Hi, I posted last year about taking our first trip out West to ski for spring break. We settled on Keystone. We didn’t go due to COVID. We have airline credits, a pass credit for Keystone/Crested Butte that is use it or lose it this year, and got our lodging money back.
So, Keystone opens up scheduling reservations for skiing 11/6. I have made the very unpleasant discovery that the cost of lodging for the same unit, same nights has doubled. Our 2 BR condo that was $1200 for 4 nights is now $2400 for 4 nights, and prices are consistently doubled throughout the realty and Keystone-managed realty. Or we could squeeze into a studio for the same price as our 2BR would have been last year. These are for walk-to-lift lodging with kitchens which is what we prefer/need due to covid.
I don’t know what to expect from lift lines…will they be good due to the reservations? Will they be terrible due to family distancing on lifts? Is it worth now paying DOUBLE for the lodging and not knowing what the lines will be like? (My guess on the lodging is that they are recouping last year’s losses, and can, because demand is probably there). Will lodging go back down the following year? (I doubt it) Should I just lose the cost of our passes (less than $500) and hold out again? One problem is that this is a special trip for my snowboarding son and this was the SECOND cancellation…first year due to an injury, last year COVID.
Advice is welcome. Or maybe just commiserating. Thanks all.
My husband has a ski pass for the year. It’s got a chip in it so he can just walk through - an employee doesn’t even have to scan it. So he’s not too concerned about the lift lines - he’ll have a ski mask and neck warmer on that he can pull up over his nose. His main concern is the crowded ski lodge. He’s planning on taking a sack lunch and going inside only to use the restroom.
It’s just hard to know what things will be like in the spring, unfortunately. I know spring break is usually a crowded time. Sorry you’re going through this. We’re in the same boat with our canceled trip to France and Spain. We’d already paid for half the cost of the resort in Spain. They are honoring our payment for 2021 but not after that. I can’t see that we’ll be able to go next year.
No advice but I’ll be interested in reading the comments.
The mountain I used to go to is also doing reservation only skiing. My friends who usually get passes aren’t doing it this year because they are only allowing pass holders to reserve 7 days in advance. The mountain isn’t being forthcoming with how many people they will allow at any given time and lift wait times are a big unknown.
Is it possible to wait a few weeks before booking to see how the season starts out and read first hand reports?
Thanks @MaineLonghorn , I should clarify. I’m ok with the virus risk, since we will be outside, goggled, helmeted and masked, and won’t be doing bars and restaurants. My concern with lift line is time. Is it a mistake to go this year and end up spending way too much time in line, and paying so much more in housing (which might just be the permanent reality.) I’m sorry you are in a pinch with your trip, too.
@momofsenior1 , that’s an idea but it feels like a risk. If I wasn’t going at a busy time, I wouldn’t feel pressured to book right away. Then again…if we can’t get reservations…that’s the answer…no ski trip, try again next year!
We ski at Purgatory (already have our season passes) and they are limiting the number of patrons on the mountain. I think it’s to prevent disease spread, but also to prevent long lift lines. Perhaps Keystone is implementing a similar policy?
Yes, Keystone is as well, it is reservation only to ski. But they are also making changes for spreading people out on the lifts themselves, which means they will not be loading the lifts to full capacity. That’s what makes me worry about long lift lines.
My DIL’s parents live there and this is what she said: “It is going to be unpredictable. They are supposed to open on Friday but still do not have permission from the state. A bunch of employees complained today in our local paper about the lack of hand sanitizer wipes and material to clean buses. In addition people will need to have season passes and can reserve only seven days hoping that they will be open those days. If you do not have a season pass they may sell a few tickets but are not sure.”
Thank you @Singersmom07 , this is good intel! It has crossed my mind to move the trip to Thanksgiving, since we aren’t doing anything anyway, and it would be a cheaper/less busy time. But if they don’t have permission yet, or have their cleaning protocols together, those are huge concerns!
No guarantee of enjoyable conditions at Thanksgiving. The week leading up to Christmas is not terribly busy, and a much better chance of snow accumulation compared to Thanksgiving.
@Singersmom07 Keystone made an announcement on their Facebook page today moving the reservation opening back, and mentioning “pending government approval” in regards to 11/6 opening date.
@TS0104 is your snowboarding son a college student? A bunch of colleges are not having spring break this year. They are resuming classes later in January and going straight through until the end of the term. Some are having long weekends, but not a traditional spring break.
I decided to get our normal 4pak (very flexible) for Loveland (a big mountain at Eisenhower Tunney - locals only, no lodging etc). I am not too worried about the lifts, but indoors for lunch / restrooms is a concern. I do see the appeal of liftside accomodations, but yikes that is pricey.
@thumper1 , no, it’s my high school son. My college son’s spring break was recently broken up into single days. If we move the trip to Thanksgiving, college son can go, but that looks very iffy.
@colorado_mom yes, we really like liftside accommodations for the convenience but it seems extra important this year as I would not feel comfortable dining inside; we would just eat in our room or outside and then head back out.
We are headed to Salt Lake to ski the week before Christmas. We have rented an Airbnb and will ski several resorts on our Ikon pass if they are open. We will take our own food and water in our backpacks and eat outside. Many places may not have indoor dining anyway and it may just be grab and go food.
Things change every day. A-Basin was set to open but then Summit County changed the rules. “Government” approval is at several levels. Keystone is also in Summit county and probably doesn’t have permission to open yet. A-Basin isn’t opening its lodges for eating and everyone will be eating out of the cars. Many of the bus services are cancelling this winter. Resorts that are serving food mostly have prepackaged stuff and no salad bars, buffets, ‘open’ plated things like french fries.
Winter Park (Grand County) just delayed opening until Nov 30, so after thanksgiving. Grand County is dealing with the recent fires, and a lot of the lodging in Grand County is taken by the displaced homeowners.
There also isn’t a lot of snow. The water sources are low because of the drought, so they can’t make snow at the rate they usually do.
Really, no one knows how it is going to work. My brother works at Steamboat and he doesn’t know. The gondolas are only going to have 4 on them instead of 8, so sure, only 50% of skiers on the hill but only 50% capacity going up the hills. Usually the ski patrol and workers going up the hill just jump on a chair or gondola as the last person but now they will need their own chairs or gondola cars. Fewer singles lines. Things are going to clog up.
It is not going to be skiing as usual. Right now restaurants are at 25-50% capacity, so that means grocery stores are packed too. There are few activities going on in the villages (ice skating, tubing, movies, ice sculptures). Yep, the economies are hurting, so everything costs more.
Many of the initial cases in CO last winter were in ski towns, with germs brought from various regions. That was before there was knowledge of the risks, caution and mask usage. Bummed to read above post about Summit county recent outbreaks,
^ my husband was in summit county last March, when the governor closed the ski resorts,
And outbreak happened, at keystone as I recall last early last March. The European skiers brought the virus to Colorado Ski resorts early,
Another good place to get info is Facebook page for summit county daily news,
A week ago, the government gave Summit county a warning to get their rates of infection under control ( not sure how that was to happen)
Well, it didn’t and now under more restrictions, positivity rate 14% of covid testers,
So much stress about the effects on ski season, So Sad.
My in laws lived in Silverthorne, and we have visited for the last 25 years, FYI , many fond memories of skiing Loveland, and all resorts, A basin one of my husband’s favorites.
I know spring break is usually a crowded time. Sorry you’re going through this. We’re in the same boat with our canceled trip to France and Spain. We’d already paid for half the cost of the resort in Spain. They are honoring our payment for 2021 but not after that. I can’t see that we’ll be able to go next year.