Vail

The ski and snowboard experience at Vail is enveloping, and keeps ahead of its rivals by investment in facilities—lifts, runs, ski school, and instruction. There are plenty of runs, very short lines and should you tire of the local slopes, there is easy access to other good resorts in the valley. Base elevation is 8,120 feet (2,475 m) while the summit reaches 11,570 feet (3,527 m), giving a vertical descent of 3,450 feet (1,052 m).

Vail ski trails
With 193 trails and 5,289 acres (2,140 ha) of skiing, Vail is basically a vast and varied mountain. The front side of Vail Mountain—mostly north facing—offers a conventional trail design cut through the trees, featuring terrain for every ability level. Vail’s seven legendary Back Bowls offer 2,724 acres (1,102 ha) of wide-open expansive terrain that is a must-ski on a powder day.

Ski trails are graded green for beginner, blue for intermediate, black for advanced/expert, and double black for experts only. With 18 percent beginner, 29 percent intermediate and 53 percent advanced/expert, the emphasis is less on cozy, more on challenging. Having said that, Vail is good for beginners and in comparison to some other resorts—especially the more challenging European resorts—there is a tendency to over-classify some black runs.

Snow reliability on north-facing slopes is excellent with an exceptional natural snow record supplemented by extensive snowmaking facilities. Snow quality is not always so good in the Back Bowls as these are mostly south-facing slopes, except Blue Sky Basin—largely north-facing and sheltered from the sun by trees—which holds good powder for several days after the last snowfall.

Backcountry in Blue Sky Basin
Blue Sky Basin, the new jewel in Vail’s terrain crown, is a must for intermediate to advanced skiers and boarders. Fully completed in 2001, it provides a genuine backcountry ski experience and is different from any other area on Vail Mountain. Blue Sky Basin features 645 acres (261 ha) of intermediate to advanced terrain in Pete and Earl’s Bowls. There are some easy groomed (blue) trails but most of the terrain is ungroomed, and because it is mostly not very steep it allows intermediates the opportunity to experience the thrill of exploration and adventure as they find their own way on in-bounds ungroomed terrain. It also provides a means of escaping the crowds on other parts of the mountain.

Exemplary mountain safety
For the past three years, Vail has been recognized as having an exemplary skier-safety program for both education and enforcement. The program includes a stand-alone safety group tasked with monitoring, education, enforcing, and providing positive reinforcement of “Your Responsibility Code.” Skiers and snowboarders are taught about Your Responsibility Code through increased signage on the mountain, in on-mountain restaurants, and elsewhere. Some visitors may occasionally find the yellow-jacketed mountain safety officers a little overzealous, though.