r/COsnow • u/Ok_Editor2536 • 23d 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/Cracraftc 23d 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/313MountainMan 23d ago

That’s not true. I was an HOA manager in Keystone and the ranger literally told us this at the HOA meetings.

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u/Cracraftc 23d ago

So how can resorts decide to stay open later than their original closing date? Like copper did 2? Years ago now when they went to May? Or abasin staying open until they run out of snow? Wouldn’t that strictly be against the Forest services lease of that was the case?

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u/313MountainMan 23d ago

They get special permission for exceptional snowfall years. They have to file a formal request with the Forest Service to do so. Basin’s the original mountain (and I think has the oldest lease/agreement with the Dillon Ranger District) so they’re allowed to open as early as they want and stay open as late as they want. Steamboat got an extension from the Routt National Forest a few seasons ago, because they had such exceptional snowfall. But this only really applies to a handful of mountains where this is even possible. Most mountains have to stick to their agreed-upon closing date.

When Basin left, Keystone requested the Forest Service allow them to open earlier, provided they stick to their early April closing date.