Summer Construction Updates: Helicopter Operations
Tracy Bartels, director of mountain operations at Keystone, provides the scoop on construction and capital improvements taking place at Keystone this summer. Stay tuned here for regular updates on these projects throughout the summer, direct from the source!
July 10, 2017
As work continues at Keystone on capital improvements set to debut for the 2017-2018 winter season, the resort will have helicopter operations taking place on the mountain tomorrow, Tuesday, July 11, as part of the construction of the new six-passenger Montezuma Express Lift. During this time a helicopter will be on-site to remove existing towers and will stage flight operations out of the Marmot Lot in Mountain House.
During helicopter operations the Summit Express Lift will operate as normal starting at 10 a.m. for scenic rides and bike hauls, with mountain biking available for experts-only. There will be no uphill hiking or biking access on the mountain during helicopter operations, and trails within the flight path of the helicopter will be closed for the safety of resort guests. The west side of Mountain House will also be closed during this time.
We are planning to start helicopter work at 8 a.m. on Tuesday morning in order to have as little impact as possible on mountain operations and our guests. We anticipate the work to take approximately 5-7 hours total. For guests interested in seeing the exciting work in action, the helicopter will be best viewed from Lakeside Village and the Keystone Lodge & Spa area.
As the helicopter’s operations are highly weather dependent, the scheduled date for flight is subject to change and we will provide further updates if needed.
This summer, Keystone is undertaking two capital improvement projects that will reinvest in the winter mountain experience. The Montezuma Express Lift, a primary lift on Dercum Mountain that serves popular intermediate and beginner ski terrain, will be replaced with a high-speed six-passenger chair that will increase efficiency and capacity by up to 25 percent, while improving skier and snowboarder circulation on the mountain. Keystone is also renovating and expanding 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 hour smoked meats and barbeque during the ski day.
-Tracy
