Tag: keystone ski resort

Chocolate Village Grand Opening on December 6, 2018

The Chocolate Village at Keystone Resort is a long-time holiday tradition in the mountains!  The mini village is a must-see for any holiday visit at Keystone.

 

What’s so great about it? Well, this village is made completely out of 100% chocolate!  Over 7,000 pounds of various types of chocolate are used to create this impressive scene.  The village changes some from year to year and always features a new element!  You’ll see a working gondola, a running train, a chocolate waterfall, a forest of chocolate trees, chocolate mountains and more! This display is one of the coolest things you’ll see this holiday season.

 

The chocolate village is open 24 hours a day, though after midnight, all of the features may not be running.  If you are heading to Lakeside Village to do some ice skating or even for a nice dinner at the Bighorn Bistro, be sure to stop into the Lodge to see the infamous chocolate village! But be warned – you aren’t allowed to eat this display, as tempting as it may be!

 

For an extra-special experience, visit the Chocolate Village and say hi to Santa at the same time!  Santa will be at the Keystone Lodge and Spa for a number of different dates and times!

 

Don’t miss seeing the Chocolate Village while you are visiting Keystone over the holidays! SummitCove Lodging in Keystone has some great holiday lodging sales happening, so call today!

Keystone Resort is Nominated for USA Today’s Readers’ Choice 10Best Ski Resorts

This isn’t the first time that Keystone Ski Resort has been nominated as one of the best, earning various titles throughout the years, such as one of Outside Magazines ‘Best Ski Resorts in the Rockies’ in 2015 or Ski Magazine’s ‘2016 Top 30 Ski Resorts’. Keystone is currently in the running up against 20 other ski resorts across North America to earn the title as ‘USA Today’s Readers’ Choice 10 Best Ski Resorts’.  Do you love Keystone as much as we do?  Submit your vote here, once a day, through Monday, November 20th.

 

 

Keystone boasts not just one, but three mountain peaks to offer a huge variety of terrain ranging from fun and accessible beginner slopes to tree runs, great groomers, open bowls, and even a world-class terrain park, Area-51. You’ll also enjoy one of the longest ski days around, with night skiing available on various nights throughout the ski season, staying open late until 8pm. In addition to the great skiing and riding, Keystone is one of the most kid-friendly ski resorts out there, with daily Kidtopia events, fireworks almost every Saturday of the ski season and the world’s largest snow fort hailing atop Dercum Mountain! Additional family fun can be had snow tubing at Adventure Point, skating at either of two outdoor ice skating rinks or enjoying activities like sledding or a family pottery painting night at Ready, Paint, Fire. Walk around the village and warm up at the outdoor fire pit as the snow falls lightly and you stare up at the glistening stars. This will be one family vacation you’ll never forget.

 

You’ll find world class dining, the Kidtopia Headquarters and endless shopping in the resort’s main village, River Run. There are also a variety of lodging options available in the area to meet any size budget or group, whether you are looking for a ski-in condo or a large and unique private home for the whole family. Check out The Springs Condos in River Run Village for some of the best amenities at the resort, including a waterslide in the heated outdoor pool and two hot tubs with ski slope views.  Head to East Keystone’s Settler’s Creek Townhomes or West Keystone’s Wild Irishman Condos for a quieter stay, away from the hustle and bustle of the main village. SummitCove Vacation Lodging can set you up with the perfect accommodations for your ski vacation, as well as exclusive guest deals on meals, activities, transportation and equipment rentals during your stay. Most complexes in Keystone are serviced by the free resort shuttle, meaning you are never more than a few minutes ride from the ski slopes or a great meal.

 

Submit your vote today to choose Keystone as one of the 10 Best Ski Resorts in North America!  Be sure to visit Keystone this winter for the ultimate family ski vacation getaway in the Rockies.

 

Big Changes for Opening Day at Keystone Resort 2016

It’s finally starting to feel like winter time here in Keystone, Colorado! We are counting down the days until Keystone Ski Resort opens for the 2016 – 2017 ski season on Friday, November 4. Opening day will provide around 50 acres of fun for you to enjoy. Keystone has a great team of snowmakers that have been working on getting the snow pumping and ready for us to ski. All of us here in the mountains perform daily snow dance rituals to ensure the natural stuff keeps coming too!

Keystone is planning on mixing it up this year and taking a new approach to opening day. Instead of setting ‘Spring Dipper’ on the East side of the mountain as the traditional first run to open, this year the Schoolmarm and Silver Spoon trails will be the first rideable trails, offering top to bottom access that will allow more accessibility to a wider variety of guests and ability levels. It will also allow Keystone to open the Mountain House Base Area, additional runs and Area 51 terrain park sooner than it has in past years.  A-51 is scheduled to open within a week or two of opening day and the Mountain House Base Area around or before November 19, just in time for Thanksgiving!  This will allow all of our Mountain House guests to enjoy easier access to the slopes sooner than previous years.  It will also allow the park crew to focus their efforts all in one area, instead of spreading too thin across multiple parks during the first few months of the season.  There will be a small park area open on opening day, just not in the past-standard ‘Ranger’ area.

