Keystone Resort

Was at Keystone and Arapahoe Basin, March 2016. Keystone is big, big runs, great grooming and lots of challenging areas. A Basin is incredible — if you want to challenge your skills and watch some Double Black Diamond runs being «experienced» not by me, pretty incredible views as well.
Great place to spend the evening as well — good food selections, friendly people at the slopes.
Very impressed by the whole area.

This is a review of the ski school at Keystone. I ended up chatting with one of the instructors there, who informed me that the ski and snowboard teachers are barely assessed before they are hired. They are also low-​paid, which leads to high turnover and no real incentive to do their job right. They are lazy and keep students in lower level classes than their skill-​set just so they don’t have to do the work of actually teaching them. I have some experience skiing and told them I was a Level 5. I ended up on the bunny slopes with this overweight, lazy instructor, running so-​called drills that I already knew how to do. It was a major waste of my time, as I was excited to learn as much as possible during my ski vacation. Even when my Epic Mix app clearly stated that I was a Level 5 skier, they put me in a Level 4 class for three more days. It was unbelievably frustrating to spend my days from 10AM-3:30PM in a boring class beneath my true ability – you can’t learn if you aren’t being challenged, and a Level 5 skier should at least be touching some blue runs. Plus, the classes are too big – I was in a class of eight people, which makes it impossible to progress because you always have to go at the pace of the slowest person. I think smaller class sizes, better assessments of students’ skiing ability, and more highly-​qualified instructors would have made my ski vacation at Keystone more enjoyable.
P. S. Pack a lunch and bring a camel back for water – the food here is exorbitant ($ 12.50 for one slice of Domino’s-caliber pizza and $ 2 for an empty cup just to get water from the water fountain).

Tubing at Adventure Point was a very fun and positive experience. The whole process was very organized which made everything that much more enjoyable. The staff was very friendly and the tubing slopes were well kept and safe. Definitely got my money’s worth. Not to mention the gondola ride to the top of the mountain was spectacular. A must do if visiting Keystone.

Check in was complicated! So that’s why only 4 stars. Our condo was nice! The views were amazing! The outdoors were breathtakingly beautiful! The slopes were nice! A great trip!

The staff here was awesome! everywhere we went, the staff was helpful, from the shuttle drivers to the ski lift staff to the staff at the restaurants. I took lessons my first day up here and my instructor was very understanding of my lack of skills and my slow adjustment to the altitude.

First time skiing Colorado, and we were able to get Epic 4-​day passes to Key & ABasin for a very reasonable cost.
This ski resort is very nicely laid out. The slopes are well marked, and there are efficient/​fast gondolas and lifts servicing every area. They even have CAT lifts to take more experienced skiers up to the higher altitude double black areas (NOT for me).
The thing I found most endearing is the fact that if you ever need assistance, just look for the folks in the red jackets. They are there to help. Most are very kind older ladies and gents, and they are able to suggest where to go, what to do and how to get there. Very patient for us newbies.
The slopes were groomed corduroy for the most part, but one day we were there we were able to experience fresh powder. WONDERFUL! easy skiing in that stuff.
Only downside is in the afternoon sun, certain runs get a little slick. Opt for the shaded slopes for less slippery conditions.
When you get tired of skiing, take the gondola from the top over to the «Outpost» for some fantastic grub and beautiful scenery.
Would definitely go back to Keystone again!

Keystone
Pros– night ski (but dont need to because night time many slope close:(
Not fancy like vail and inconvenient to bring your own ski or outside ski (far from parking lot or shuttle) That makes me and my family gave only 3 star.
Slope was ok. Snow was ok.
Staff was friendly. But my energy was gone for carrying ski:(

I live in Denver, and found that many locals enjoy Keystone, mostly due to being only 1.5 hours from downtown + free parking that’s conveniently located literally across the street from the lifts themselves.
We left Denver at 6:15am, on the lifts when they opened at 8am, then back on the way home by 12:30p after having an awesome beer on the mountain. Both ways we skipped all traffic; certainly the way locals do it!

Keystone Resort a great family ski resort, great condos and cabins, good food nearby, great slopes for beginner to advanced skiing. Our favorite ski resort.

