Find out how this skiing destination in the Colorado Rockies rates according to Family Travel Forum's ski expert. Find out how this skiing destination in the Colorado Rockies rates according to Family Travel Forum's ski expert.
The Keystone Resort (800/354-4FUN) in Colorado is comprised of three mountains- Dercum Mountain, North Peak, and the Outback- all exceeding heights of over 11,000 feet above sea level, making it one of the highest elevation ski resorts in the United States. With a season that lasts until April, it's a great choice for families who want to ski under the warm Rocky Mountain sun, as long as altitude sickness isn't an issue. Fresh snow still falls – Colorado's snowiest month is March, and April still gets plenty of fluffy powder – so families who plan a ski trip in spring are rewarded with ample snow, gloriously sunny weather, and deeply discounted prices.
One lift ticket allows you to ski from 8:30am – 8:00pm Wednesday through Saturday, and on Sundays the mountain closes at 6pm. If you visit over a holiday period, you can ski early, take a break to miss the mid-afternoon traffic jams at the lifts, and head back out after an early dinner. There's plenty of terrain to sample for beginners, intermediates, and experts, but if you tire of the resort's 3,000 plus acres, your lift ticket allows you to ski neighboring Breckenridge or Vail and there's a convenient shuttle bus to get you there and back.
The resort is a self-contained, purpose-built ski village with a wide selection of 4-bedroom condominiums, townhomes and a few hotels spread throughout the village and at the base of the mountain. The three villages, which include River Run, Lakeside, and the Mountain House offer guests a pleasant pedestrian village just a few steps from the lifts where shops provide guests with anything they could want such as clothing stores, sporting stores, and the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, where you can warm up with a cup of hot cocoa, feast on fudge, and watch the ice skaters glide around on Keystone Lake.
Keystone's Kidstopia program provides children with ample distraction.
Included in the program:
· daily animation and entertainment
· events and activities
· world’s largest snowfort
· street performers
· post-skiing meetups
· weekly parade
· on-ice dance parties
· Snowed-In Festival
Daycare for infants as young as 2-months is available right at the mountain base (parents receive two-way phones, upon request, to keep in touch) and the 3-6 year old groups get an hour of snow play during the morning. The ski school divides classes into five different age groups to insure that teaching techniques are appropriate. The daycare option is offered during the winter season, although they have summer activities as well, they are not offering daycare during the summer season.
Resort Report Card
| Name: | Keystone Resort |
|---|---|
| Address: |
Keystone Colorado 80435 www.keystoneresort.com |
| Phone: | 877/625-1556 |
| Seasonal Rates: | $$ – $$ |
| Hotel Setting: | A- |
| Hotel Staff: | B |
| Choice of Activities: | A |
| Quality of Amenities: | A |
| Bonus: | A children's ski school that truly sticks to its policy of separating ages and abilities, no matter how many or few the students. |
| Note: | Ski in your shirt sleeves on sunny slopes with sparse crowds until the beginning of summer. |
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