Keystone moves up opening day

KEYSTONE — Keystone Resort will fire up the lifts for the season a week earlier than anticipated due to October snowfall and favorable snow-making conditions.

The county’s largest ski area will open on Friday with a 12-inch base, according to Keystone communications coordinator Lindsey Fussenegger.

Copper Mountain Resort is also set to open Friday morning.

Keystone will start the season with service on the River Run Gondola delivering skiers and riders to the intermediate Spring Dipper trail. Limited beginner skiing will be available in the designated learning area on top of Dercum Mountain.

The Summit Express Chairlift will also be operating, as well as the mid-mountain Montezuma Express. Skiers and riders will need to download on the gondola or the Summit Express at the day’s end. All skier access and services will be provided in the River Run Village base area.

The A51 Terrain Park will be open with the largest jibbing area in the country, offering 20 rails, boxes, walls and other features.

The mountain will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and adult lift tickets cost $59.

Keystone’s season opener festivities continue next week with a special one-day sneak peek of night skiing and riding on Friday, Nov. 9 from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. The resort’s fourth annual 36 Hours of Keystone returns Nov. 30 through Dec. 1. For more information, visit www.keystone.snow.com.

Copper Mountain’s season gets under way

Copper Mountain Resort will also kick off the season on Friday with an 18-inch base and top to bottom skiing and riding.

Copper will be running the American Eagle, Excelerator and Easy Rider surface lifts to service the intermediate Ptarmigan, Rhapsody and Main Vein trails, said Copper Mountain spokesman David Roth.

The resort will also open the Eagle Jib Park just below the American Eagle lift with about 10 features available on opening day, Roth said.

Copper Mountain has a host of concerts and activities on tap for opening weekend, including ski and snowboard demos, film premieres, aprés parties and free live music. For the full line-up of music and movies scheduled for Copper’s Lift Off, see Friday’s edition of Summit Scene, or visit www.coppercolorado.com.

<I> Nicole Formosa can be reached at (970) 668-4629, or at nformosa@summitdaily.com. </I>