Seeking to get away for a Christmas ski day Carrie J and her husband invited the BF and I to Keystone with them. I was beyond excited, because this is my first year skiing and Keystone marks my third ski trip and fourth day skiing.
For our first run we headed up the Montezuma Express and took a right to go down Schoolmarm for a «warm up» run. Being the beginner that I am, I enjoyed our two runs down this (especially when I had boots that fit me properly). Carrie J, her husband, and my BF are all more seasoned skiers, so they were wanting to hit the blues or even the blacks. Thinking it was worth a try I followed them… Probably not my best moment. I fell. A lot. I looked like a snowman. I sat, for what my BF classified as «forever.» We attempted to find a couple open greens’ to get me down the mountain unscathed (well less scathed), but they were all closed off the couple blue runs we ended up on. Luckily for them and I the gondola has a mid mountain stop. So I waved my white flag and took that down to the bottom. After that we called it a day. So I think I successfully ruined Christmas (just kidding, kinda.)
I do hope to go back and spend some time on some of the greens and eventually hit the blues again with more experience under my short skis. We all have these moments learning right? Four stars because my less than fun experience was primarily my fault, but you could’ve helped a girl out and had some more greens’ open. Until we meet again Keystone…

I’ll start off this review with the fact that I live in Northern California and can get up to south or north Lake Tahoe and mammoth quite easily… despite getting great snow this season, I thought we would check out Keystone Colorado as we heard lots of good things.
The good:
The runs are very long and size of mountain is huge
There is a good mix of beginner, intermediate and expert runs
The view from the top of outpost express lift on the back of the mountain
Staff were all happy, helpful and very polite
Snow board instructor was incredible with our daughter
The bad:
Crowded is not even the right word — bodies ALL over every run
Lines of 30+ minutes on all lifts during the middle of the day
Very very rude patrons — primal behavior with tables, lifts and general lack of manners
People who are going way too fast for their skill
Wasted skiers/​snowboarders — very dangerous saw one smack a child dead on
The children’s snowboard school is over a mile away from the resort, the lodge and the rest of the town — very inconvenient
For the expense to stay in river run and the lift and lessons for our daughter all resorts in Lake Tahoe are better than this. Its not worth it to be scared you’re going to be hit by a high or drunk rider, deal with snotty and rude people left and right. It’s good to say we’ve done it but we won’t be coming back to Keystone ever again. Many other amazing ski spots to make our regular

Great place to come later in the season! This place is always packed so you know its good but expect 30 min. Gondola lines on the weekend. The trick is to bypass the gondola, walk down the snow bridge as if you were going to climb the mountain, there’s a chair lift located off to the left that has much faster lines! Try to avoid the ice on the steep slope to the base. Love this spot for its bars and restaurants! Great place for a ski apres!

Great skiing but more than that great summer activities! We love taking the gondola up to the two restaurants on the Outback side. Plus on the main mountain we live the entertainment both at the base and atop the main mountain. They seem to always have live music or entertainment going on. There something for everyone here.

This will be my 3^rd time staying at keystone. 2^st time I stayed at the Keystone Lodge which was a nice place. The next 2 times I stayed at the River Run. This current stay I am at the Red Hawk in room 2245 and it is very comfortable!
So comfortable that I have overslept and need to pack as I checkout today. The staff at Keystone resorts are very helpful. All the extras are available in the room. All you need to do is go to the market to to fill the fridge and pantry.
I traveled by myself this time and have felt safe in this area. The conference center is also a good place for meetings. The facility is well equipped.
I’m looking forward to the following year to return to River Run!

My favorite place to ride in the whole state. I have ridden at breck, copper, vail, etc all the other big mountains and this place tops it, mostly due to the fact that the park lift is exclusively for park and blocked off from passerby #1 ski dads and their kids who use jib ramps as jumps. SMH. Please keep the fences up that keep non-​park riders out of the park lift line, please. The biggest gripe anyone ever has about any ski resort in CO are the lift lines. And skiers who stand on landings of jumps. And skiers who turn from tree line to tree line. And skiers who sit at the blind spot of crests on runs, if you can’t see up the mtn behind you at least 20 feet, you’re asking for a crash. Situational and proximity awareness, learn it and teach your kids, before more people get hurt due to dumb s***. Sorry about the rant.
The park is super versatile and progression friendly, different lines for different skill levels, working your way up. Plenty of features to go around. Their pre season park is always fun too.
The groomers and cruiser runs are good, wide and typically not terribly crowded when the mountain is at least 80% open.
The back mtn and the bowls are good, pretty mellow and if you’re looking for those «super fun moguls» then have at them, they’re around. Tree runs and powder hunting can be easily satisfied in the back mtn at this resort, you can get lost back there and roam around for hours but when you need to get back, you can still do that easily. Keystone is better than breck in the fact that keystone has less cat walks, that kind of stuff is tolerable for skiers but snowboarders (half of the mtn population nowadays) have a hard time with that stuff so thanks keystone for minimizing those.
Keystone offers night riding during peak season, worth a try. Be sure to put on your clear lens goggles and bundle a little bit. The runs are well lit for some after hour cruising.

