Back to Snow is On! 2017-2018 Winter Season is Near!

Aug. 01, 2017 By Mallory

It’s about that time of year. Parents know it well, kids too. Back to School. It’s a signal that another summer is about to pass and the changing of the seasons will soon be upon us. For families, Back to School will become part of your regular household vernacular. We’re ready to get back too. But, just 100 days away from Keystone’s Opening Day, we’re far more excited to get Back to Snow. Sure, that school stuff is valuable, but so too are memorable family experiences where the entire brood can bond and play together.

So, let’s head Back to Snow together! Here’s your very own Back to Snow list, feel free to post on the fridge right next to that other list.

Book your lodging now. Rates for the 2017-18 winter season begin at $159, and by reserving lodging now you have the best choice in location, amenities, size and other options that we know are important to you. Plus, you can reserve most lodging today with just a $50 deposit. Oh, and did we mention this list contains a bunch of freebies? With any stay of 1 or more nights, everyone on your reservation will receive free night skiing lift tickets on day of arrival, free ice skating admission and discounted ice skate rentals and a free yoga or fitness class, among others

You’ll want to be here. New for 2017-2018, the Kidtopia Signature Event Series will feature three distinct events throughout the winter to complement your family experience at Keystone.
- The Kidtopia Spectacular, Dec. 15-24, marks the first signature event of the winter and kicks off the holiday season with a bounce house party, a mountaintop celebration and lighting ceremony of the world’s largest snow fort, and an evening with Santa Claus himself.
- The first-ever Kidtopia Culinary Festival debuts for the 2017-2018 winter, Feb. 9-17, with a savory lineup tailored to the youngest of foodies with cooking demonstrations, chocolate fountains, dessert specials and a celebrity chef event.
- The Kidtopia Music Experience, March 2-10, is the last of the signature event series and kicks-off the spring skiing and snowboarding season with music-themed fun including rock ‘n’ roll themed parties and the Snow Pants Dance Party, featuring live outdoor music performances from popular kid-friendly acts.

Free is good, Kids Ski Free is great. Keystone has long been the place where kids rule, and with more than 100,000 free kids’ lift tickets provided since the inception of the resort’s Kids Ski Free program in 2012, you can have confidence in a program that is easy on the wallet and easy on the rules. Every day, all season long, kids 12 and younger ski for free at Keystone with no blackout dates when family’s book just two or more nights in one of Keystone’s numerous accommodation options, which span from affordable hotel rooms to family-sized condominiums.

Ski Free, Play Free. Keystone’s Kidtopia continues to redefine the family ski resort experience with free activities and events on and off the snow every day of the week all season. From Opening Day through Closing Day, families have continued options outside of skiing and snowboarding to connect and create lifelong memories. The Kidtopia lineup includes activities such as the village parade and fireworks, snowball launches, ice cream parties and meeting Keystone’s Ski Patrol rescue dogs. All Kidtopia programs are free.

You can still get Back to School, even while you get Back to Snow. Whether your family is new to skiing and snowboarding or you’re seasoned snow veterans, if you’re looking to develop new skills, improve technique or explore the mountain like never before, you can enjoy Keystone’s Family Private Lesson together. Taking advantage of shared on-snow time, bonding is just an added bonus to these specially designed lessons. Family Private lessons can be reserved for up to six family members (or friends) of similar ability, and with instructors who specialize in working with the whole family you can rest assured that everyone’s ski and snowboard needs will be met on the snow. A Family Private Lesson at Keystone is the perfect way to create memories together and take your shared passion to the next level, so this new product is a can’t-miss for snow-loving families.

Even during summer, we never lose sight of winter. During the summer months, Keystone Resort has been busy with two capital improvement projects to reinvest in the winter mountain experience. The Montezuma Express Lift, a primary lift on Dercum Mountain that serves popular beginner and intermediate ski terrain, will be replaced with a high-speed six-passenger chair that will increase efficiency and improve skier and snowboarder circulation on the mountain. Keystone also plans to expand Labonte’s Smokehouse BBQ with a new, 190-seat indoor facility for the on-mountain dining venue – perfect for family diners. Located at the base of Keystone’s North Peak, Labonte’s is a popular restaurant serving house smoked meats and barbeque during the ski day.

Play on Top of the Mountain. Keystone Resort, recognized as a top family resort destination, is often lauded as being king of the hill when it comes to family travel. In a 2017 list compiled for USA Today Travel by ZRankings, Keystone was named the top family ski resort. But don’t let us shout it from the mountains, here are some of the things that have recently been said about Keystone Resort:
- “Wrapping its brand around family ski trips with a gusto that is unmatched in the industry,” USA Today.
- Keystone Resort named the No. 1 resort in USA Today Travel’s “Best U.S. Ski Resorts for Families.”
- “Keystone is committed to making mountain time memorable,” Dallas Morning News.
- “Keystone ups the ante for families with daily Kidtopia activities,” Chicago Tribune.
- “Four years ago, Colorado’s Keystone resort did something almost unheard of in its peer group … it stopped charging for kids to ski. But that’s just the beginning,” Forbes.
- “The resort’s Kidtopia program is ridiculously fun,” Parents Magazine.
- “Keystone Resort, one of Vail Resorts’ most family-friendly Colorado ski areas,” New York Times.
- “The Kids Ski Free package at Keystone Resort … takes the ribbon for simplicity,” Houston Chronicle.
- “Home of Kidtopia, a magical, on-mountain world, Keystone’s ski school focuses on inspiring students and building confidence and skill,” Washington Post.

Anyone can be a local, even if you’re not. The Epic Local pass offers the greatest value to experience the best of Colorado in one season pass and is designed for skiers and riders who want to ski locally as well as explore Utah, Tahoe and now Whistler Blackcomb. At just $639, the Epic Local Pass pays for itself in just over three days of skiing or riding and offers unlimited, unrestricted skiing or riding at Breckenridge, Keystone and Arapahoe Basin with limited restrictions at Park City Mountain in Utah and Heavenly, Northstar and Kirkwood in Lake Tahoe. The Epic Local Pass also includes a total of 10 days at Vail, Beaver Creek and newly added access to Whistler Blackcomb & Stowe Mountain Resort with holiday restrictions.