Just days after the highly anticipated opening of the Bergman Express chairlift, my family arrived to Colorado’s Keystone Resort.
We couldn’t have timed our first ski trip to Keystone better if we tried –– for a couple of reasons. One, the resort’s new high-speed, six-passenger chairlift unlocked 555 acres of once-remote terrain, turning what used to require a 45-minute hike into a speedy, four-minute lift ride. Secondly, Keystone, like most of Colorado’s ski areas, had been desperate for snow throughout December. But from the moment we arrived in early January, flurries began falling and didn’t stop, layering the slopes with heaps of fresh, fluffy powder each day we skied.
Writer Mauri Elbel and her family hitting the slopes the day they arrive to Keystone Resort. Photo by Travis Albrecht
Whether our fortunate timing to this family-friendly Colorado ski resort was due to good luck or Mother Nature, one thing is for sure: we all fell in love with Keystone Resort. Home to more than 3,000 acres of skiable terrain across three peaks and five bowls, Keystone Resort is the largest ski area in Colorado’s Summit County. While skiers and riders gravitate to Keystone’s gentle groomers, gladed terrain and powder-packed bowls, we also discovered that it’s a playground for wintry thrills off the slopes, too. When we weren’t clicked into skis, we found fun in the form of everything from ice skating and exploring the world’s largest mountaintop fort to shopping and dining in the base village and taking a horse-drawn sleigh ride to dinner.
If you’re considering a Colorado family ski trip this season, here are five reasons why you should put Keystone Resort at the top of the list.
The much-anticipated debut of Keystone Resort’s Bergman Express occurred on Dec. 30. Photo credit: Katie Young, Keystone Resort
Bergman Express
Bergman Express is undeniably a game changer for skiers and riders at Keystone because, for the first time ever, 555 acres of high alpine terrain in Bergman and Erickson Bowls that was once underutilized and hike-to-only is now accessible by lift.
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On the heels of Bergman Express’ grand opening, I caught up with Max Winter, Keystone Resort’s communications manager, to take some turns down a few of the 16 new trails included in the project.
“What’s really cool about this new chairlift is that typically, when we think of high alpine terrain, we think of advanced, expert, extreme terrain,” Winter said. “But what this chairlift has unlocked is approachable terrain for all ability levels. Whether you are an experienced beginner, intermediate skier or advanced skier, there’s a little bit of something for everyone here at the top of the mountain, and everybody gets to experience that awesome feeling of reaching the summit and seeing unbelievable views of Summit County and the Rocky Mountains.”
The brand-new addition is especially exciting for families like us, who all ski at different ability levels –– our 9-year-old daughter could ski down the more mellow Ten Mile trail, suitable for experienced beginners, while our older boys could veer off and venture onto steeper terrain together.
Mauri Elbel takes a few laps with her sons while ski instructor Will Mako takes her daughter down beginner trails. Photo by Travis Albrecht
Incredible Ski Instructors
After taking family ski trips every year since our kids were little, I’m a firm believer that the best way to dust off your skis is by booking a private family lesson with an experienced ski instructor. Whether you’ve never skied before or you’re just looking to improve your skills, Keystone’s world class ski and ride instructors can help build confidence, get you more comfortable on the slopes, and map out the best trails for everyone in the family.
We spent our first two ski days with Will Mako, one of Keystone’s ski instructors who learned to ski at age 4, started ski racing at 12, and continued racing all the way through college. From the patience he showed our daughter, who started off cautiously but grew more confident on each trail as she traced the slow curves and gentle turns Mako carved in the snow to the steeper runs and bumps he took our boys on while giving them tips for improvement along the way, our entire Keystone ski experience was enhanced because we started out with lessons.
“Lessons can vary from a family’s very first day seeing snow and putting skis on for the first time, to being guides to the best areas on the mountain for expert skiers,” Mako said. “With that being said, safety is the biggest priority for our guests, and we do our best to ensure that the whole family has fun and can go home happy and healthy. Taking a lesson can also give you a contact person for your trip that is local and can help make sure the whole trip is a success.”
Convenience for families
Let’s face it: For Texas families with kids who aren’t used to skiing –– or the snow, freezing temperatures, and bulky ski clothes and gear that accompany the sport –– the entire process can seem daunting. It takes a Herculean effort just to dress each kid in multiple layers and juggle everyone’s ski gear between your room and the lifts, especially when compounded by the effects of long travel and higher altitude.
Fortunately, Keystone Resort is one of Denver’s closest major ski resorts and, compared to a lot of ski areas, it’s a breeze to access. Multiple airlines offer direct, two-hour flights from Austin, making it possible to hit the slopes the same day you arrive.
But because of its convenience to Denver, it’s also fun to stay and play in the Mile High City before or after your Keystone ski trip, if time allows. Before we headed to Keystone, we spent a few days relaxing at the Gaylord Rockies Resort, sitting at the edge of the Front Range just minutes from the airport and about a half-hour from downtown Denver attractions.
