reports and conditions. 

Early Season & Uphill Access at Keystone 
Please be reminded that limited terrain and early season conditions exist. Keystone Resort requires all skiers and riders to observe all posted signs and warnings. Closed trails may contain hazards due to limited natural snow coverage and snowmaking operations. For the safety of all guests, please keep off closed trails and out of closed areas. Uphill access at Keystone is currently not permitted due to early season mountain preparations and snowmaking. The resort will announce when uphill access is open to guests once early season operations are complete and there is adequate terrain to safely permit these activities.   

Follow Keystone for daily updates and real-time information on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok. For more information about Keystone, visit keystoneresort.com.