Mountaintop Express Lift
The Mountaintop Express Lift has been upgraded with a new 6 passenger chairlift. Giving a much needed 33% capacity increase to an important access route from Mid-Vail to the Back Bowls and Blue Sky Basin.
Ski Resort Review
Founded in 1962 the attractive, purpose built ski resort of Vail brings Alpine charm to the American Rockies.
Ranked as one of the finest ski resorts in the world, Vail offers a wide variety of skiing for all levels on, 5,289 acres, making the resort the largest single ski mountain in the USA.
Almost half of the 193 trails are suitable for beginners and intermediates. The Front Side is home to the most acres of groomed terrain; with wide, long trails such as Riva Ridge, Born Free, and Simba. The Kid’s Adventure Zones, 3 Terrain Parks including Golden Peak Terrain Park and a 22 foot half pipe can also be found the Front Side.
However, Vail is more famous for The Mountains 7 Back Bowls, wide, open expanses of mostly black diamond rated slopes. China Bowl offers the only groomed blue run trails in the Back Bowls. If you are feeling adventurous, make your way all the way out to Siberia Bowl T-Bar and then to the Inner and Outer Mongolia Bowls!
The ‘Colorado’ ski pass covers the neighbouring ski resorts of Beaver Creek and Arrowhead connected by the lift at Bachelor’s Gulch, as well as Breckenridge, Keystone and Arapahoe Basin.
The Ski Resort In Brief
Getting There:
Denver to Beaver Creek: 137 miles / 220km.
Denver to Vail: 125 miles / 200km.
Beaver Creek only 25 miles / 40km from Eagle County airport.
Shuttle from Denver and Eagle County airports.
Altitude:
Vail; 2,470 – 3,550m (8,100 – 11,650ft).
Beaver Creek: 2,250 – 3,500m (7,380 – 11,480ft).
Skiable Terrain:
Vail: 5,289 acres.
Beaver Creek: 1,625 acre.
No of Ski Lifts:
Vail: 34 – 1 gondola, 23 chairs, 10 surface lifts.
Beaver Creek: 14 lifts.
Types Of Pistes:
Vail: 18% beginner, 29% intermediate, 53% advanced.
Beaver Creek: 34% beginner, 39% intermediate, 27% advanced.
Main Advantages:
Well groomed sloped; plenty of tree skiing; friendly customer service orientated resorts.
Drawbacks:
Few thrills for hard-core skiers; can be expensive