RELATED: 10 Denver Must-Do’s with Kids
This year’s ICE! theme brought the holiday classic, A Christmas Story, to life with colorful, life-sized hand-carved sculptures featuring funny scenes from the movie. Photo by Mauri Elbel
We arrived on New Year’s Day which allowed us to experience the tail end of ICE! –– the annual holiday tradition at Gaylord Hotels that transforms 1,000 tons of ice into incredible ice sculptures hand-carved by a team of 40 world-class ice artisans from Harbin, China. The next day, we basked in the early January Colorado sunshine while splashing in the resort’s heated Arapahoe Springs Pools & Lazy River water park, featuring indoor and outdoor pools, waterslides and a lazy river.
It was the perfect spot to decompress from the holiday stress, adjust to the higher altitude, and relax for a couple of days before hitting the slopes. After morning check out, we arrived at Keystone in time to get our rentals, eat lunch and ski for a few hours before the lifts closed.
An exclusive amenity for resort guests, Arapahoe Springs Water Park at Gaylord Rockies is heated for year round enjoyment. Photo by Mauri Elbel
Stay slope side
When you are lugging kids’ ski gear (in addition to yours) to and from the mountain each morning and afternoon, staying slope side can make or break the entire experience. Just as much as we appreciated the convenience of getting from Austin to Denver to Keystone, we loved our ski-in, ski-out spot nestled in Mountain House, located between Keystone’s Lakeside Village and River Run Village at the base of Dercum Mountain.
We stayed in a spacious three-bedroom condo at Chateaux Du Mont, just steps from the Peru Express lift, ski rentals and ski lessons. In our fully-equipped kitchen, we could fuel up on quick breakfasts before venturing out for the day, and we loved ending our ski days warming up in the indoor hot tub while watching the snowy ski scene unfold from our living room windows or playing board games next to the crackling fire.
If you book two or more nights of lodging through the resort, you can also take advantage of Keystone’s Kids Ski Free program, which allows kids 12 and younger to ski and ride for free every day all season long.
Explore the world’s largest mountaintop snow fort at Keystone Resort. Photo by Mauri Elbel
Family fun, food and forts
In addition to the daytime skiing, Keystone also offers night skiing and a slew of family-friendly activities from snow tubing to ice skating.
Between runs one day, we took our kids to explore the world’s largest mountaintop snow fort –– a massive snow fort found near the top of the River Run gondola on the summit of 11,640-foot Dercum Mountain. Spanning a quarter-acre, the snow fort features an ice cave, slides kids can take turns zooming down, and Instagram-worthy ice sculptures.
9280′ Sake House, located in the heart of River Run Village, serves fresh rice and ramen bowls along with sake, cocktails and draft beers. Photo by Mauri Elbel
We never had to venture from Keystone Resort to find incredible, family-friendly dining options. At the top of the mountain, we refueled between runs at Timber Ridge Lodge, Keystone’s largest on-mountain restaurant and lodge, featuring lunch options spanning lamb gyros and fresh falafel salads to piping-hot noodle bowls and tasty street tacos –– all served with 360-degree views of the surrounding peaks. Another favorite was 9280′ Sake House, located in the heart of River Run Base in Keystone’s village, which boasts a menu of colorful rice and ramen bowls, cocktails and sake on draft. After skiing all day, we liked to warm up with après-ski hot chocolates, lattes and Irish coffees at Inxpot, also located in River Run. BigHorn Bistro, tucked in Keystone Lodge & Spa in Lakeside Village, offers seasonally-inspired, locally-sourced dishes –– favorites included the mussels in mountain butter, creamy lobster bisque and duck confit.
From Keystone Resort, guests can go dashing through the snow en route to a historic and charming homestead on a horse-drawn sleigh ride dinner. Photo by Mauri Elbel
But our favorite –– and most memorable –– meal was the true Wild West dining experience we enjoyed on our last evening at Keystone. We took a horse-drawn sleigh ride to a historic, cozy homestead nestled in the snow-blanketed Soda Creek Valley. (Beware: the commute is cold so bundle up in your ski jackets and pants, beanies and gloves, and take cover beneath the personal snow-dusted blankets provided on the sleigh).
The historic homestead where guests can have a true Wild West dining experience just miles from Keystone Resort. Photo by Travis Albrecht
Along the 20-minute horse-drawn commute through the snowy white-on-white landscape, our sleigh driver told everyone about the horses and the history of the land before we reached a wooden, cozy homestead built in the late 1800s. Inside, we warmed up with hot cocoa and live music before tucking into a hearty multi-course meal of beef and barley stew, grilled New York strip, salmon and chicken served with mashed potatoes and veggies, and homemade apple pie for dessert.
As we departed, the horses pulled us through the snow-blanketed valley as tiny snow flurries fell from a coal-black sky spackled with stars. It was a dreamy finale to our first trip to this winter wonderland.
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