Taking Ski or Snowboard trip to Vail Colorado, Everything you should know

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Skiing and snowboarding can be dangerous activities, please ride within your ability levels and respect others around you. A Black/Double Black is a more advanced run, a Blue is going to be intermediate, and a Green run will be beginner.

Known as the largest ski resort in Colorado, and the 5th largest in North America, riding a mountain such as Vail will open your eyes to a whole new world of what winter can look like for skiing and snowboarding. Known for their back bowls, this magical place, drives tourists and employees from all over the world each season to enjoy the outdoor playground that Vail has become. I first rode Vail after a surprise snow storm, we ended up riding through trees, jumping off side hits/cliffs, and laying a few turns out on wide open bowls. I had never been to resort that was this large, and it felt like a never ending exploration of new runs, spots, and terrain, I was hooked.

The Gore Creek runs right through town, a popular spot for photos in Vail Village with loved ones

The Gore Range off in the distance is one of the most stunning mountain ranges in Colorado

The mountain itself sits in what is known as the Vail Valley, tucked away off the highway. To actually see what the mountain looks like, you need to get on the resort to experience what this place has in store for you. In this post I’ll be laying out the details, secrets, and my personal tips for a ski/snowboard trip to Vail Colorado! Things like how to get to Vail, where to stay, favorite restaurants, where to rent equipment, and some of my favorite places to ride.

Where is Vail and how do we get there

Vail is actually not going to be your classic mountain town, it’s more of a resort with two different base areas/villages (there’s talks of expansion). Located essentially right off the I-70 corridor, the resort will be in between Copper Mountain and the small town of Avon. If you plan on driving, to get to the mountain you’ll need to drive over the infamous Vail Pass, which can be kind of dicey in the winter. It’s a pass that see’s a lot of truck activity and can get a lot of snow. So be careful, and make sure to have the right tires! If you don’t feel like renting a car, you can take a mountain shuttle (Peak 1 Express is my favorite) and then just use In-Town public transportation to get around!

Within the actual town of Vail you will have east Vail (the first exit) and West Vail. This is where you’ll be able to find lodging if you don’t want to stay in the resort area. Below I listed times and distances from major Colorado areas.

Denver - 96.6 miles and just over 1.5 hours depending on weather.

Breckenridge- 35 miles and about 45 minutes

Colorado Springs- 164 miles and about 2.5 hours

What is the History behind Vail Mountain

There’s actually a ski and snowboard museum located in Vail Village at the transportation system, it’s a fun activity to see all of the unique history. After World War II, skiing and recreation in general started to become more popular. Two men, Pete Seibert and Earl Eaton both avid enthusiasts of skiing decided to open Vail Mountain in 1962 after scouting years prior for a place to start a ski resort. They had hiked up to the back bowls of Vail and decided that it would make a great resort.

Hard to believe, but lift tickets were only $5 and there was only two lifts and one gondola at first. The people who moved to Vail and skied the mountain at first were passionate mountain enthusiasts who viewed skiing as a way of life.

Where can we stay and is Vail expensive

Vail is going to be a more expensive mountain to stay at, which is one of the downsides to riding here. None the less, there are still some options that aren’t far from the resort and some right by the chairlift, if want to spend a little bit of cash. Below I listed places I believe will give you an awesome lodging experience!

The Arrabelle - Located in Lionshead, this is a true luxury resort, with a restaurant on site, pool, spa, and walkable distance to the chairlift. It’s also close to ski shops and the Burton Store that sits below the hotel!

Lodge at Vail- Pretty much in the heart of Vail Village, this hotel will also be a more luxurious stay. With room service, a swimming pool, and not far from the Vail Village gondola. Staying in a place like this will make you feel like a king or queen for your stay.

Gravity Haus- Also in Vail Village and walkable distance to the slopes, this lodging option has a restaurant on site, coffee shop, and a small breakfast menu. Don’t forget their spa and workout facilities. A newer household name in destinations around the country, this is probably one of my favorite options in Vail for lodging.

