US 23-24 Season Underway, Canada’s Starts Thursday
A second Colorado ski area has opened for its 23-24 season, joining Arapahoe Basin which opened on Sunday.
Wild Mountain resort in Minnesota is also reported to be open, with top to bottom descents possible, after Halloween snowfall on slopes in the Midwest. Trollhaugen in Wisconsin say they’ll open on the 2nd.
Meanwhile, north of the border in Canada, Banff’s Mt Norquay (pictured below after fresh snowfall last week) say they’ll open this Friday, 3rd November but Mont Ste Sauveur in Quebec has just snuck in and said they’ll open on the 2nd.
Big name resorts including Breckenridge, Lake Louise, Jasper’s Marmot Basin, Mammoth and Vail all hope 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 today Wednesday, 1st November with two miles (3.2km) of skiing and riding on their signature Schoolmarm and Silver Spoon trails.
Additionally, skiers and riders will have access to a hike-to terrain park on Spring Dipper and beginners will have access to learning terrain at the top of the River Run Gondola, utilizing the Kokomo Carpet.
“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.
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.
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 state that they 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.
Keystone’s new high-speed 6-passenger Bergman Express lift is set to debut later this winter season. It will provide lift access for the first time ever 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 of their new lift and terrain, depending on how soon Mother Nature delivers.