 

Opening day at Keystone is always a fun celebration!  Enjoy free coffee, hot chocolate and donut holes from Keystone’s Chef Ned!  KSMT radio will be broadcasting live on-site to get everyone pumped up for ski season!  Look for tons of giveaways at the gondola plaza as well, including Kidtopia Prize Packs for all kids while supplies last.  The first 500 people in line will get a free reusable Keystone water bladder and at 8:45am they will be giving away a Keystone Prize pack.

 

If you are planning to get first tracks of the 16 / 17 ski season, why not take advantage of our First / Last Tracks Lodging Club?  For just $369, you can spend both opening AND closing weekend in a one bedroom condo in the heart of River Run.  Kick off the season and then be there to close it out as well!  SummitCove has you covered for the best lodging deals on opening, closing, and every other weekend of the ski season!

Keystone Demo Days on November 22

Every year here at Keystone Resort there is an event near the beginning of the season called ‘Demo Days’. If you are thinking about buying new skis, a snowboard, boots or other gear for the winter season, this is a great place to start. Representatives from a lot of big name companies will be here in Keystone with new gear for people to test out on the mountain. This year’s Demo Days is coming up on Saturday, November 22, 2014. Reps from Burton, Forum, Never Summer, Capita, Ramp Sports, and High Altitude Concepts will all be here in Keystone with their new 2014-2015 gear. They will be setting up in the River Run Village and free parking will be available in the River Run skier lot. It is an all day event starting when the lifts open to when they close.

The concept of Demo Days is to try out some new equipment before you buy it. Don’t know what to look for? Ask the reps what they recommend based on how you ski or ride. If you hang out in the park, you will want a different set up than if you love powder runs in the trees. These reps are experts on the equipment and will make sure to get you set up in the right gear. Sometimes they even have special offers that are only for the day of the demo, so come prepared to buy it after you try it.

This event only happens once a year, so give us a call to book your condo now and don’t miss out on these special offers and a chance to try out this season’s latest gear!

2014 / 2015 Opening Day at Keystone Resort

Keystone Resort is slated to open on one of its earliest days yet in recent years, Friday, October 31st, 2014.  The conjunction of opening day with the Halloween holiday is offering up the perfect opportunity for all sorts of fun and spooky activities to kick off the 2014 – 2015 ski season.

Start the ski day off right with complimentary donuts and hot chocolate and plenty of chances to win some ‘spooktacular’ prizes!  Costumes are encouraged and there will be contests for the best family, couple, and individual costumes.  If you are brave enough, ski down the ‘Haunted Ski Trail’ or head to the trick or treating trail with the kids.  Get your groove on to music from a live DJ and don’t miss the children’s parade of costumes happening at 4 pm.  This will be a snowy Halloween that you will never forget!

Snowmaking in Keystone is slated to start in just a little over a week, with the resort aiming to start blowing snow on October 5th.  The rest depends on the snow gods!  We hope to see you all on opening day at Keystone Resort!

First Dusting of Snow in Keystone CO Today!

Cooler temperatures and rainy weather turned to snow overnight and Summit County residents awoke this morning to a snowy white blanket covering the still mostly green trees.  Has winter beat out fall this year? Fall colors only have begun to peek through and they will likely be in their full, colorful glory within the next week or two in Summit County and at higher elevations all around Colorado.  Fall is a wonderful time to visit Keystone. Come up and enjoy the beautiful colors and special ‘mud season’ deals at local restaurants. You will even find unbelievable sales on last season’s winter ski and snowboard equipment as retailers are hoping to make room for new gear.

Arapahoe Basin and Loveland ski areas are typically the first resorts in Colorado to begin snow-making and both have reported that they have their snow guns ready to blow as soon as the conditions are right. Once snow-making begins, the two resorts are at a race to be the first ski resort to open their doors for the season.  For the past two years, A-Basin has claimed the title as the first to open in Colorado, last year opening on October 17th.

Keystone Ski Resort is slated to open in just 38 days on Friday, November 1st!  It’s time to get out your winter jackets and start thinking about ski season!  Have you reserved your condo in Keystone for your winter ski getaway?

River Run Village in Keystone lightly dusted with snow

Night Skiing in Keystone, Colorado

The sun setting at Keystone Resort

One of our favorite things about Keystone Resort is Night Skiing! Keystone offers visitors with one of Colorado’s longest ski days- you can ski or ride long after nearly all the other mountains close.  Your lift ticket is good all day and into the night!   Watch the sun set over the beautiful Rocky Mountains while enjoying a few more runs. The serenity of the mountain at night is a completely different unique experience than what you get during the day.  Check out the schedule below for night skiing hours and dates and be sure to try it at least once during your visit to Keystone!

2012/2013 Keystone Night Skiing Schedule
Wednesday, November 21 – 25, 2012
November 30 – December 1, 2012
December 7 – 8, 2012
December 14 – 15, 2012
December 21 – January 6, 2013
January 9 – April 7, 2013 (Wednesday – Sunday and select Holiday Mondays)
Open 7 days a week during March

Hours: (On Days With Night Skiing)
Open until 8p Wednesday – Saturday
Open until 6p Sunday and select Holiday Mondays
A51 Terrain Park closes at 6p all night ski nights

Keystone Kidtopia is Now All Season Long!