Residence Inn- More budget friendly, the rooms will be more like a standard hotel room. Farther from the mountain, however the hotel does offer a shuttle service to the resort!

Highline- Another option if you want to save money while vacationing in Vail. This hotel will be located on the west side of Vail close to the highway exit. They also offer a shuttle service.

Where can we rent/buy ski or snowboard equipment

There are going to be a number of ski shops in Lionshead and Vail Village with the two main snowboarding shops being Burton in Lionshead and Buzz’s boards in Vail Village. There was a Burton store in Vail Village for years, however it has recently closed down. These shops will offer Rentals, Demos (Try before you buy), and also sell just about everything you would need for a ski or snowboard trip to Vail, including a board bag to take your gear back home with you.

For rentals, especially holidays and weekends you’ll want to make rental reservations ahead of time. Epic mountain rentals, Christy Sports, and Gorsuch will have a way to reserve equipment before your trip. Buzz’s doesn’t require a reservation. Either get to the shop the night before or arrive early in the morning!

Other stores worth checking out for gear include North Face, Patagonia, Stio, Oakley, and Craniologie! Craniologie will have the best selection of helmets and goggles. Patagonia, North Face, and Stio will have options for ski outerwear with Oakley having some of the best goggles and some clothing/outerwear options.

Does Vail get a lot of snow

I would say Vail gets a good amount of snow each season. Of course it can depend on the season, but from what I’ve noticed is that the mountain sits in that valley where weather patterns seem to drop deep snow storms. On average Vail gets around 354 inches of snow/year.

Not everyday will be a powder day, so sometimes it could be icy, which in that case, you’ll want to stay on the groomed runs more.

How long does the season last

Vail stays open from Mid November through Mid April per national forest rules. Due to the mountain sitting at a lower elevation. Early season is usually just a few runs that require taking the gondola in Vail Village to chair 4 and then downloading at the end of the day. Depending on the year, Vail will start to fill in around Thanksgiving through December, slowly opening up different parts of the mountain! Just remember, Vail has 5,317 skiable acres, almost twice the size of Breckenridge!

What Season Pass options are there and are lift tickets expensive.

The full Epic pass will get you unlimited access to Vail with the Epic Local getting you up to 10 days. The best thing to do, is if you plan on riding 4 days or more, I would purchase an Epic Local. Peak season lift tickets will get to over $300/day. Season passes can be purchased the previous spring and this will be your best option to save money!

Should I take a lesson, and what are my options

If you have never skied or snowboarded before, I would recommend taking a lesson. Lessons are usually given off chair 2 or in Golden Peak off the Gopher Hill Lift. Your lesson options are private, group, first timer, and even adaptive for people with handicaps. Vail also offers options for more advanced skiers or boarders looking to explore the mountain called the all terrain program. It’s for kids/teenagers ages 7-15.

Just note, lessons can be very expensive, and can fill up quick. So book months in advance before your winter trip!

Where is the best place to grab coffee and breakfast

There’s a few coffee shops right in Vail Village that are worth grabbing a cup before you head to the gondola. Two Arrows is going to be your local spot and is steps from the Gondola. Yeti’s right in Solaris Village is your grab and go coffee shop, less elegant, but also a local favorite. A newer coffee shop in town that is also pretty damn good is Unravel, which is inside Gravity Haus. Each of these coffee shops will also have food options like breakfast burritos and avocado toast.

For Breakfast there’s the Little Diner in Lionshead, classic spot! It can get busy in the morning so be prepared for a wait. There’s also Vintage, which is going to be a lot more upscale. If you’re just doing a day trip from Denver or the front range, I would recommend Westside Cafe, near City Market.

What about dinner, where should we go for that

There’s 3 restaurants that I think are some of the best restaurants in Colorado and they just happen to be in Vail. My personal favorite restaurant is Mountain Standard. It has an open kitchen with locally sourced Colorado ingredients. Also open for lunch, make a reservation here and you will have an awesome meal.

