A major snowstorm hit the Rocky Mountains last weekend, dumping 36 inches of new snow at Keystone Resort over just a few days. More snow is expected to hit Summit County and Keystone this weekend, with up to 30 inches of freshies possible by Monday. The skiing and riding conditions only continue to get better at Keystone Resort! Prime dates over President’s Day Weekend and Spring Break are almost sold out, so it is a good idea to make your lodging reservations now with SummitCove.com Lodging in Keystone.
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
Winter weather conditions and numerous travelers on the roads can sometimes clog up traffic on I-70 back and forth between Denver and the Mountains, especially on weekends and Holidays during ski season. With a little planning and traffic watching, it can be easy to avoid the traffic jam and spend more time on the slopes, instead of the highway.
Winterize Your Vehicle Your vehicle makes a huge difference in your travel experience to the mountains. Be sure you have a vehicle with good tires, 4-wheel or all-wheel drive, working windshield wipers and finally a full tank of wiper fluid. Even if the going is slow, a well-equipped vehicle will allow you to move with the flow of traffic without having to worry about sliding off the road or not being able to see the car in front of you. You might even think about placing a sandbag or bag of kitty litter in the trunk to add more weight- it’s also nice to have on hand in case you get stuck anywhere to use for traction!
Leave Early… Very Early Although 5 am may seem early, it’s a sure way to beat the interstate traffic crowds, both going to and from the mountains. The early bird gets the worm… or in this case the fresh powder and open roads!
Leave Later in the Day… Have Dinner, Hit the Hot Tubs, etc. Enjoy another day on the slopes and finish up your last day with an early dinner, happy hour, or one last trip to the hot tubs. Typically the traffic clears up later in the afternoon or early evening, but you just have to time it right. Have fun hanging out and be sure to keep an eye on CDOT’s website for traffic updates and to view live cameras or you can even sign up for traffic text alerts!
Stay an Extra Night SummitCove.com can offer amazing last minute deals for adding an extra night if your property is available. This way you can squeeze in an extra day of skiing, hot-tubbing and relaxing before you hit the road. Leave early Monday morning for a nice quiet drive, sans traffic. If the weather is bad, wait it out an extra day to see if things will clear up.
Take an Alternate Route If you really need to get back to Denver quickly, think about taking an alternate route. Head West on I-70, getting off on the Copper exit, go through Leadville and Buena Vista, and down 285 back to Denver.
This is a snapshot pulled from A-Basin’s webcams this morning, look at the snow!
Colder temperatures and humidity levels finally reached peak levels for snow-making, allowing Arapahoe Basin to turn on their snowguns and starting blowing snow! In addition to the man-made snow, Arapahoe Basin reported an inch or two of natural snow last night as well. Arapahoe Basin hopes to open up a few runs starting sometime in mid-October. Season Ski Passes are still being sold for a limited time at Arapahoe Basin for just $299 or you can one-up to a Summit Value Pass, which includes unlimited skiing or riding at Arapahoe Basin, Keystone and Breckenridge all season long for $439 (with a few blackout dates).
In just over a week, Keystone Resort hopes to get their snow guns fired up in lieu of their upcoming November 2 opening date. Snow was sighted on the top of Keystone’s three peaks this morning as well. SummitCove.com is currently hosting a ‘When Will It Snow Contest’ offering a free 2-night stay in a 1-bedroom condo over Keystone’s opening weekend for the person who can guess the date of the first significant snowfall of 4 inches or more in Keystone this season. This is a sure sign from the snow gods of a great, snowy winter to come!
Winter is coming and there is snow in Summit County! These two photos were taken from Hoosier pass this morning! The leaves are golden and there’s plenty of leaf peeping to do in Summit County over the next few weeks. Keystone is one of the most beautiful places to be this time of year with the cool crisp air, snow-capped mountains and beautiful leaves! Call SummitCove.com to get a fantastic deal on lodging for the fall season or reserve your property for your ski trip this winter!
Four legendary ski areas are coming together under one extraordinary pass. Brought to you exclusively by Liftopia, the Mountain Collective is a ground-breaking collaboration between Alta, Aspen/Snowmass, Jackson Hole, and Squaw Valley/Alpine Meadows. Experience the ultimate winter with two free days at each mountain listed, plus each pass holder receives unlimited 50% off lift tickets. With the Mountain Collective, it’s now possible for passionate skiers and riders to claim thousands of vertical feet and chase ideal winter conditions across Colorado, Utah, Wyoming and California. Passes are on sale now for just $349 and $229 for children.
