Keystone Resort

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I was probably 16-years old when I last visited Keystone. It was for a winter ski vacation, and I remember enjoying the mountain thoroughly. Twenty-four years have passed and the resort has matured significantly.

We pulled off I-70 at the Silverthorne US-6 exit and proceeded to drive through Dillon. Signs clearly marked our way to Keystone, and it was a mere 10 minutes until we arrived at the River Run Village near East Keystone. Made up of no less than seven distinct villages, you can imagine that Keystone has experienced significant growth over the years.

The check-in procedure for River Run was relatively painless, though I had a difficult time locating a luggage rack to aid me in bringing our bags to the room. The clerk at the front desk was very courteous and helpful, making sure I had everything I needed to prepare for our two-night stay. Keys in hand, I parked the car in the garage and found my way to our room in the Buffalo Lodge.

A comfortable two-room condo with a living area in the center, the suite included two full size bathrooms and a complete kitchen. Rustic furniture, a fireplace, and a balcony provided a warm touch to the room. This unit also came equipped with three televisions and the holy grail of vacation travel, high-speed Internet! As you might imagine, this online addict was quite pleased to jack in and surf at 8200’.

Most condos in Colorado do not come equipped with air conditioning, but the Buffalo Lodge did provide a couple of portable fans to help circulate air through the rooms. These are not typically needed, but we were lucky enough to visit Colorado when the temperatures crossed eighty degrees and then some! And as luck would also have it, thunderstorms rolled in shortly after our arrival to cool things off and to end the prospect of enjoying many outdoor activities.

Unfortunately, the view from our particular room is not to be envied. From our windows and balcony we have a charming view of the courtyard, but no mountains. However, a quick stroll from the building reveals Keystone and all its magnificence. A long paved street from the hotel leads past an enchanting village full of restaurants, stores and various services, including the Inxpot coffee house, Bear Paws ice cream shop and the Rockin’ R Ranch Trading Post (for groceries and liquor). Follow the road towards the mountain and you’ll encounter sports shops, ski school stations and an old-west playground for small children. Take the bridge over the babbling brook and you’ll find yourself at the Summit Express and the River Run Gondola, two parallel chairlifts which rise to the peak of Dercum Mountain Summit at 11,640’.

Upon check-in we were provided with complimentary Keystone Summer Adventure Passports, which are essentially coupon books offering a variety of freebies and discounts for activities and food offered at the resort. After getting situated and feeling out the lay of the land, we took advantage of one of the offers within the Passport and took the kids to the Adventure Center in Lakeside Village, where we all enjoyed learning how to pan for gold. The staff was very helpful and one young man spent some time with the kids showing them how to find the shiny good stuff in a pan full of sand. They actually prepare the sand beforehand, making sure to include two or three small pieces of gold in each pan. I couldn’t help but talk like a pirate as the kids were having fun with this activity. Arrr Matey! Be ye findin’ any booty in them thar pans? They did manage to find two very small pieces of gold, which the staff taped to a special souvenir card. I don’t think it is enough for me to retire, but it’s a start!

The Adventure Center at Keystone is on a small man-made lake which doubles as an ice-skating rink in the winter. Needless to say, the lake was defrosted and there were dozens of ducks swimming about. I purchased a bag of duck food (which I was told was really for the trout, but the ducks liked it) and we all grabbed a handful to feed them. The kids had a great time making the ducks swarm to them and some 14-inch rainbow trout entered the fray to get some grub as well. The rain continued to fall, but we stayed in a covered area at the edge of the lake and enjoyed ourselves just the same.

When the weather is nice, the Adventure Center offers kayaks and paddleboats for fun on the lake. Due to the rain, we settled for enjoying a few video and pinball games inside.

For summer activities, Keystone appears to have a lot of opportunities available. A mountain trail map reveals an intricate system of trails for biking and hiking, rated appropriately for a variety of skill levels. They also offer nature hikes, basic classes in horsemanship, historical bus tours, fireworks over the lake every Saturday night, fly fishing clinics, wine tasting, fitness classes, and scenic wagon rides. On top of that, Keystone has a thriving arts district with concerts and special performances scheduled throughout the summer. As of this writing, the resort is starting to fill up with competitors coming to town to participate in the Xterra Triathalon scheduled for the upcoming weekend. We’ve a full day planned for tomorrow. Here’s hoping the weather holds out!