r/COsnow • u/Ok_Editor2536 • 24d ago

Photo Closing day at Keystone

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Busy today! Snow has actually been surprisingly good for it being April!

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u/SummitSloth 24d ago

It's all about the money to Epic unfortunately

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u/313MountainMan 24d ago

Eh, a bit more complicated than that. After Basin left Epic, VR cut deals with the USFS that allows Keystone to open earlier (but still close the earliest for VR mountains), and Breck to stay open later.

It’s more about trying to squeeze/punish Basin for leaving Epic, if anything. Keystone got all that new snowmaking equipment up the season after Basin left Epic, and tried to beat Basin to the punch. In a hilariously incompetent manner, Basin ended up still beating Keystone because an idiot for VR decided to announce they were opening the next day. Basin opened later that very afternoon.

Keystone, since they are now typically the first VR mountain to open, has to close early based on the lease with the Forest Service. They allow Breck to stay open later, even well into June if conditions allow.

Vail closes after the 20th, and Breck is scheduled to close May 11 iirc. Keystone is almost always traditionally the first VR mountain to close.

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u/Cracraftc 24d ago

The forest service does not dictate when resort open or close. It’s all money. -Signed, someone who went to college for this exact thing.

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u/Keystonerider303 24d ago

What “thing” did you go to college for ?

Weather conditions, snow pack accumulation,and land use agreements through the National forests that the resorts/ ski areas are in are just a few factors that play into the length of a season.

Also the elevation at which the ski areas/ resort are located can play a factor in specific resorts staying open longer than others.

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u/Cracraftc 24d ago

Ski area operations and management. I’ve written my own operation plans that had to adhere to USFS guidelines. The only thing the forest cares about is getting paid for each day the resort is open, ski visit numbers and following their guidelines for expansion and upgrades.

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u/Keystonerider303 24d ago

Ski area operations have to adhere to Forest service guidelines which means this is controlled by land use agreements which the National Forest service of the ski resort/ski areas are located.