Featured Image: Courtesy of Vail Resorts
After a favorable couple of days on the Front Range with an early-season storm blowing in a few inches of fresh snow, Keystone just announced that they will officially open for the 2019-20 season tomorrow, October 12. The mid-October opening marks the earliest Keystone has spun their lifts in over 20 years and makes the Colorado Front Range resort the first to open in all of North America. Significant snow-making improvements and ideal fall temperatures are what the resort is crediting for the historical opening.
Over the summer, Keystone made a massive investment to its snowmaking infrastructure by installing a new, state-of-the-art, automated snowmaking system. This new system now allows Keystone to be much more efficient and productive in the early season to develop a solid base.
“With Keystone’s early opening, and Breckenridge’s plan to operate through Memorial Day, the two resorts will offer one of the longest ski seasons in the country, providing even more value for our Epic Pass holders,” said Jody Churich, Keystone’s new vice president and general manager in a recent press release. “Our mountain operations team put in a tremendous amount of hard work to get our new snowmaking system ready for Keystone’s early opening. Heading into my first winter as GM at Keystone, I’m so proud to be joining this incredible team.”
For opening day tomorrow, skiers will be able to access Schoolmarm, Silver Spoon and Last Chance via the River Run Gondola and the Montezuma Express lift. Skiing will be open from the top of Dercum Mountain all the way to the bottom of Montezuma Express. Skiing will not be open all the way to the base, so skiers will be required to download on the River Run Gondola at the end of the day.
