The 23-24 season in North America got started on Sunday with one of the world’s highest ski centres, Arapahoe Basin, opening. It’s due to be joined today by fellow Colorado resort Keystone with others like Mammoth, Breckenridge and Vail expecting to open next week.
Canada’s 23-24 season is expected to start on Friday with Banff’s local ski hill expecting to open then. Here Lake Louise, Jasper and Sunshine ski areas expect to open next week.
After more than a foot of new snow and the return to cold temperatures for snowmaking over the weekend, Keystone Resort has announced that it will open for the 2023-24 winter season on Wednesday, 1st November with 2 miles of skiing and riding on the signature Schoolmarm and Silver Spoon trails.
“Winter is here, and we couldn’t be more excited,” said Chris Sorensen, Vice President and General Manager at Keystone Resort. “Our teams have worked so hard to make this day possible, and it is such a privilege to kick off what will be a really special year for us at Keystone. Later this season skiers will have lift access to Keystone’s high alpine terrain for the very first time, thanks to the debut of our high-speed, six-passenger Bergman Express chairlift. This new lift will be a gamechanger for our resort and is just one of the many exciting things we have to look forward to this season!”
In celebration of Opening Day, guests who arrive early will be treated to free donuts and hot coffee, as well as prizes for our first-in-line guests. DJ experiences at the River Run base area and the Summit House at the top of the gondola will keep the party going throughout the day.
Early season terrain will be accessed via the River Run Gondola, with skiing and riding off the Montezuma Express lift. At the end of the day, guests will download the River Run Gondola back to the base of the resort. Keystone will continue to make snow at every opportunity to expand terrain offerings this early season and will aim to open the Mountain House base area in mid-November, weather and conditions permitting.
Starting today, the resort will be open daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and until 7 p.m. during night skiing operations which will return this season on Fridays, Saturdays, and holidays, starting at Thanksgiving.
Keystone will unveil new terrain this winter accessed by the new high-speed 6-passenger Bergman Express lift set to debut this winter season. The lift provides access for the first time to more than 550 acres and 16 trails of high alpine fun in Bergman and Erickson Bowls.
While there is some snowmaking to support ingress and egress trails to access the new Bergman Express lift, the newly lift-served skiing and riding experience will primarily depend on natural snow to open for the season. The resort is targeting a mid-Dec. or early January opening, depending on Mother Nature. Stay tuned for more information on the highly anticipated opening of the new Bergman Express lift this winter.
For the latest snow forecast and updates on where is best to ski now, as well as ski news, gear reviews and resort spotlights, you can check out our regular podcast here Apple | Spotify | Podcasts or search The White Out on your chosen podcast directory.