A First Timer's Guide to Vail Ski Resort

Any avid skiers and snowboards who still have yet to visit Vail Ski Resort, located next to the lavish mountain town of Vail, Colorado, put it on your list of things to do before you die, seriously. As a long time snowboarder who grew up a few hours from Lake Tahoe, I have experienced the wonders of Squaw, views of Heavenly, and the park at Northstar. However, I was shocked at sheer amount of rideable terrain Vail had to offer. It seemed to trounce any other mountain I had seen before, including Mammoth, which is no slouch in its own right. Being a season-pass holder in Colorado, I realized it took a few visits to really get the most out of the mountain, and hope to pass this experience and knowledge on to others so they may do the same.

Deciding to ski Vail alone is a bit of a decision to make. On the way, you will pass Keystone, Breckenridge and Copper Mountain, all located about forty-five minutes (sometimes far longer in less than desirable conditions) before Vail. If it is snowing pretty hard and a weekend, my advice would be to shoot for Breckenridge, and evaluate the traffic from there. If it seems to clear up after that point, continue on to Vail and experience an unmatched powder day. However, if things are slow, realize that Vail Pass will have even more snow on it and that it simply may not be worth the extra distance. Signs on the freeway will give you an estimate of how long it will take to get to Vail vs. the other resorts, which should aid in your decision making. Also keep in mind that in horrible weather, Vail Pass has a tendency to close easier than the rest of the highway because of the worse weather, so plan accordingly. If there is a chance of snow and you do not have four-wheel drive, save yourself a lot of stress and pull off somewhere closer.

Before you even get on the mountain or decide where you will be skiing for the day, you must deal with parking. One great thing about Vail is that they have two large parking garages located right next to the main village, which offer easy access to the mountain. However, at $25 for four hours and up (which you will need), it's no cheap luxury. One way to circumvent this issue is to park on the side of I-70 Frontage Rd./North Frontage Road W. While this parking is a fair distance from the closest lift and a less than desirable walk, there are busses, which can take you the transportation center (located outside the middle parking garage).

The last obstacle you must tackle before getting on the mountain is getting your pass. I refer to this as an "obstacle," not because of the difficulty of getting one, but because of the price. 3-day adult passes for Vail come in (depending on the date), at an average of $267, and that's if you buy online. Getting this pass at the window will cost you even more. One thing to keep in mind is the Epic Pass, which is Vail's name for their top tier season pass. At $649 for adults, this pass allows for unlimited and unrestricted riding at Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone, Arapahoe Basin, and a few big name resorts in Tahoe including Heavenly and Northstar. Other advantages of the pass include six discount tickets (which can save you/your family about $20 per use), and its ability to track your lift history, ski days and vertical feet traveled each day. This information is recorded through an online program called EpicMix, which allows viewing all of your detailed day and season stats, starting from last season when it came out.

Once you're on the mountain, I recommend starting by taking the Vista Bahn Express. This lift brings you (literally) to the heart of the mountain and offers terrain of every skill level for you to explore. It's also a good starting reference point and gives you a sense of place on the mountain, something that can be hard to come by for a beginner at a resort of this size. If it's crowded, look ahead to the Mountaintop or Wildwood Express, and choose the shortest line. Both lifts will bring you to the top of a peak, each with dining, varied terrain and access to the backside. From here, you should be able to scope the least-crowded area and enjoy the rest of your day.

My final word of advice on Vail is this: don't go on a weekend. Save yourself the frustration of sitting in traffic and being surrounded by people, plan ahead, and get in a great day of mid-week riding. This will ensure that you feel as though you have the entire, enormous and amazing ski resort to yourself and you have the best time possible.