Keystone Mountain Hike

The morning air at Keystone was crisp and clean, and the temperature was cooler thanks to the previous night’s rain. We awoke at a casual hour, enjoyed a brief breakfast, and made our way to the Summit Express chairlift at the eastern base of Dercum Mountain, recently renamed in honor of the founder of the resort.

When we checked into the condo, we received a Keystone Summer Adventure Passport book which contained about 20 coupons, redeemable for a variety of activities, including a beginner mountain biking clinic, a free 30-minute boat rental, a complimentary wine tasting and an afternoon discovery stroll, among many other activities. We opted to use the coupon for the free scenic chairlift ride. At the lift ticket center, I swapped four coupons for four summer mountain lift tickets, valid for round trip rides for the entire day. For an additional fee, mountain bikers can hitch a ride for their wheels as well.

The four of us rode to the top of the peak on the quad seat Summit Express, rising from 9300

to 11640’ in approximately fifteen minutes. You don’t have to go very far up the mountain to get a view of the village below and the incredible mountains on the horizon. It also didn’t take long to rise above the portion of the mountain that is visible from the base. Upward and onward we went, making the steady journey to the peak, accompanied by a cool breeze the entire way.

At the top of the mountain, we lifted the footrest and the chair slowed to a crawl, making for easy unloading. The view was truly spectacular. From the top of the peak, we could see Keystone’s other TWO peaks, with Keystone Mountain rising 12,408’ into the sky. Off to the west was a great view of Breckinridge and its four peaks. Framing the ski resorts were some of the best of the Rocky Mountains, with snow covered peaks topping 14,000’. The village below seemed like another world, miles away.

While on the mountain, I struck up conversation with two women, one of which was a local. I asked her a few questions about our surroundings, and then an odd thought popped into my head. I asked, How long would it take to hike down the mountain? She replied that it would take about an hour, as it was several miles. I pondered this briefly. I had skied down many a mountain, including the very peak I was standing on, but never in my life had I hiked down a slope. While I was not wearing hiking boots, I felt my tennis shoes would be adequate for the adventure. I was clothed well and I had a full bottle of water at my side.

I turned to Zachary, my twelve-year old, and said, Want to take a hike with your old man? He thought for a moment and said, Sure! Mary and Jenna took the chairlift down the mountain and Zach and I proceeded to navigate our way downhill on foot.

The first order of business was to find a couple walking sticks. Fortunately, nature had provided branches of all shapes and sizes, and the groomers of the trails had left plenty of them lying around. We each found a stick suitable to our height and ventured forth.

A chairlift ride down the mountain is a beautiful site to see, but it is over far too quickly. By foot, we were able to stop and smell the wildflowers, as it were, feeling more a part of nature, rather than just observers. It didn’t take long to figure out that this was going to be more difficult than it looked. The trails beneath the chair lift were mostly intermediate ski runs, meaning there were few level portions, and a good many steep hills. Gravity did what gravity does, coaxing us down the mountain from one rest stop to the next. Just as one does when skiing, we looked ahead down the mountain and attempted to choose where our steps would take us in order to provide the safest and most enjoyable hike.

We quickly discovered that rocks were to be avoided, as they made for a trickier descent. The tall grass was far more preferable to gain a solid footing. What I had not counted on was the havoc the hike would play on my knees and shins. By the time we reached the halfway point, I was beginning to feel the pain. But I was determined to complete the journey no matter what. Perhaps it was a guy thing, but I knew I had to conquer the mountain.

Along the way, Zach and I saw dozens of people riding mountain bikes. Some were going downhill and others were struggling to make their way uphill. One guy wiped out just a few feet from where we were hiking. Good thing we moved out of the way!

We stopped every time we reached level ground to shoot some video and grab a drink of water. By the time we reached the final leg of the journey, my knees were shot. I found myself moving down the final portion at a hurried pace, knowing it was going to hurt whether I moved quickly or slowly. Zach, being a pre-teen, had little trouble navigating the mountain and did not complain one time. I am writing this article the day after the hike, and I must say, my legs are killing me!

But pain or no pain, we had a fantastic time hiking down the mountain, father and son. It would have been nice if we had seen some wildlife while on the hike. However, we did see some beautiful wildflowers, and I wouldn’t trade the experience with Zach for anything. This impromptu hike turned out to be the highlight of the trip for both of us.