This winter Keystone Kidtopia is ALL-SEASON long! Kidtopia started this past Wednesday and runs until March 24, instead of just five weekends like last season.  Every day features different activities, such as street performers in the resort’s River Run and Mountain House Village centers, kids’ après ski gatherings, a weekly Kidtopia Riperoo parade, fireworks every Saturday, arts & crafts, ice skating dance parties at the both of the resort’s two outdoor ice skating rinks and more!

The World’s Largest Snowfort on Dercum Mountain is expected to open in mid-December and is arguably the best feature of Kidtopia that kids and adults will love. Kids will have a blast exploring the fort, havin g snowball fights, sliding down ice-slides, and being king of the castle!

Keystone Resort is now more kid-friendly than ever, with kids activities scheduled every day.  Gather up your family and visit Keystone this winter for some family fun!

 

 

Spend Thanksgiving in Keystone This Year

If you are looking for the perfect place to host a family gathering for Thanksgiving this year, you might want to consider a family ski vacation at Keystone Resort!  Keystone boasts all sorts of fun activities that everyone in your family can enjoy, including snow-tubing, skiing, sledding, shopping and more.  Your kids will love horsing around in the pools and hot tubs, along with making snowmen and playing in the snow!  For the Black Friday shopping fanatics, the Silverthorne Outlet Malls are just 10 minutes away, along with a Target, Wal-Mart, and multiple shops right here in River Run Village. 

SummitCove Vacation Lodging has properties of all sizes to accommodate your family, whether you all want to be under one roof if one of our spectacular private homes or town homes or have some space in separate condos within the same building.  Most of our properties have full sized kitchens stocked with everything you need to make that famous turkey dinner that everyone has been looking forward to all year.  If you aren’t interested in cooking while on vacation, Keystone has some really amazing and unique dining options to make your Thanksgiving meal truly memorable. Visit the Der Fondue Chessel or Alpenglow Stube and enjoy a night of fine dining at 11,444 feet when you arrive by gondola or dine in an old stagecoach at the Ski Tip Lodge. You can also leave the meal planning to the professionals and have meals delivered right to your vacation rental property through services like Peak Provisions. 

Keystone is the perfect place to get your entire family together, especially those that you might not see often enough, and really enjoy each others company.  You will have fun doing things together like playing board games, sitting by the firepit making s’mores, enjoying cooking delicious meals, watching football, getting fresh tracks on the mountain, and soaking in the hot tubs.  And don’t forget- night skiing at Keystone Resort starts on Wednesday, November 21st! Make this Thanksgiving one that your family will never forget and book your Thanksgiving Vacation in Keystone today!

 

Have You Used EpicMix?

EpicMix Photo at Keystone Resort

Most of you have probably already heard of EpicMix, but if you’re new to Keystone or Vail Resorts, you might need an introduction.  EpicMix is a relatively new feature available at Vail Resorts that uses RF Scanning technologies already built into your season or day pass to track stats.  This technology tracks a number of things you do on the mountain including your total number of vertical feet, which chairlifts you rode, and even awards ‘pins’ for various achievements you earn out on the mountain. EpicMix connects to your social media accounts and allows you to share your experiences with your friends and family.  Last year ‘photos’ were added to the mix, allowing users to get free photos taken all over the mountain and then they are automatically uploaded to your account for free.  EpicMix has really engaged users, allowing them to track their progress, have friendly competitions, and create memories from season to season.

One added bonus of the EpicMix is the live tracking.  If you and your family split ways at the top of the mountain, EpicMix can make it easier to keep track of your kids throughout the day. 

How?
Sign up for an EpicMix account.  At this time you’ll be able to ‘add’ your family members.  Next download the mobile app to your phone. Once you log in, you’ll be able to access a your family’s “activity feed.”  Although its not a GPS tool that can pinpoint exact locations, you will be able to see which lift they have just checked in at, giving you a general idea of where they are on the mountain.  This is a great tool if you get separated without a cell phone or when you are wondering where your kids are when they aren’t at the lunch meeting spot at 12 o’clock; you can tell that they were just squeezing in that 1 extra run and will be there in 10.

What Else Can You Do With EpicMix?
Competitions
Have a friendly competition for pins, points, vertical feet and who can get the most photos.  Review each others stats at the dinner table! 

Maps
Save paper and use the electronic map feature vs. a paper map!

EpicMix Racing
Post your racing stats against Lindsay Vonn’s racing times.  Don’t worry; your race time will be adjusted for age and gender, for more accurate comparison to the Olympian’s time!

Pro Photos
The online low-resolution versions of your photos are free, but if you are looking for print quality photos for the scrapbook or your coffee mug, you can purchase your photos for prints.

Be sure to checkout EpicMix this winter when you are visiting Keystone Resort!  Remember it works with all passes, even if you are skiing for just one day!