Keystone is a great resort for both skiing and snowboarding. My favorite thing about this mountain is that it is easy to ski a lot of vertical feet. With the river run gondola you can ski a lot of steeps in not very much time (you can also take the river run lift if the gondola lines are too long!).
Another great aspect of Keystone is the keystone village. Parking is free and nearby, which is huge. Also, there are a lot of inexpensive places to eat/​grab a drink in the area.
Not the most technical terrain in CO, but a solid destination for a day on the slopes!

Keystone is definitely my favorite mountain in the vicinity. It feels less congested than Vail. The people are a lot nicer. There wasn’t any of those pretentious and douchie skiers who cut you off and give you that look once they pass you by.
Once at the top, the view is epic as every view on the top of the mountain. However, there’s just something a little extra special about Keystone that makes me smile. It’s a must ride whenever you’re in the area.

I believe that I would not be the skier I am today without Keystone.
Having grown up skiing on ant hills in the Midwest, after moving to Denver it was certainly intimidating to step up to the plate and start skiing in Colorado… aka the major leagues. As a beginner skiing level I always enjoyed Keystone. It never intimidated be and made me feel welcome with its beautiful groomed green runs. The length of all the runs are impressively long giving you more time getting comfortable and advancing instead of spending your time in lines or on the lifts.
Over the next few years I really upped my game and progressed in my skiing confidence and abilities. Through each stage Keystone always had something to offer and I never felt bored. It’s impressive terrain gives you everything from groomed runs, tree runs, moguls, and runs that are a perfect blended combination of all of those. The mountain encouraged me to try new things and challenge myself. I learned that I really enjoy tree runs and Keystone has some great ones. I really love the trees between the runs on North peak and The Outback.
The night skiing is really nice too. It’s a good way to spend a couple hours after work during the week. They do a good job of having the runs prepared nicely for you even after a whole day of people skiing it out. Night skiing limits the runs you can take but thankfully they are long and peaceful runs with a lot less people. It can be quite the experience being out on the mountain at night enjoying life. If you are lucky you can catch the fire works while skiing and that’s pretty effin’ cool.
Keystone tends to stay less crowded than some of the bigger resorts in Colorado so lift lines are rarely long. I also thing they do a good job of offering different retreats and workshops for everyone at a reasonable price.
The village at the base is small but has everything you need. The staff is always friendly and I LOVE being greeted by a beautiful, smiling, older lady who typically greets you before the bridge.
The food is overpriced as expected being apart of Vail Resorts but feel free to pack a backpack full of food/​snacks/​drinks/​sandwiches to cut costs. They also have some grills set up for you to use.
The washroom facilities are always tidy and offer little extras. For women in particular they offer feminine products for free in case you are in need.
We have the epic local pass and appreciate all the mountains on our pass but skiing at keystone is always a personal experience that feels like coming home.

My sister was in town for a week so naturally we had to make it to the mountains! Given that she grew up on a sled I figured the tubing hill would be the perfect way to spend a few hours. Keystone has a nice selection of tube runs that vary in speed. I wasn’t expecting to have a very intense time but it was fairly fast if you’re going down the steepest one. They have a hump in the middle so it almost feels like you catch some air. Siiiiccckkkkk… If the day is warm it melts the snow a little bit giving an icy top allowing for a little more speed, if you’re an adventure seeker

I stayed at Keystone resort to attend a conference. I do snowshoe but not ski, so this is not useful for skiers.
The scenery is pretty and the conference center is decent, so it’s nice to come here.
Several hours I did snowshoeing from the Keystone Nordic center. There are many people here but there are not really good restaurants in the resort. The lunch was not provided at the conference, I had to buy lunch everyday but I found only sandwich and mexican. It is nice that free shuttle runs in the resort but every 20 min is kind of inconvenient. Coming here once is good but not for sure about the second time (if the cos was not covered, I won’t).