Industry News
On Wednesday night, ski resorts across Summit County and Eagle County in Colorado were blanketed by fresh snow… but Mother Nature wasn’t the only one doing the work. Keystone Resort and Vail Mountain fired up their snow guns that evening, with Beaver Creek firing up Thursday afternoon, and have officially started snowmaking for the 2023/24 ski season.
Keystone and Vail’s early snowmaking abilities are thanks in large part to their state-of-the-art, fully automated snowmaking equipment. Making snow requires compressed air, compressed water, and very specific weather conditions: a wet bulb temperature (a combination of air temperature and humidity) of 27 degrees or less.
Vail’s snowmaking footprint allows them to move quickly, with a compressed air capacity that can fill the Goodyear blimp in just 12 minutes. Meanwhile, at Keystone, each of the resort’s early-season snow guns is equipped with its own weather stations – allowing the resort to measure conditions in real-time, save energy, and take advantage of cold weather windows the moment they open.
That timing is important for Keystone, as the Resort looks to open for the season as early as possible this October. This season will be a special one for the resort in that it will be the first time that guests can enjoy lift access to Keystone’s high alpine terrain thanks to the debut of the Bergman Express, a brand-new high-speed chairlift that will unlock 550 acres for skiers in Bergman Bowl and Erickson Bowl.
Vail Mountain and Breckenridge Resort aren’t far behind Keystone, with opening days planned for Nov. 10. Meanwhile, Beaver Creek is slated to open on Nov. 22. Skiers still have the opportunity to ski at all four resorts and more this season by locking in their Epic Pass at epicpass.com!