Want to ski or ride multiple resorts without having to travel far and wide, state to state or across the country?! Keystone Resort is located in scenic Summit County, Colorado, which is home to SEVEN ski resorts within a 40 mile radius. Purchase an EPIC Season Pass and receive unlimited access to Keystone, Arapahoe Basin, Breckenridge, Vail, and Beaver Creek- let’s not forget their west coast resorts Heavenly, Northstar, and Kirkwood. For $659, pass holders get unlimited access to all of these resorts- no blackout dates and in addition they receive 6 Ski with a Friend Passes. Keystone Resort is centrally located in the middle of it all; just a short drive from Arapahoe Basin and Breckenridge, and with Vail and Beaver Creek just another 30 miles down the highway, it’s the perfect place to host your Colorado ski vacation!
Looking for a property big enough to sleep your whole family, but refuse to give up incredible views of the slopes, and want to be within walking distance of the gondola, have a great outdoor deck with a private grill and your own private elevator!? Then this 4-bedroom, 4.5 bathroom townhome located in the Mill Creek Building in River Run Village, Keystone will be perfect for you and your family! This property is the perfect mix of luxury and mountain style with comfort. A luscious master suite features a 4-poster king bed and jacuzzi tub in its private master bath. Beautiful log beds can be found in some of the guest bedrooms, along with views from the rooms! The kitchen’s beautiful stone countertops and stainless steel appliances will satisfy any chef’s needs to cook a gourmet meal. Huge picture windows overlooking a forest and wetlands area are the main focus in the living room, made complete with a gas fireplace to cozy up next to on a cold winter’s night. There is plenty of seating for everyone here. The views from the property are spectacular- surrounding wetlands and protected beaver ponds, along with the unobstructed views of the ski slopes will take your breath away! You’ll also be able to warm up in the buildings outdoor private hot tub, located in the back of the building, also with a view! This property sits right in River Run Village, making it easy to step out for some shopping at a nearby boutique or enjoy a meal at one of the many restaurants. See more photos, details, and even a video tour of the new Mill Creek #72 property here!
Today is the last day of our 72-hour snowy peaks early booking sale! Book by 5pm MST today in order to receive 15% off winter stays of 3 nights or more! See webpage for all of the details. Keystone Resort is home to countless winter activities such as skiing, snowboarding, snow biking, ice skating, exploring snow forts and ice castles, hot-tubbing, shopping, snowmobiling, fine dining and more! Throughout the winter guests can enjoy free concerts at events like the River Run Rocks! concert series and Bluegrass on the Snow, visit various festivals like Keystone Kidtopia and the Winter Culinary Festival, along with explore our world renowned ski slopes and terrain parks. Don’t miss out on a great winter in Keystone, Colorado, book your winter ski vacation today!
Although it may be a little to early to get excited about snow- we can’t help it! Those in Summit County this morning may have noticed some white stuff on some of the surrounding mountain peaks- SNOW! Chilly temperatures and rainy weather turned to snow at the higher elevations in Summit County last night, creating some beautiful snow-capped peaks. We hope this is a sign of a good winter to come! Check out these photos of Peak 1 over the Dillon Reservoir this morning, captured by Matt Renoux, from 9news.com.
We are so excited for the upcoming season that we are launching a72-hour sale offering 15% Off Reservations of 3 nights or more for the upcoming 2012-2013 Ski Season! Book now to lock in this season’s prices AND take 15% off the total! Sale ends Friday, July 20th at 5pm, so book now!! Call one of our Vacation Planners today to take advantage of the savings: (866) 530-4614 and mention the promo code ‘Snowcapped15’. * Please see the sale landing page for full details.
Camp Keystone is a fun way for kids to learn how to ski or snowboard at Keystone Resort, mixing lessons in with a wide variety of other activities that keep kids involved and having fun! Instead of kicking and screaming their way into ski school, your kids will be begging you take them to Camp Keystone this ski season! Kids who participate can enjoy things like having the same instructor every day, participating in fun kid-friendly activities, and skiing in progressive learning areas. Kids will be just as excited to jump in the snowy powder as they would be running full speed towards the lake at summer camp!
The Camp Keystone area is located at the bottom of the Mountain House Base Area with a nice variety of terrain grouped in one big area. Kids start out on the four magic carpets which each progressively step up in difficulty and once they are ready, they move on to the Discovery Chair Lift. When you book your child for three or more days at camp they are guaranteed to have the same camp ‘counselor’ each day. This really helps them get comfortable around their instructor and keep moving forward each day, with the child able to developing more trust in their instructor and confidence in themselves each day.
Other perks of Camp Keystone include skiing with the mountain’s mascot, ‘Riperoo the Dog’, playing around on a grooming machine playground, taking out the mini snowmobiles, skiing through fun adventure zones and participating in the daily ‘Theme Days’ with themes like ‘Safety Day’, ‘Adventure Day’ and ‘Fun Facts Day’. Your kids won’t want to go home at the end of the day!
SummitCove.com has a great selection of properties in the Mountain House Base area at Keystone Resort, where you will be able to walk your kids right to Camp Keystone from your condo!
