Keystone Resort opens for the 2009-10 ski season

November 5, 8:17 PMSkiing ExaminerEric Wagnon

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Skiers and snowboarders celebrate opening day at Keystone Resort in Colorado on Thursday. Photo: Vail Resorts

Top-to-bottom skiing opens on Dercum Mountain

Keystone Resort in Summit County, Colo., opened for skiing on Thursday, a day earlier than originally scheduled thanks to heavy natural snowfall last week. The area started with top-to-bottom skiing on Dercum Mountain’s Spring Dipper and River Run trails served by the River Run Gondola. According to the Keystone trail status report, the intermediate trail, Flying Dutchman, was also open on the first day of skiing. In addition, the beginner skier learning area near the Gondola mid-station was part of the available terrain. The skiable terrain on opening day amounted to 62 of the 3148 acres at the resort, or 2 percent of the possible acreage.

Keystone Resort opened top-to-bottom skiing on Dercum
Mountain on Thursday for the 2009-10 ski season.
                                                      Photo: Vail Resorts

“We’re thrilled to get an early start to the season and conditions are phenomenal on the mountain this year,” said Doug Lovell, the recently promoted chief operating officer and vice president of Keystone Resort. “At Keystone, we strive to provide our guests the highest quality service and the absolute best experience while at our Resort. The new addition of the River Run Skier Bridge as well as the new offerings in ski school and our dining outlets will certainly enhance the overall experience at Keystone while giving our guests great value.”

Resort offers lesson values

As Lovell suggested, many resorts are offering good values this season in an effort to generate business for ancillary services such as ski school. At Keystone, one deal is the $225 Adult Unlimited Ski and Ride School Lesson Pass that allows adult skiers and riders to take unlimited ski and ride school group lessons throughout the 2009-10 season. The pass is valid Sundays through Wednesdays.

A snowboarder navigates a terrain park feature during
Keystone Resort's opening day on Thursday.
                                                  Photo: Vail Resorts

Considering that a lesson pass for only three days costs $210, even a destination visitor skiing at Keystone for a week could take four days of lessons on Sunday through Wednesday and come out ahead with the unlimited pass.

Season passes still on sale

Subject to changing conditions, the River Run Gondola opens at 9 a.m. and runs until 4 p.m. with $65 adult and $45 child lift ticket prices valid through Nov. 29. Two major Keystone season-pass options, the Epic Pass and Summit Pass, are still available online. Offered through Nov. 22, the $599 Epic Pass is good for unlimited skiing at six resorts: Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone, Heavenly and Arapahoe Basin. Available through Nov. 15, the $399 Summit Pass offers unlimited skiing at Breckenridge, Keystone and Arapahoe Basin.