Vail Ski Resort

Vail Ski Resort
Front side of Vail Resort in 2005
Vail Ski Resort is located in Colorado
Vail Ski Resort
Vail Ski Resort
Location in Colorado
Vail Ski Resort is located in the United States
Vail Ski Resort
Vail Ski Resort
Location in the United States
LocationVail, Eagle County,
Colorado, United States
Nearest major cityVail
Denver – 100 miles (160 km)
                (via Interstate 70)
Coordinates39°38′20″N 106°22′26″W / 39.639°N 106.374°W / 39.639; -106.374
StatusOperating
OwnerVail Resorts
Vertical  3,450 ft (1,052 m)
Top elevation11,570 ft (3,527 m)
Base elevation  8,120 ft (2,475 m)
Skiable area5,317 acres (8.3 sq mi; 21.5 km2)
Trails195 total
18% beginner
29% intermediate
53% advanced
Longest runRiva Ridge – 4 miles (6.5 km)
Lift system31 total (2 gondolas (12 and 10 person), 4 high speed six's, 14 high speed quads, 1 fixed grip quad, 2 fixed grip triples, 9 surface lifts)
Terrain parksYes, 2, 1 Super-Pipe
Snowfall354 in (29.5 ft; 9.0 m)
SnowmakingYes
Night skiingNo
Websitevail.com

Vail Ski Resort is a ski resort in the western United States, located near the town of Vail in Eagle County, Colorado. At 5,289 acres (8.3 sq mi; 21.4 km2), it is the third-largest single-mountain ski resort in the U.S., behind Big Sky and Park City,[1] featuring seven bowls and intermediate gladed terrain in Blue Sky Basin.

Opened in late 1962, Vail is one of 37 mountain resorts owned and operated by Vail Resorts, which also operates three other nearby ski resorts (Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, and Keystone).[2]

Vail Mountain has three sections: The Front-Side, Blue Sky Basin, and the Back Bowls. Most of the resort is wide open terrain with all types of trails. There are cruising runs accessible from most front side and Blue Sky Basin lifts, as well as the wide open Back Bowls, glades, and chutes.

Vail has the fourth-largest area of skiable terrain in North America after Whistler Blackcomb, Park City Mountain Resort, and Big Sky.[3]

Vail Village is modeled on Bavarian village styles, with pedestrian streets. Unlike other Colorado ski towns such as Aspen, Breckenridge, or Steamboat Springs, which existed as 19th century mining towns prior to the establishment of their ski resorts, the Vail village was built when the resort opened.

  1. ^ Glusac, Elaine (February 27, 2014). "Montana's Big Sky Resort Gets Bigger". The New York Times. Retrieved June 16, 2018.
  2. ^ Burke. "How many Ski Resorts Does Vail own?". SNOWPAK. Retrieved May 15, 2020.
  3. ^ "The 7 Biggest Ski Resorts in North America". Ski Mag. January 27, 2021. Retrieved October 30, 2021.