We are so fortunate to be so close to some of the best ski resorts in the world. I was thinking about this as I found my “ski legs” on my first run at Keystone that day. It had been a tricky morning taking care of everyone but as I looked out over the picture-perfect view, I exhaled and felt a wave of peace. This was worth a week of those mornings! My husband and I rode the gondola together then had our own fun on the runs. What a great combination! Quality time, me time, quality time, me time! This skiing thing was great! I know many of you are regular participants in this lovely adventure, but we haven’t made time for this in a while. The kid’s ski lessons were the key to being able to enjoy our day so thoroughly! We knew they were getting expert instruction (much better than what we could offer), meeting other kids, and having a blast on their own.
After a yummy, relaxing lunch at Spruce Café, just around the corner from the children’s ski school, we picked up the kids. My son was wiped (code for; he wanted to get back to his phone) but my daughter was looking forward to a dip in the pool and hot tub. Thankfully, my husband offered to take her. I was looking forward to enjoying our condo and chilling for a bit before our evening got underway.
I was beyond excited for our dinner that night. We had reservations for Der Fondue Chessel Restaurant more than 11,000 feet at the top of the North Peak. It’s a 2-gondola ride to the top with a Bavarian theme and of course, fondue! How much more fun could a family dinner be? I thought for sure that this would be an activity/dinner/evening that the kids would be as thrilled about as I was. Sadly, I was wrong. Did you ever think you nailed it? Had the perfect outing for the whole family only to find that your kids are tired, it’s too cold out, they just want pizza? Well... I have! But this was planned, paid for and we were going to have a perfect family night. Dammit! Please excuse my language, but that is exactly how I felt.
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The weather was not helping the situation. It was getting colder by the minute, but Keystone was prepared, and the lift operator handed us nice, cozy blankets for the enclosed gondola. No chair lift to worry about! Because River Run had night skiing, the mountain was lit up and looked beautiful. I decided to let go of hoping everyone would enjoy our evening, I would enjoy it. You can see by my daughter’s lovely expression, that she was going to try hard to avoid smiling at any cost. I could see my son warming up to this unique experience little by little. I had a gleam of hope…
Walking into Der Fondue was like walking into a chalet in the Alps. Music was playing, the staff was wearing Bavarian dress and we were greeted right away. Since we arrived a little early, we headed to the bar where the bartender asked if we’d be interested in trying their homemade Glühwein (German Mulled Wine). This kind of thing isn’t usually my cup of tea but when in Rome… It was perfect on a cold winter night! My daughter had a Shirley Temple as a treat, and I don’t know if it was the sugar or the chalet, but she started to loosen up. Once seated we were treated to live music by a talented folk trio. They were super friendly, and the kids loved it. The food was both fun and delicious. We were able to choose the combination of meats we liked (veggies available and included too) and the kids thought it was cool to cook their own food. They served an appetizer, cheese course, meat/veg course, and DESSERT! Put a pot of melted chocolate in front of me and I’m a happy girl! The night ended up better than I could have hoped. It was more than a dinner, it was an experience we’ll never forget.
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The next day we managed to get a few runs in with the family before having lunch at 9280 on the way out of town. This would be a fun spot for Après Ski with friends...FYI. We made it through and honestly, without all of Keystone’s well thought out family amenities, it wouldn’t have turned out as nice as it did.
Was it still worth it to travel with our kids? You bet. We made memories that will last a lifetime.
Thank you to Keystone and Vail Resorts for an incredible experience. I would highly recommend Keystone for your next mountain getaway with your family. This was a hosted trip and my opinions and dysfunctional parenting are all my own.
