Anyone up for early season snow in Keystone CO ?

[jayjohnson600]

I've got a line on a condo week near Keystone/A-Basin ski resorts for early season Nov 16-23(Sat-Sat). Keystone season opener is scheduled for Nov 1.

Looking for fellow snow-fiends to split costs. The condo week is $600, can sleep 6, full kitchen, ~1100sqft, on the free Summit county shuttle line.
I stayed in the condo last year, it was nice. Remodeled 2 years ago with new carpets/kitchen/in-unit-washer-dryer/diningroom. The place usually rents for ~$1100 a week. The owner is open to me renting it again this year too.

At this moment roundtrip flights start at $220(can go lower) plus bags, then a shuttle from airport to Summit county, or just rent a car, that is cheaper and much more convenient.

Local ski pass is $279 for the whole season with holiday blackouts. The condo week is the week before Thanksgiving, so no blackout for the condo week.

Or drive from DFW in a long day(850miles near 13hours). I've done this a couple of times. I really enjoy driving up with the mountains in view.

With a great price for a condo week, splitting the costs can make this a very inexpensive week in the rockies.

BTW: Colorado is 420-legal, if that makes a difference
I also have some extra snowboard gear that I can loan out, ski boots for size 10.5 and 13, plus 2 spare snowboards.
This early in the season won't call for frigid cold weather gear.

[jayjohnson600]

If you don't have the Jones for snow, maybe this will help...

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=keystone+co&hl=en&ll=39.580009,-105.938609&spn=0.003357,0.01458&sll=31.168934,-100.076842&sspn=16.135112,19.379883&t=h&hnear=Keystone,+Summit,+Colorado&layer=c&cbll=39.580011,-105.941272&panoid=PFsFdDDeCPGeUmHQipFF4Q&cbp=11,357.76,,0,1.25&z=17

[jayjohnson600]

... and here's the snow halfpipe in the Area51 trick park:

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=keystone+co&hl=en&ll=39.591044,-105.959475&spn=0.003357,0.014462&sll=31.168934,-100.076842&sspn=16.135112,19.379883&t=h&hnear=Keystone,+Summit,+Colorado&layer=c&cbll=39.591044,-105.959475&panoid=44JL0-i1Qrsqj3I-9ECohw&cbp=11,10.33,,0,-1.47&z=17

I started messing around on it last season, and quickly found out there's a ton of difference in the skateboard halfpipe and the snow halfpipe. I was just beginning to translate a little bit from my old halfpipe skateboarding days but I'll need a lot of adjustment and practice to get going on this thing. I hope to spend more quality time on it, this coming season.
They have that ready in December usually.

[Wish4svts]

If I can use my vacation that close to thanksgiving, then I'll go! I'll know within a day if I can.

[jayjohnson600]

The 2 snowboards on the left are available for loaner on the trip.

162 and 154 length

I have 2 spare sets of boots in 10.5 size.
I only have 1 spare set of bindings.

[jayjohnson600]

I just checked the car rentals prices from the Denver airport. Last year I rented a car the whole week for $100.

Now the car costs $285 for the week. The price could get better closer to November, but these prices will push me to make the 1-day drive to Keystone instead of fly.

I'm continuing to monitor pricing of flights and now car rentals just in case they cycle through a bargain price.
I also checked the ski equipment rental pricing, gear is getting a little more expensive to rent.

The price and availability of the Summit Keystone/A-Basin season pass(lowest cost adult pass) may change on Sept 2. This pass will pay for itself after 3 days on the snow.
Last year, this pass became unavailable around that time, and you had to move up to a more expensive season pass.

Link to Season passes:

http://www.snow.com/planavacation/season-pass-explorer.aspx

[Wish4svts]

Shit, I forgot about this... I'd love to do this.

[jayjohnson600]

Ok, did you have all of your own snow gear?

Sending you a pm.