Sweet Basil is the sister restaurant to Mountain Standard. I would say that it is a little more expensive and upscale, while still having food sourced from parts of Colorado, giving it that mountain feel. Amazing wines, starters, and just overall service. This place is the real deal.

Inside Gravity Haus will be Slope Room, with incredible ambience and the menu is pretty solid too. Whether you’re staying here or not, I would recommend this restaurant for a night out in the Village.

The last restaurant that should be added to your list is going to be Matsuhisa. Another fancy restaurant but with a sushi bar and hot kitchen. Matsuhisa is a global name started by chef Nobu combining Japanese and Peruvian flavors. I think it’s about as good as it gets for sushi in the mountains.

In Lionshead, two restaurants I recommend are Montauk Seafood Grill and Tavern on the Square. Tavern on the Square is connected to The Arrabelle and they also do breakfast. If the sun is out, it’s a nice place to grab something to eat or a drink at the end of the day on the patio.

Best Bars, Apre’s, and Nightlife

There’s a number of bars in Vail, mostly in Vail Village if night life is what you’re searching for. My favorite bar is Garfs in Lionshead. It’s bar food with a fairly large menu, the atmosphere is welcoming, and it just has a ski town vibe to it. It can get pretty busy in the winter, but there’s a lot of tables and the bar itself is pretty big. Other popular bars include Shakedown, The George, and Root & Flower. .

What is the town of Vail like

The town of Vail is split into different areas; Lionshead, Vail Village, and Golden Peak. There’s talks of expansion towards West Vail, but that could be years down the road.

Vail Village

This will be where the most restaurants and shops are as well as the best area to walk around while catching mountain views. Walk across the bridge and check out Gore Creek or stroll around to the different stores before you grab dinner somewhere in town. When it’s snowing and the Village is lit up, it is pretty magical.

Lionshead

Less going on in Lionshead, however if you are looking for more peace and quiet this is a nice part of Vail to spend time in. For starters, there is an ice rink, a fun activity with kids or a date night. You’ll also find a handful of restaurants, ski shops, and name brand stores. If you feel like going over to Vail Village for a night, just hop on the in-town bus and it will take you right over.

Golden Peak

The 3rd base area in Vail is going to be incredibly small, and that is Golden Peak. You’ve got lodging options, Avanti food & beverage, and a large rental shop for skis and boards.

What is the mountain like and where should we ride

Vail just feels never ending when you ride it and that’s the best way I can describe it. The complete opposite of a mom and pop ski resort. Lots of options on where to ride, but I would have to say my personal favorites are; Chair 11 and Sundown Bowl. Below I’ve listed detailed info on different areas of the resort!

Chair 11

Also known as the Northwoods Express lift. This area of the mountain is my favorite part of the frontside to ride. It has groomers, cliff drops, trees, and some fun hidden stashes. For more advanced skiers or snowboarders take North Rim to North Star or if you just want to cruise, take the catwalk and drop into Northwoods. If the snow isn’t great, this area can get skied out with Moguls, so make sure to scope it before you drop into any of the more advanced runs.

For an easier way down, take the catwalk (Timberline catwalk) down to the bottom of 11 or over to the Sourdough Express chair..

Views from below that overlook the North Rim area. Be aware of rocks and exposed terrain when going through this area!

Two photos, views of the Gore Range right before dropping into some trees and also what it can look like on a powder day when riding up Chair 11.

One of the best beginner to intermediate areas in all of Vail, Northwoods to Flapjack.

Sourdough Express Lift

If you are new to skiing or snowboarding this chairlift is your jam. Mostly green runs with one blue run, Whiskey Jack. I actually like Whisky Jack to get back to chair 11 or to ride all the way down to the Village Gondola.

Village Gondola Frontside

Although more of a mode of transportation to get from point a to point b, there is some fun runs off the gondola, such as Ben’s Face or for those who like steep, try Pumphouse.

