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The Ski Resort of Vail

Vail

Vail ranks as one of the world’s great ski resorts. If you have skied everywhere else but not skied Vail, frankly, you should grab the next flight to Denver and experience the largest single ski mountain in North America.
 

Our Rating:

Advanced ****
Intermediate *****
Beginner ***
In the ranking of U.S. ski resorts, Vail is the tops, and for a variety of reasons. Years of investment in ski facilities have provided an unrivalled range of lifts and runs. Constant attention to the slopes throughout the season keeps them in pristine condition and when you move off the slopes Vail has that essential sense of style—mock Austrian-Tyrolean in parts, certainly—but style nevertheless. To sum up, Vail has fabulous skiing, glitz, a lively crowd, and good nightlife. But sometimes it is crowded, suffers lift lines that are long by American standards, and prices both in the resort and on the mountain are relatively high.

Vail, CO at a glance
 

On the mountain

Ski area

The front side of Vail Mountain offers a trails for every ability level, but Vail’s seven legendary Back Bowls are a must-ski on a powder day. more...

 

Lift system

Vail has a world-class lift system with many high-speed quads, but weekend visitors sometimes clog up the base area lifts.
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Ski schools & guiding

The Vail Ski & Snowboard School is consistently rated one of the top 10 ski schools in North America, with small class sizes and priority lift access. more...

 

Advanced

Half of Vail's ski area is designated advanced and expert, but the best skiing is to be found on Vail's famous Back Bowls and at the Blue Sky Basin. more...

 

Intermediate

In Vail, intermediates can ski much of the same terrain as advanced skiers, even the Back Bowls and Blue Sky Basin, providing they choose the easier trails and gradients.
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Beginner

At Vail, beginners get to start at the top—at the top of the mountain that is. more...

 

Boarding & freestyle

Vail's Golden Peak Superpipe and Terrain Park features an award-winning Superpipe and more than 40 rails. more...

 

Mountain restaurants

The 15 restaurants on Vail Mountain include flagship Two Elk Restaurant and exclusive Game Creek, accessible by snowcat.
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Ski Map

open Front side Ski map

open Back Bowls Ski map

open Blue Sky Basin Ski map

Off the mountain

Village

Pedestrian-only Vail is made up of four main base areas—Vail Village, Lionshead, Gold Peak and Cascade—centered around a mock-Tyrolean theme.
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Accommodation

There is a wide range of accommodations, but, essentially, Vail caters to the carriage trade. more...

 

Après-ski

Vail is known for a great après-ski scene—and excellent celebrity spotting. more...

 

Restaurants & bars

Vail has a wide range of cafés and restaurants offering every kind of cuisine, and its nighlife, with lots of live music, is unsurpassed.
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Other activities

The excitement and fun in Vail run deeper than the powder, with hot-air ballooning, ice climbing, dog sledding—and of course, shopping.
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Getting there

Getting to Vail couldn't be easier: Interstate 70 runs right through it and 100 miles on to Denver.
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Navigation

Quick access

Resort shortcuts

Vail facts

Ski Area

Base8,120 ft
2,475 m
Summit11,570 ft
3,527 m
Elevation3,450 ft
1,052 m
Area size5,289 a
2,140 ha

 

Trails/runs

Number of trails193
Advanced53 %
Intermediate29 %
Beginner18 %

 

Lifts

Gondolas1
Chairs23
Surface lifts5

 

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