[Torinoman]

I would love to go, I just hate planning that far in advance because shits crazy right now

[jayjohnson600]

Early planning is the way to cut costs. How it can break-down:

In-season room room for a week is $900 and up, lift pass is $439 and up.

With planning, the condo week is $600(with kitchen, washer/dryer), lift pass is $279

Split the room, split the drive and it gets cheap. Plus, you have a lift pass for the rest of the 2013/2014 season.

[jayjohnson600]

I watch the rainfall numbers for Keystone, as a gauge for expected snow fall in ski season.

Keystone has met it's average monthly rainfall for August, and there is more precipitation in the forecast for the last couple of days in the month. I take this as a good sign for the early season snow fall. If they don't get good snowfall, the snow-makers will make up the difference. Keystone opens the first weekend in November. The condo is available Nov 16-23, so I think the snow conditions should be okay. Still like to hope for a good dump the day before I arrive

People have asked me what the slopes are like in early season. The resorts will only open up a few trails, not the whole mountain. There will be trails to ski, and the crowds are generally less. Early season also means more man-made snow, not quite like the fluffy natural snow, but still ski-able. In early season, the bottom may have mid-day high temps in the 40's, and that will melt the snow some, so it's generally slushy and wet at the bottom.
So, I usually get onto the gondola landing just before the bottom. That way I can stay in the freeze temps and not get into the slush so much.

As the season progresses, the snows come in and the daily high temps keep dropping, more trails will open up.

Keystone has a couple of beginner areas at the bottom and summit to get your snow legs under you. I will spend a little bit of time at the top beginner area when I first get on-mountain. I'm not a qualified instructor, but I might be able to help some, if needed.

My snowboard gear is still available to loan out for the trip. The first to commit to the condo gets the pick. Equipment rental cost can add up, so this is a big deal, especially if you can fit my spare ski boots. Buying new gear is expensive, and beginners should try starting at low cost(like renting) and see how you like it before buying gear. Craiglist has lots of gear that can be scored for cheap. Buying used gear on CL can be cheaper than renting gear!
I've seen snow gear only used 1 or 2 times, selling for damn cheap.

I've helped a couple people that have questions, feel free to send me a message if you have any questions.

I'd like to have 2 or 3 commit to the condo deal, saves some bucks and I know the ropes for Keystone and Summit county.

[jayjohnson600]

Buying my season pass today. This time last year, the $279 pass was removed from the offering. Might be unavailable after today.

August precipitation showed almost an inch above the average rainfall in Keystone. 2.81 versus 1.93 .

[jayjohnson600]

I bought my season pass.

Now, the prices of the season passes were raised a bit...

but on the good-side, they didn't get rid of the lowbuck Keystone/A-Basin local pass.
Not sure when they may drop that pass.

Precipitation for the month of September is already *well* ahead of pace for the monthly average, and this after a good August.

Still looking good for early season snowfall in November.

[Grant]

What's the total out of pocket cost-split?

Thanks.

[jayjohnson600]

Based on 3 participants, the cost is:

$200 for the condo week.
$289 for the low-buck season pass.
$ 75 in gasoline, round-trip, if riding in a 25mpg vehicle.
$ ? do you need to rent any snowgear? I have some stuff to loan out, first to commit.
$ ? food from the grocery store, or restaurants. Full kitchen in condo.
====
$564 plus food and snowgear rental

Not too bad for a week on the snow, and the lift ticket is good the whole 2013/2014 season.

With 3 participants, a sedan might do for the travel. Just need to find out how comfortable people want the drive to be. I only have 2-seater vehicles, so a different
vehicle will need to be chosen.

With 4 participants, the room split gets better, but it will require more in gas for the vehicle that can carry 4 with gear, or multiple vehicles? The cost saving in the condo will balance out with more gas cost. The room can sleep 6, using the couches.

I have 2 others that have expressed an interest. I've been holding off on committing to the room until the owner pushes me to it.