Ranking Ski Resorts
- Thread starter Triggermv
- Start date
I'm headed to Keystone in March. Never been. I see the park has created some mixed feelings here..
But for those of you who have been to Keystone, do you have any tips or suggestions?
Thanks!
But for those of you who have been to Keystone, do you have any tips or suggestions?
Thanks!
Head straight for the back 2 mountains. Lots of good, long blue runs and fantastic tree runs. Also, shorter lift lines.
First of all, skiing anywhere in the rockies is fantastic, at least for me. A lot of the debates I see are debating between a range of good to amazing. So don't let any one place or comment detour from something you want to try.
Keystone is a great resort with a good variety. If you're a beginner, there are some nice long/wide green runs on the front side that you can practice up your turns and get a feel for your ski legs. I'd recommend getting there right when the lifts open and do those right away. The closer you get to noon, the more packed those runs are.
If you're more of an intermediate, I agree with what's been said that you should definitely make your way down Mozart (backside of the front peak) and enjoy the back two peaks (North Peak and then The Outback). Some of my favorite runs on North Peak are Prospector, Last Alamo, and Starfire. Starfire is a black, but it's not too terrible and is pretty wide. The best part about it being a black is it keeps a lot of people off it, so if you catch it on a day that it's groomed, you can fly. The Outback has good variety. You can take decently challenging blues such as Bighorn, Elkrun, or Porcupine. Porcupine is a lot of fun because you can play in an out of the trees. If you're a seasoned vet, give Wolverine a try. It's a run completely through the trees.
After lunch, we've always gone back to the front mountain when it's cleared out some and enjoyed the runs there. They all intervene so you feel like you never take the same path down twice. If you take the Peru Express lift, you can enjoy watching people do tricks at the Terrain Park from below.
Few other tips:
1. I'm assuming you're staying right at Keystone so you don't have to worry about parking. If you do have to park, we've found its best to pay and be super close than walk from the free lot.
2. The Summit Express Lift is faster than the Gondola at the front. If you're trying to maximize runs, just keep that in mind. However, the Gondola is nice on a windy day.
3. At the top of The Outback you'll look off to the Southwest and you can see Breckenridge. Cool spot for a group photo.
4. The food is pricy (as you'd expect at a ski resort), but I've had good luck with their personal pizzas.
5. You can pay a few bucks and have a snowcat drop you at the top of the bowls if you're into that.
6. Watch out for some of the frontside runs at the end of the day. We ran into a couple with ice. Haywood and River Run come to mind as they are traveled a ton.
It's a good list. I would say overall trip I would move Breckinridge higher just because the whole town is really cool and ski towny. haha
This is all spectacular advice that I'd wholeheartedly agree with. I've only got a few things to add:
-Food is pricey, but we've found some good happy hour deals
-Paying a few extra bucks was worth it to me for the snow cat as it can get you to some pretty untouched areas
-Keystone is one of the only big resorts out there with night skiing. While it is fun as something different, keep in mind that night skiing tends to be both of these two things.... cold, and icey, so beware. Also, while the runs are lit, I'd hardly say they are lit super well, so there are places that end up being maybe a bit darker than you thought they would be.
Awesome points! I've never done happy hour there. I'm usually in favor of getting back to the condo, chugging a powerade, then just making a drink there while we make dinner/play cards and games ect. I do remember once getting a beer at Vail and then wondering where my 10 bucks went....oh well, it was worth it for the views and experience.
I've never done night skiing there. I'm either wiped out or once I get the boots off for the day, they aren't coming back on until the next morning.
It still kind of kills me that you are finally giving Utah a shot and planning on sticking only to Park City. Since I know you are used to Colorado, I'm not sure Park City will give you a whole lot outside of what you are used to in Colorado with its expensive tickets, food, lodging, and Colorado comparable snow. Yes, it is a VERY cool ski town. However, if you are going to Utah for Utah runs and Utah snow, you just aren't really going to get it there. Those are found up at the Cottonwood resorts mostly. Therefore, if I can at least plead anything with you, it would be to use that last day of skiing as a trek over to Snowbird (Alta is no-boarders). Truthfully, I'm not sure how you can ski Utah without skiing Snowbird for a day. Plus, you'd get your first tram experience too. There is none of those in Colorado.
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Great stuff. One thing on Mozart...I usually just take the gondola and skip it. It's usually busy, and with Mozart facing South, sometimes it can be icy and no fun.
Ditch the boarder??? Now that is just good life advice right????........haha, just playin...... I kid, I kid
I haven’t been to Keystone in a few years, but if River Run is still the same, that last little bit is always icy and fairly steep.
I always hated it at the end of the day. Tired and hungry, everybody is trying to get down, the run is packed, nice big icy spots to send you flying, and the only thing on your mind is sitting in the hot tub with a cold beer.
Tiggermv you're being overly dramatic with your description and pleading of Utah resorts. As I always say, just go where the fresh snow is. Yes Snowbird is a great mountain but it isn't more Utahy than others.
BTW if you like fresh tracks by cat, check out Powder Mountain. It's like 1.5 hrs away but is another different resort that probably doesn't get as much attention.
BTW if you like fresh tracks by cat, check out Powder Mountain. It's like 1.5 hrs away but is another different resort that probably doesn't get as much attention.
100% agree. That's why I'd recommend Inas Way or Schoolmarm to get to the bottom. Easier greens and at the end of the day our group enjoyed messing around laughing each other on the greens.
If you’re decent the drop off the big rock/little cliff under the lift on Cat Dancer is a good place to show off.
A little dramatic... sure. However, there is a pretty drastic difference in look and feel alone between Park City and Snowbird. The terrain is fairly different. It would almost be like comparing A-Basin to Vail. Even the difference in terrain between the little and big cottonwood resorts is fairly noticeable.
Last time I was on skis I broke my collarbone, first run of the day. So, yeah..I'm not that decent.
Has anyone been to Mount Bohemia in the UP of Michigan? That's the last place I went. Ungroomed, lots of tree runs. I'd call it the anti-ski resort - truly a great place.
Here I am wrapped in tarp before the fun ride down.
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