Keystone Grabs The First-To-Open Crown, A-Basin Follows Close Behind
The ski and snowboard season in the West has begun, with Keystone stepping into the spotlight as the first to open this season.
Originally scheduled to open on Sunday, Oct. 26, management at the Summit County resort sprung a surprise by started spinning its lifts on at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 25. The move put Keystone ahead of neighbor Arapahoe Basin, which opened at 8:30 a.m. on Sunday morning, as scheduled.
Recently, the informal first-to-open competition has featured this type of leap-frogging to gain the headlines. In 2019, A-Basin jumped ahead of Keystone to open the afternoon before. Last season, Wolf Creek took advantage of a two-foot dump in southern Colorado to start up a day before everyone else.
Several early season snowstorms, plus temperatures cold enough to make snow, has helped both resorts -- located at the highest elevations in the Rockies -- to begin the 2025-2026 season.
Keystone turned on the power for the River Run Gondola and parallel Montezuma Express to give access to two miles of the Schoolmarm green that runs from top to bottom. Plus, a hike-to terrain park above the lifts can be had. Downloading is required.
Up the road at Arapahoe Basin, crews have been working to open the Lower Mountain Blues trail -- the traditional first run of the season. Benefiting from some early storms and cold temperatures, the mountain began operations for it 80th season. Black Mountain Express is the only lift open at this point.
