| Keystone, Colorado
Keystone Resort -- a nationally known resort and conference center, is a very popular winter and summer vacation destination. It is located about 80 miles west of Denver and 7 miles from the I-70/Silverthorne exit 205.
This area was named in the late 1800's by miners who traveled west from Pennsylvania (the Keystone State) in search of gold and silver. In 1967, Max Dercum (a founder of Arapahoe Basin) got the backing of a group of businessmen and founded the Keystone Ski Area, which opened in 1970. Snowmaking was added in 1972, which put this resort in the forefront of modern ski areas. Up until this time, early season skiing had been a big gamble, so snowmaking eliminated the worry about investing in a Thanksgiving vacation.
Today, Keystone Resort is part of the Vail Resort Corporation and has more than 2,000 acres of skiing on 3 mountains, with a vertical rise of approximately 3,000 ft. from a base area elevation of 9,400 ft. There are 24 ski lifts and it is the only Summit County area to feature night skiing. The wide, gentle runs of Dercum Mountain (recently renamed to honor Max and Edna Dercum, skiing pioneers and Keystone founders) are perfect for families and beginners, with a large snowboard park. North Peak and the Outback cater to the advanced skier pursuing steep, mogul covered runs.
Keystone Resort has a close association with the Arapahoe Basin ski area (A-Basin), which is 5 miles up the road and connected to the resort by bus or car. Arapahoe Basin is a small, friendly area with great skiing for beginners and for experts who enjoy the steep and the deep.
Keystone has a large conference center and a large variety of guest housing, from simple hotel rooms, to multi-bedroom condos, and luxury homes. There are two villages that provide lodging, restaurants, shops and entertainment. Keystone Village is built close to a lake (fun for kayaking or ice skating) and River Run (at the base of ski area). There is always something happening at Keystone, with events like Celtic Festival, Italian Festival, the Bluegrass and Beer Festival, the Wine, Jazz, and Arts Festivals, plus other events in the Park Lane Pavilion performing arts tent. Within the resort are two world-class golf courses, both of which offer staggering views and enhanced drive distances that benefit from the thin air at 9,000+ ft altitude. Keystone Resort has an extensive free bus system throughout the resort, with connections to the Summit Stage (which serves the rest of Summit County).
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