This area isn’t my favorite part of the mountain, but it is a great way to warm up and the gondola is a way to access other areas of the mountain. Just note, on weekends as well as holidays I would avoid standing in the gondola line. Instead, start at the Lionshead gondola and then head over to Chair 2. From there, follow the Eagle’s Nest Ridge catwalk, dropping into Ouzo trees.

Shot By: Matias Zanotti

Lionshead Frontside

A less crowded area on Vail Mountain, skiing or snowboarding in Lionshead is fun if you have a family or if you don’t want to wait in lift lines. Runs like Born Free, Bwana, and Simba will be long intermediate blue runs.

I like riding right under the Eagle Bahn gondola or pretty close to it. It’s more challenging and not as groomed, but on a powder day, it’s a fun area to lap in the morning as seen below.

Game Creek

Not considered to be part of Vail’s infamous back bowls, Game Creek Bowl is still worth checking out. Go in the morning after an overnight snow storm, drop into Ouzo trees or lay down some turns on Showboat. Just note, Showboat, once it gets skied out, can get pretty bumpy. If that happens, ride down some of the less skied areas such as Deuces Wild. I’ve snowboard that area in the afternoon and there was still fresh lines to be found!

Showboat below, although short, runs right under the lift. Pop into some of the trees, lay out a turn in the bowl, or hit one of the side hits towards the bottom of the lift. Either way, can’t go wrong in Gamecreek!

Chair 2

Quiet possibly the most central area on Vail Mountain, not only is it a great place to link up with friends and family, but it also is a chill part of the mountain to take a few laps before heading to the back bowls. Lodgepole is a favorite run off Chair 2. A lot of the runs are pretty wide and there’s some good tree stashes if you cruise to the Mid Vail area!

My go-to is taking Chair 2 up, taking a left off the lift, and snowboarding Mid Vail Express down to chair 4.

Chair 3

Not my favorite lift in Vail, however if you want nice wide runs that are groomed, there is Hunky Dory and Eagles Nest Ridge. There’s also some smaller rock drops right under the chairlift, which I would only hit if the snow is soft.

Does Vail Mountain have Cliffs

With all of the resorts I have been to in Colorado, Vail I think has some of the best Cliffs to jump off of on a good powder day. Places like Blue Sky Basin (Lovers Leap) and Northwoods/North Rim will have cliff areas for thrill seeking enthusiasts. If you do decide to jump off any of these, always make sure to spot your landing, know the risk, and jump off these when the snow is soft.

Skree Field and Lovers Leap

Shot by: Matias Zanotti

Is there any Beginner to Intermediate terrain

If you aren’t the most experienced, no problem, Vail still has parts of the mountain that allow people who are new to the sport, be able to enjoy this beautiful place. To me, the best beginner terrain will be off of Chair 4, Golden Peak, Sourdough Express and Chair 2. These chairs will offer a number of green and blue runs for the beginner to intermediate skier/snowboarder. It is also some of the earliest terrain to open.

Whether you’re a kid or adult, Chaos Canyon will weave one through a series of race like turns until the catwalk that runs back to Chair 2.

Should we check out the Back Bowls

The short answer is.. yes. The back bowls are infamous and are what make Vail what it is today! What makes the these bowls so unique is how long and wide they are. Not too steep or above treeline, on a deep snow day, Vail’s back bowls are something else. 7 bowls total; Sun up, Sun Down, Inner & Outer Mongolia, Tea Cup, Siberia, and China!

Sun Down

This is my favorite back bowl that Vail has to offer, and with the recent Chair 17 addition you can lap it as many times as you want without traversing to get back to the same runs. What I love about it is the steepness and of course views. Runs like Ricky’s Ridge will leave a lasting smile on the face and make your vacation or trip to Vail that much better. This bowl requires you to traverse out to runs like Widges and Seldom, so make sure to hold your speed!

This area really allows you to see how large this mountain is and has gullies, pillows, and just wide open fields of terrain.

