Vail Resort, Colorado
Vail, with its size and terrain, is America's premier ski destination. There is no comparison. The mountain is consistently ranked the No. 1 Ski Resort in North America, according to the readers of many magazines. To be exact, Vail has been the No. 1 Ski resort 14 times in the last 19 years.
Vail has earned this premier designation for terrain, snow conditions and challenge. Combining the largest single-mountain in North America with 5,289 acres of skiable terrain, Vail provides a huge variety of trails for skiers and riders of every level. Vail also boasts the largest network of express quad chairlifts in the world with 33 total lifts, 14 high speed quads and one gondola.
One of Vail's most prominent features is Vail's world-famous Back Bowls, with 2,966 acres of wide-open skiing terrain. Blue Sky Basin is an amazing place for terrain, with 645 acres of natural adventure experience. Vail's terrain park is massive, providing a plethora of rails and jump to test any level skier and boarder.
Vail is also proud to be one of the premier ski and snowboard schools with more than 800 instructors. There are a multitude of programs for all abilities, from the renowned learn-to-ski lessons to expert mogul and powder workshops. In addition, lessons are offered in many languages for International visitors, as well as for students who have adaptive needs.
The town of Vail also rivals the mountain. A Tyrolean-style village features a wide range of ski shops, activities, & lodging. With more than 250 shops and 100 restaurants and bars, this village is the center of the Vail Valley. And to get around, Vail has a free intra-resort bus system and other private transportation.
Just 100 miles to the west of Denver, Vail is one of North America's most famous winter playgrounds.
| Mountain Statistics for Vail Resort | ||
|---|---|---|
| Base Elevation: | 8,120 ft | (2,475 m) |
| Summit Elevation: | 11,570 ft | (3,527 m) |
| Vertical Drop: | 3,450 ft | (1,052 m) |
| Skiable Area: | 5,289 acres | (2,142 hectares) |
| Annual Snowfall: | 348 in | (884 cm) |
| Longest Run: | 15,840 ft | (4,828 m) |
| Snowmaking: | 33 % | |
| Number of Lifts: | 31 | |
| Uphill Lift Capacity: | 54,963 per hour | |
| Types of Lifts: | 6 Carpets 3 Surface Lifts 1 Double Chairs 3 Triple Chairs 1 Fixed Grip Quad 16 Hi-Speed Quads 1 Gondola (12 person) |
|
| Number of Trails: | 193 | |
| Trail Ratings for Vail Resort | ||
|---|---|---|
| Easiest: |  |
18% |
| More Difficult: |  |
29% |
| Most Difficult: |  |
45% |
| Experts Only: |  |
8% | Trail ratings indicate the relative difficulty of the runs within a given ski area and are not meant to be used for comparison between ski areas. |
| Area Details for Vail Resort | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alpine Skiing: | Yes | ||||||
| Snowboarding: | Yes | ||||||
| Required: | Yes | ||||||
| Terrain Park: | Yes | ||||||
| Cross Country: | 16 km | ||||||
| Half Pipe: | Yes | ||||||
| Snow Tubing: | Yes | ||||||
