Crew Braves Summer Snow To Plant 800 Trees at Colorado's Keystone Resort

Last week, just after an early-season storm poured snow on Keystone Resort, Colorado, a crew headed onto the mountain to plant almost 800 saplings in the high-altitude Bergman Bowl.

The tree planting project, which Keystone is conducting in partnership with the Forest Service, also includes the Jane’s Journey trail area and the lift line for the Argentine chair, which was removed several years ago.

The trees “improve the ecosystem by stabilizing the soil, minimizing erosion, creating habitats, and making the forest stronger as a whole,”  Keystone’s senior director of mountain operations, Kate Schifani, explained in an email.

Want to keep up with the best stories and photos in skiing? Subscribe to the new Powder To The People newsletter for weekly updates.

Each year, Keystone and the Forest Service assesses the mountain to decide which areas would benefit most from tree planting, Schifani said. 

The Forest Service runs the project. Keystone, as a resort operator, works with the federal agency to plant the trees and offers insight into how well each year went. The resort also provides recommendations for new areas that could be eligible for foresting. Two types of trees are being used: lodgepole pine and Engelmann spruce.

Tree planting is a common practice at ski resorts across North America. 

Earlier this month, Alta Ski Area, Utah, hosted a volunteer effort to plant more than 800 Engelmann spruce saplings as part of ongoing reforestation efforts. 

In June of this year, Sierra-at-Tahoe, California, announced that it had planted more than 16,000 seedlings in its West Bowl alongside the Forest Service. The goal? Restore the trees lost in the destructive 2021 Caldor Fire, which torched 1,600 acres of Sierra-at-Tahoe’s terrain.

At Keystone, the new trees obviously won’t be fully grown next month, but the resort’s slopes could be ready for skiers. Keystone, like a few other mountains in Colorado, is aiming to open as soon as possible. Last winter, the resort narrowly missed the October mark, first welcoming skiers and snowboarders on November 2. 

Making sure your gear is tuned up and ready to go would be wise, then. Just make sure to give the saplings plenty of space if you visit Keystone this season.

Related: Atomic’s Limited-Edition Grateful Dead Bent 110 Skis Are Now Available