A hike up Ptarmigan Ridge is a fairly easy inbounds hike in Sun Down Bowl that will give you that extra little amount of untouched terrain when dropping into Sundown Bowl. It’s also the hike used for out of bounds legendary back country terrain and local favorite, the Minturn Mile. But to do that you’ll need a partner, plan, and proper back country equipment.

Shot By: Mitch Webb

Sun Up

One of two original bowls at Vail, This is the first one you’ll come up on as you start to explore the back bowls! It’s best to ride this one early before the snow gets kind of sticky or variable. There is a groomed run called The Slot in case you don’t feel like riding ungroomed runs. Some favorites in this bowl for me are Apres Vous, Yonder, and the trees in Over Yonder.

The Headwall Ridge above the Sleepy Time catwalk, may or may not be untouched

Over Yonder, which is right next to the Sun Up Express Lift offers some wide open tree riding.

Inner and Outer Mongolia- As far removed from the Resort as you can be these bowls are accessed via chair 21 to 22. It’s almost as if you feel like you’re in the back country when you are riding back in this area because they are so far from any Village or on-mountain restaurant.

Siberia- Also really secluded, this area tends to be more low angle. But if you’re looking to escape the crowds it’s a good one to go to. You can’t see any lifts in Siberia, giving it that off resort feeling. But don’t sweat, this area is still in bounds and mitigated by ski patrol.

China- The largest back bowl and probably the most popular, China Bowl has something for everyone. The reason it is so well known is the large Cliff band that allows you to drop off of at different heights depending on your comfort level. For steeper terrain, check out Dragons Teeth and Genghis Khan. China feels like it goes on forever, So you might need to take a break if the legs get tired!

On busy days, a little known secret is to start in Golden Peak instead of Gondola 1. This lift will go up and then down and drop you off on runs to the Sourdough Express lift (Chair 14). Take that up and you will be at China Bowl.

For a less steep ride check out the Poppy Fields as these will be more of a blue run, access these from chair 24 (Wapiti) or chair 21 (Orient Express). For trees there is Shangri-La, a decent length tree run all the way down to the base of the Orient Express Lift.

Tea Cup

The actual Tea Cup Bowl itself is pretty short and sweet however, there’s a fun gulley afterwards called the Marmot Valley that keeps the legs burning as you rip through it on skis or a snowboard. The traverse to get to Tea Cup is kind of a mission, but you can drop in early or keep going as far as you want, the earlier you drop the longer your run will be!

Riding around Vail with your friends are the kinds of days that make this whole experience memorable. Trevor, Mitch, and I cruising through the Teacup on Red Zinger and Emperor’s Choice.

Any good tree riding

My all time favorite trees (and I’ve mentioned them throughout this blog post) are Ouzo, back towards Game Creek Bowl.

Some family and kid friendly trees in Minnie-Ha Ha on the Frontside. These can be ridden through on the way back to Lionshead!

It doesn’t take much snow for it to stack up in WFO trees below!

WFO- On the way to Blue Sky you can take these tree’s to get back there instead of taking the long cat walk called Sleepy Time. It’s a quick run, but if there’s fresh snow, definetly worth it. Gets tight in areas, but overall you should be able to cruise through these with no problem. Watch out for fallen down trees in areas and look for the WFO sign when cruising on Sleepy Time!

Ouzo- Hop off Chair 2 towards the catwalk Eagles Nest Ridge, take that down pretty far until you see a good amount of trees, and drop in!

Tea Cup Glades- Also on the way to Blue Sky, these will be much more tight Aspen trees to ride through, so I would say you’ll need some experience. I like how it opens up as you get towards the base where the lifts are. Make sure to stay left and have a good sense of direction on these so that you don’t end up in no man’s land!

Shangri-La- Probably the largest tree skiing area on Vail, these will be located in China Bowl off Chair 21! Spread out in areas and then tight in other spots. This area can be lapped more than once to discover all of the hidden gems it has to offer.

