With three incredible mountains to choose from and first class lodging and dining available in two charming villages, Keystone stands out as one of the ultimate Rocky Mountains’ ski resorts.
One of four ski resorts in Colorado’s Summit County, Keystone is by far and away the most famous, with three excellent peaks available to ski – North Peak, Dercum Mountain and the Outback – each one offering its own distinctive challenges and character.
Keystone is well known as one of the most family-friendly ski resorts in the U.S., offering not only a wide range of gentle slopes but also a wealth of family-based activities, including ice skating, sleigh rides, cross-country skiing and more. Altogether, 19% of the runs at Keystone are marked green, meaning they are ideal for beginners, while 32% are marked blue, just perfect for intermediates. Dercum Mountain is mostly for beginner and intermediate level skiers, with very few advanced runs, which is no doubt the reason why it’s so popular.
Flaunt Your Stuff
Expert skiers are far from neglected however. Almost half of the ski runs these days (49%) are designated advanced level, and things get decidedly rougher on the North Peak with its long, bumpy runs, while the groomed runs and the tree-skiing on the outback are sure to get the heart pumping, while the terrain parks are some of the most challenging in the U.S.
Altogether, there are nearly 3,150 acres of skiable piste at Keystone, making it Summit County’s most expansive resort by some distance. Thanks to the snowcat operations which are in progress each day, some 858 acres of bowl skiing is available, at a slope approaching a 50% gradient.
One thing that is unique to Keystone is the night skiing. As the only floodlit resort in Summit County, skiers are invited to ski right through the day, from morning till 8pm at night, Wednesday till Saturday, every week of the season.
Currency: US Dollar
Budget for one week: Over $1000 per week
Taxes and gratuity: Tipping is recommended
Official language: English
Area: 40.6 sq mi (105.2 km2)
Population: 825
Electricity:
- Voltage: 110-120 Volts (Most other areas are 220-240 Volts)
- Primary Socket Type: North American Grounded
- Multi-voltage appliances (laptops, etc.)
- 220-240V appliances: Plug adapter + step-up transformer
- 100V Japanese appliances: Japan to U.S. reducer transformer
Other key facts:
- Elevation – 3,128 feet (953 m)
- Total trails - 130
- Snowfall – 200+ in./year
Images courtesy: Ben & Whitney Carey and Richard Johnson
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