Keystone Travel Guide

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Keystone © Ashley Denton

Overview: Keystone attracts all types from all over the world. From first-time families to rogue snowboarders, all manage to delight themselves with the many options available at this all-encompassing resort. Keystone is situated only one and a half hours from Denver, and just over two hours from Denver International Airport. It is part of the Vail Resorts group, and lift tickets can be purchased to include the other resorts in that group: Breckenridge, Beaver Creek, Arapahoe Basin, Vail and Heavenly (California). An efficient bus system in Summit Country connects all of these resorts (excluding Heavenly) to allow for an incredible variety of skiing in the area. Keystone itself has three separate villages with bars, restaurants, shops, rental equipment facilities and a wide range of accommodation. But what really separates Keystone apart from all the other resorts is the night skiing.
Skiing: Between the three mountains at Keystone, there are a variety of runs to suit the beginner to the advanced. Dercum has most of the green and blue runs for the beginners while North Peak and The Outback have blues, blacks and moguls for those who enjoy the extra effort. For park-lovers, A51 Terrain Park has enough pipes and rails to keep the keenest of them happy. And come 5pm when most other ski resorts shut their mountains and head to the bars, Keystone keeps Dercum and A51 open until 9pm, offering the largest area for night skiing in the whole of Colorado.
Shopping: In the three villages there are shops catering for all ski and snowboarding needs, however for anything else, the resort is quite limited. Keystone Sports in River Run and Mountain House rent out equipment and sell resort memorabilia. General stores sell a minority of products for self-catering holidaymakers, but nearby Dillon has a small shopping complex with more of a variety, and the town of Frisco further on has a wider selection still.
Restaurants: Keystone boasts some of the best restaurants in the area with a variety of dishes ranging from seafood to steak. Top restaurants include Keystone Ranch, Der Fondue Chessel and the Summit Seafood Company. It is advisable to make reservations in advance.
Nightlife: Although not as well known for its nightlife as nearby Breckenridge or Vail, Keystone has its share of bars spread across the resort. Dos Locos is always popular and especially so on karaoke nights with cheap margaritas and buffalo wings. The Goat: Soup and Whiskey is hallowed ground for regulars and boasts cheap beer specials on select nights of the week. In River Run, the only nightclub, Green Man, stays open until 2am and manages to attract those seeking a big night out.
Activities: There is plenty to do without a set of skis or snowboard at Keystone. A range of alternative ice and snow sports including skating, snow-shoeing, snow-mobiling, tubing, sleigh rides and even wine tasting are on offer. Alternatively one can just relax in one of the many spas or coffee shops reading a book by the fire. During summer, Keystone offers two championship golf courses making it one of the most respected golf resorts in the country. Other summer activities include mountain biking, fishing, horse riding and hiking.
Negatives: Over the Christmas period and Spring Break, the resort and mountains can get overcrowded. The nightlife and shopping is not as good as many of the other nearby resorts.