[dkopunec]

Keystone's website shows an opening date of June 26,2009.

Hope this is a tentative date, as this makes for a really short season.

In the past I remember them opening around the beginning of June.

http://keystone.snow.com/info/biking.asp

 

[Beast]

go to sol vista. http://www.bikesolvista.com/2008/whatsnew.php

 

[dkopunec]

SolVista looks great, I'll have to check it out this year.

 

[funkendrenchman]

Keystone's website shows an opening date of June 26,2009.

Hope this is a tentative date, as this makes for a really short season.

In the past I remember them opening around the beginning of June.

http://keystone.snow.com/info/biking.asp

They open when the snow melts which is rarely before the third week of June.

 

[Ithnu]

Its all weather based. Just because the resort is closed for the winter doesn't mean it won't snow there randomly during May.

Of course that doesn't rule out that May will have two straight weeks of 80F days and sun either. Its the mountains in spring, you never know what you'll get.

 

[bpatterson6]

go to sol vista. http://www.bikesolvista.com/2008/whatsnew.php

Solvista is good, But Keystone is better IMO. It seems with my luck I have destroyed more stuff at Sol Vista. The dirt makes the difference for me. I'd rather pay more to buy a pass and ride at Keystone more often. In my experience I enjoy myself alot more at Keystone. Check out both and decide for yourself. Either way, you'll be happy.

Sol Vista = about 1,000ft Vert. Cheap lift tickets. Sol Vista doesn't have to deal with the Forest Service because it's privately owned and can build a ton of things. The mountain has lots of different trails. All built by the best trail builders you could ask for. Sol Vista hardly ever gets rain during the summer and is in a Banana Belt. All trails and obsticles are built very well but with no water makes it a sandy blown out mess most of the time and not nearly as much fun as it potentially could be with a little moisture.

Keystone = Expensive anyway you cut it. Usually tacky trail goodness. Long trails with alot of features both Natural and man made. about 2,000ft Vert. I think.

 

[EVILTWIN]

"I enjoy myself alot more at Keystone." Ahem. Last year if you remember Cowboy up was the only snow and they didnt plow it open for weeks....

 

[bpatterson6]

"I enjoy myself alot more at Keystone." Ahem. Last year if you remember Cowboy up was the only snow and they didnt plow it open for weeks....

Ahem...to me Cowboy up is not one of their better trails since more new trails have opened since. I may hit once in a while, because for a number of years that was the only show in town at Keystone. So...I stand by my original statement.

 

[EVILTWIN]

My previous post was two fold. First, that was a very nice quote about you, Keystone, and your hand. The second being in reference to the opening of the top of the mountain, where in lies what I think to be one of Colorado's bestest courses, the Milky-way-high-speed dirt thingy.

 

[funkendrenchman]

Eye of the Tiger -> Mosquito -> either Even Flow/Wild Thing or Open Field -> Helter -> Skelter is so much fun and has so much variety.

 

[bpatterson6]

$299 - Unlimited Keystone Bike Haul - OUCH!!!

 

[EVILTWIN]

$300? Ug...

 

[boomintrucker01]

Sol Vista

 

[ricrellim]

i believe Sol Vista opens June 5th. Try it out while your waiting for Keystone to open. Keystone does rock but it seems that they tend to have to shut the lifts due to weather more frequently than Sol Vista. I used to ride Keystone exclusivley because I didnt know any better.

This Year I am buying a pass to Sol Vista!

 

[Ithnu]

Keystone has to shut the lift off once in a while because of the lightning associated with the rain. As Billy pointed out, Sol Vista doesn't really get rain. So its sandy, but the lift runs.

The lift shut down for weather won't affect a local much really, so you lose one afternoon. But if you're here for a trip, losing 1/2 day on a 3 day trip to ride can suck.

Anyway...bpatterson hit it pretty accurately. Sol Vista is better built, but Keystone has the natural advantage.

I have a pass to Sol Vista and will still be riding Keystone, just not enough to warrant a season pass.

 

[SylentK]

It seems like I haven't ridden Keystone in forever. Are they done building that new gondi in river run? Can they have races again? Are they building more trails? C'mon, someone has to know...

 

[Ithnu]

It seems like I haven't ridden Keystone in forever. Are they done building that new gondi in river run? Can they have races again? Are they building more trails? C'mon, someone has to know...

I've overheard that Keystone wants too much $$ to host a race. They make more off a wine or bluegrass fest than a bike race.

And they can run the lifts in the background while the suburban moms get drunk on wine. At one point several in our group were being hit on. Kinda funny really we heard crap like
"hey boys! can I get a ride!"
"I've got something that's more fun than a bike!"
"Can I ride on your bars?"
"That's a big bike, anything else?"

Actually I'm not complaining, that sh!t was funny.