Keystone Hosts U.S. Ski Team Training

Keystone, the U.S. Ski Team and York Snow announced a new partnership today that includes additional snowmaking capabilities on Keystone's North Peak and exclusive early-season training for U.S. Ski Team athletes at Keystone beginning this November.

Keystone, along with Breckenridge and Beaver Creek, began making snow yesterday thanks to the winter storm earlier this week that brought up to a foot of new snow at both Keystone (mid-mountain) and Beaver Creek (summit) and colder temperatures to the region.

Vail's expected to begin making snow Nov. 1.

With higher elevations, historic early-season natural snow and consistent ability to make snow for training, events and skiing/riding for the general public, Colorado resorts have long been factored into U.S. early-season training and competition.

The Keystone, U.S. Ski Team partnership announced today by U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA) president and CEO Bill Marolt and Keystone's director of mountain operations Chuck Tolton is a one-year partnership that all parties hope to extend into the future.

Keystone began making snow on Starfire, the trail on North Peak that will be allocated for exclusive training use by the U.S. Ski Team starting Nov. 5.

York Snow provided additional highly efficient snowguns, which is the first phase of a snowmaking upgrade on Keystone's North Peak to accommodate the U.S. Ski Team training program. The team also is financially involved in helping support infrastructure and operational costs.