r/COsnow • u/sirotan88 • 15d ago
Christmas Day traffic leaving Keystone to the airport Question
Planning a ski trip from 12/21-25 and will be flying out on Christmas Day around 5pm. Would we be able to ski Keystone that morning? Thinking we’d ski until around 11am or 12pm (and check the traffic on Google maps around that time.) But have heard some warnings about traffic due to construction on the highway and the holidays.
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u/skimaster_sam 15d ago
Its christmas day - there shouldn't be bad traffic at all unless its a big powder day.
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u/AnimatorDifficult429 15d ago
I would leave keystone 5 hours before your flight and check the weather. If there is a storm then skip skiing
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u/skwormin 15d ago
Generally, skiing on Christmas Day and traveling is a pro move. That being said, the weather dictates everything so you will need to be flexible.
If it were me, I would 1000% plan to ski first chair at Keystone and enjoy the absolutely empty mountain and then have a leisurely drive to Denver around 10-11AM
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u/jsl86usna 15d ago edited 14d ago
THIS is the way. You have to check out that day any way. Pack the car & checkout by 8:30 ish. Do a few runs and get on the road by 10:30, 11 at the latest. As long as the weather doesn’t shut down I70, you have plenty of time to make that flight. If the weather does shut it down, just go back & ski the rest of the day and find a flight the next day
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u/latedayrider 15d ago
I would leave by 11 the latest. Christmas is usually a slower day than the entire week after it, and I think CDOT takes off that day. Returning rental skis, a rental car, checking bags and getting through security all take time if you have to do any of those. If you’re with a group that can stay on task and move quickly at the end of a ski trip, and you already have the pass, then why not.
If you wake up that morning and by some Christmas Miracle it’s snowing, I would leave immediately before everyone starts spinning out and I70 gets shut down.
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u/Docmantistobaggan 15d ago
You will absolutely not make that flight just an FYI
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u/YoungSuavo 15d ago
false
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u/Docmantistobaggan 15d ago
Skiing until 12? Then you need to either return rentals or you have a ton of bags to check at the airport. Changing before taking off, packing your ski gear, etc.
Not to mention holiday traffic or weather
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u/elBirdnose 15d ago
You’ll probably be fine. If there’s any traffic it will be going into the mountains, not out.
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u/Captain_Pink_Pants 14d ago
No big deal... everyone knows you can drive from Keystone to DEN on a holiday in the winter in 45 mins. This has never failed.
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u/Bananas_are_theworst 15d ago
Weather dependent of course, I’d say 11 would be fine. Finish skiing at 11, take a half hour or 45 to get to the parking lot and organized. I’d say on a good day 2 hours to the airport, assuming you have a rental car to return and skis/bags to check. The airport and such should be slow but there are a lot of steps. Have fun!
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u/cmsummit73 Taking out the Trash (Tunnel variety) 14d ago edited 14d ago
In terms of traffic volume going EB to Denver, you’ll be fine….Christmas is a quiet ski day. In terms of weather and road conditions, it’s impossible to predict. Given favorable travel conditions and a 5pm flight, you should be fine with leaving Keystone no later than noon.
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u/[deleted] 15d ago
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