What is Blue Sky Basin like

Blue Sky is its own mountain in a way. Completely different than anything on Vail Mountain. I think what’s cool is that you don’t have to be the most experienced skier/boarder to enjoy this part of Vail. Although the mountain has to fill in quite a bit before this area opens, depending on snowfall it’s typically Christmas. There are going to be three chairlifts; Skyline Express, Earl’s Express, and Pete’s Express. Petes Bowl is the terrain left of Skyline and Earl’s Bowl is the terrain right of Skyline.

The Main chairlift, Skyline gives you access to a vast amount of terrain. With lookers right being a pretty big open field including Earl’s Bowl with options to either ride the Champagne Glades or a more open run with some cliff drop areas called, In The Wuides. Continue to lap this area on Earl’s Express chairlift or take the run down and get on Skyway again.

If you go lookers left off Skyway it will be a series of steeper black diamond runs with some famous cliff areas such as Lovers Leap (see does Vail have Cliffs section) and Skree Field.

If you’re feeling adventurerous there are also hikes to side country areas such as Gate 38. I recommend going with a partner for this and being very familiar with snow safety as this area isn’t managed by the resort. Getting out of the area is a process as you’ll be weave through trees to pop back into the resort.

Petes Express Lift is the 3rd lift in Blue Sky. I haven’t spent too much time on this chair, but there are more trees and it can get tracked out on a powder days right under the chairlift, making the runs more bumpy.

If you’re with a family and just want some easier areas to ski or snowboard in Blue Sky, take the Skyline Express lift to the Cloud 9 cat walk and ride down the Big Rock Park or cut over and go down The Star.

Is there a Terrain Park

Yes, Vail has a terrain park and it will be located on Golden Peak! Not known for their park, Vail Mountain still puts in some nice features each winter. They’ll have a beginner, medium, and of course a more advanced area of the terrain park. One thing to note, is the jump line can be challenging, so make sure to get a feel for them before you just “send” it.

Where can we eat on the mountain

Other than Aspen the food on mountain is second best in my opinion, if you’re willing to pay for it. My personal favorite is the new Avanti in Golden Peak. It’s nice because they have many options to choose from, while still offering a centralized inside and outside eating area.

Other eating areas will be at the top of the Lionshead gondola (Eagles Nest), bottom of chair 3 and 4, BBQ at the top of chair 4, and also Wildwood at the top of chair 3. The views at the top of Wildwood are incredible if it’s a sunny day.

The two large cafeteria style ones will be at the top of the Lionshead Gondola and at the bottom of chair 3 and 4. These ones you grab a tray and it will be more like a traditional ski resort cafeteria. Each will also have bars for that afternoon break too. Lastly, there is Belles camp back in Blue Sky. Not many food options here, mostly snacks, but it is a good place to warm up, and grab some hot chocolate on a freezing day!

Where can we park and is there transportation

Most of the parking in Vail is going to be paid with the two main parking garages being in Vail Village and Lionshead. There’s a couple free zones to park throughout the town, but those can fill up quickly! Visit the town of Vail website for more info! If you’re lodging is in East or West Vail, the good news is, the town of Vail has awesome public transportation that can drop you off in Lionshead, Vail Village, or Golden Peak. During very busy times, these buses can be full.

There’s going to be a Red and Green bus for farther distances and then an In-Town bus for little trips around the 3 different base areas.

Any downsides to riding Vail

I would say the two downsides to Vail are the number of catwalks that you take to get from point A to point B, especially for Blue Sky Basin and the cost of visiting. There’s a reason the name for the catwalk to get back there is called Sleepy Time. With that being said you can always find shortcuts and terrain to ride that will take you to the chairlift without having to take a catwalk all the way to your destination

What to Pack

I’m a snowboarder so, I always get my gear on Burton.com. They will have everything from base layers, to boards, boots, bindings, luggage, jackets, and pants.

Also make sure to bring winter footwear, gloves, and a good hat or scarf to keep you warm when walking around town. And don’t forget sunscreen, as the sun at that kind of altitude is pretty strong!

That’s it for ski or snowboard trip to Vail. As always, if you have any questions drop them below! Thanks for reading this longer blog post and I’ll see you on the next one.