Industry News
Yesterday, teams at Keystone Resort in Colorado finished erecting all 16 of the new lift towers for its brand-new Bergman Express chairlift.
Set to open this season, Bergman Express will bring lift-served access to more than 550 acres of terrain in Keystone’s high alpine. The high-speed, six-passenger chairlift will allow guests to lap the mellow, dreamy bowl terrain of Bergman Bowl, as well as access the more advanced steeps of Erickson Bowl that connect back to the Outback Express and Wayback lifts.
While Bergman and Erickson Bowls have previously been open for hike-to skiing and riding access at the resort, much of Keystone’s hike-to-bowl terrain has largely gone under-utilized. For the first time ever, this winter both Bergman and Erickson Bowls will be accessible by lift to a variety of skiers and riders at the resort, with mellow and welcoming high alpine terrain. The new lift will allow guests to easily lap terrain in Bergman Bowl, as well as access more advanced terrain in Erickson Bowl that will connect back to the Outback Express and Wayback lifts. For those guests still looking to earn their turns and reach more untouched areas of the resort, 1,300+ acres of hike-to terrain will still be available in The Windows, North Bowl, South Bowl and Independence Bowl for expert skiers and riders.
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New Trails, New Trail Names
In total, 16 trails will officially grace the slopes of Keystone’s high alpine terrain as a part of the Bergman Bowl project, with 13 of those trails sitting in Bergman Bowl and three of them in Erickson Bowl. While one familiar trail and trail name, Jane’s Journey, will remain a staple of the area in honor of Keystone’s founder, Jane Bergman, the remaining 15 new trails will debut with new trail names to match. Living up to the adventurous spirit of Keystone’s high alpine terrain, the new trail names were chosen based on surrounding iconic peaks that can be seen from the top of Bergman and Erickson Bowls. These names include mountains from the Front Range, Ten Mile Range, and more, providing not only a lesson in geography but inspiration to continue to reach new heights.
Bergman Bowl trail names: Jane’s Journey, Miners, Quandary, Ten Mile, Thorne, Ute, Buffalo, Ptarmigan, Red, Torreys, Grays, Wichita, Uneva
Erikson Bowl Trail Names: Tenderfoot, Nuchu, Silverheels
The Legendary James Niehaus Passes the Brush to Rad Smith
Trail maps are much more than a piece of ink and parchment. They’re our trusty companions. They’re our one-way ticket to a choose-your-own-adventure. Trail maps shape our journey, keep us safe, and help us chart our course through areas previously unexplored. As Keystone gets ready to adventure further to new heights in Bergman Bowl, the time has come to paint a new vision for the future. But painting a mountain as diverse as Keystone is easier said than done. Five high alpine bowls, three mountain peaks, over 130 trails…how do you paint a mountain that has, well, everything? In this two-part video series, legendary map illustrators James Niehues and Rad Smith share the hard work and emotional backstory behind Keystone’s newest trail map.
Off-the-Grid: New Sustainable Patrol Hut
In the spirit of Bergman Bowl’s remote and rugged terrain, Keystone has built a fully off-the-grid and sustainable patrol hut designed to operate in the secluded high-alpine. The Bergman Bowl patrol hut is located just off the top of the new Bergman Express lift and is made from 100% Beetle Kill Pine Wood. The hut will be heated with an interior pellet stove and run off of 100% solar power. This off-the-grid patrol hut is just one of Keystone’s many sustainability efforts to help achieve Vail Resort’s Commitment to Zero – a goal to reach a zero net operating footprint by 2030. REFUEL AT TIMBER
Ridge Lodge With New Indoor and Outdoor Seating
Rest and refuel at the newly expanded Timber Ridge Lodge on North Peak. Keystone’s largest on-mountain restaurant and lodge underwent a significant expansion that debuted during the 2022/23 winter season, including additional indoor seating and outdoor deck seating. Skiers and riders can enjoy beautiful, 360-degree views of the surrounding peaks on the wrap-around deck and warm up with a hearty bite to eat before hitting another lap in Bergman Bowl or a run-down North Peak.
