Vail Ski Resort facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Vail Ski Resort
Front side of Vail Resort
Vail Ski Resort Location in Colorado Show map of Colorado Vail Ski Resort Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	Vail, Eagle County, Colorado, United States
Nearest city	Vail
Coordinates	39°38′20″N 106°22′26″W / 39.639°N 106.374°W / 39.639; -106.374
Vertical	3,450 feet (1,050 m)
Top elevation	11,570 ft (3,527 m)
Base elevation	8,120 feet (2,470 m)
Skiable area	5,317 acres (21.52 km2)
Runs	195 total 18% beginner 29% intermediate 53% advanced
Longest run	Riva Ridge 4 miles (6.5 km)
Lift system	31 total 2 Gondolas (12- and 10-person), 3 high-speed six-pack chairs, 14 high-speed quad chairs, 1 fixed-grip quad chair, 2 fixed-grip triple chairs, 9 surface lifts
Terrain parks	2, 1 Super-Pipe
Snowfall	354 in (900 cm)
Night skiing	no
Website	Vail.com

Vail Ski Resort is a famous ski resort located near the town of Vail in Colorado, United States. It is one of the biggest single-mountain ski resorts in the country. Vail has over 5,200 acres of skiable land. This huge area includes seven "bowls" and fun gladed terrain in a section called Blue Sky Basin.

Vail first opened its slopes in 1962. It is now part of Vail Resorts, a company that owns and runs many mountain resorts. Other nearby resorts like Beaver Creek and Breckenridge are also part of Vail Resorts.

Vail Mountain has three main parts: The Front-Side, the Back Bowls, and Blue Sky Basin. You can find all kinds of trails here. There are easy cruising runs, wide-open areas, and challenging glades and chutes. Vail is known for having lots of skiable terrain.

The village at Vail is designed to look like a traditional Bavarian town. It has streets just for walking. Unlike some other Colorado ski towns, Vail Village was built at the same time as the resort. It was not an old mining town first.

History of Vail Ski Resort

How Vail Started

Vail Ski Resort was created by Earl Eaton and Pete Seibert in 1962. It was built at the base of Vail Pass. The pass was named after Charles Vail, who designed the highway through the valley.

During World War II, Pete Seibert was part of the U.S. Army's Tenth Mountain Division. They trained at Camp Hale, not far from Vail. Seibert and Eaton explored the area during this time. They found a mountain with great snow and a good location. They called it No-name Mountain, which later became Vail.

Construction of the resort began in 1962. It opened just six months later on December 15. At first, Vail had three lifts. This included a gondola that went from Vail Village to Mid-Vail. Over time, more chairlifts were added.

Growing in the 1970s

In the 1970s, the Interstate 70 highway was built. The Eisenhower Tunnel opened in 1973. This made it much easier to get to Vail from Denver.

President Gerald Ford and his family often visited their home in Vail. This helped make Vail famous around the world. In 1970, Denver was chosen to host the 1976 Winter Olympics. Vail was going to host the skiing events. However, Colorado voters decided not to fund the games. So, the Olympics were moved to Innsbruck in Austria.

By the mid-1970s, Vail had grown even more. A second gondola was added in the Lionshead area. This area also got new homes and shops. In 1976, an accident happened on a gondola. It was closed for the rest of the season. After this, the original gondola in Vail Village was replaced with a double chairlift.

Changes in the 1980s

In 1985, Vail became one of the first resorts to use high-speed quad chairlifts. These lifts move skiers up the mountain much faster. Four of these new lifts were built on the Front Side.

For Vail's 25th anniversary in 1988, two more high-speed quads were added. One was the Born Free Express in Lionshead. The other, the Orient Express, opened up the China, Teacup, and Siberia Bowls in the Back Bowls. Another high-speed quad, the Avanti Express, was built a year later.

The Birds of Prey ski course at Beaver Creek.

Vail also hosted the Alpine Skiing World Championships in 1989. This was a big international ski race.

Expansion in the 1990s

In 1992, Vail added the Sun Up lift in Sun Up Bowl. This helped skiers get around the mountain.

In the mid-1990s, Vail changed the companies that built its lifts. Three new high-speed quads were installed. The Wildwood Express was built in 1995. In 1996, the Riva Bahn Express improved access from Golden Peak. Also in 1996, the Eagle Bahn Gondola replaced the old Lionshead Gondola.

Vail Resorts bought Vail, Breckenridge, Keystone, and Heavenly in 1996. This allowed skiers to buy one pass to visit all these resorts.

Near the end of the 1990s, Vail planned to expand into a new area called Blue Sky Basin. Some environmental groups were worried about this expansion. They thought it might harm lynx habitats. Despite this, the U.S. Forest Service approved the plan in 1999.

In protest of the expansion, some buildings and chairlifts were set on fire in October 1998. This caused a lot of damage. However, most of the lifts were only slightly damaged. The Two Elk Lodge was completely destroyed. Vail quickly set up a temporary building for the ski season. A new Two Elk Lodge was built the next year.

Blue Sky Basin opened in 1999. It is an area for intermediate and expert skiers. It has moguls, tree skiing, and glades. Three new high-speed quads were added there. These lifts opened in February 2000. The next winter, a fourth high-speed quad, Pete's Express, opened. Four more trails were added to the Basin.

Vail and Beaver Creek also hosted the Alpine World Ski Championships again in 1999.

Vail in the 2000s

In 2004, the Lionshead skier bridge was replaced with a wider, newer bridge.

In 2006, Vail started buying wind power credits. This means they supported clean energy to make up for all the power they used. They were one of the biggest companies in the U.S. to do this.

In 2007, Vail updated more lifts on the East Front Side. Two new high-speed quads were built. The Highline Express made the ride up the Highline Trail much faster. The Sourdough Express replaced an older triple chairlift. This new lift made it easier to get to China Bowl and Blue Sky Basin.

Around this time, Vail removed some older double chairlifts. The Giant Steps lift was removed in 2006. The Minnie's lift was removed in 2008.

A new plaza opened in Vail Village in 2008. In 2010, a black diamond trail called International was renamed Lindsey's. This was to honor Vail's Olympic gold medalist Lindsey Vonn.

Modern Vail: 2010s and Beyond

In 2010, another high-speed quad was built in the Back Bowls. The High Noon Express replaced an older triple chairlift. This new quad helped reduce long lines, especially on snowy days. With this lift, almost all of Vail's terrain could be reached by high-speed lifts.

In 2011, Vail opened a new fancy restaurant at Mid-Vail called The Tenth. It was named after the U.S. Army division that trained nearby. Some of Vail's founders were part of this division.

By 2012, some of Vail's original high-speed quads needed to be updated. The Vista Bahn Express was replaced by a new ten-person gondola called Gondola One. This new gondola gives a fast, warm, and sheltered ride between Vail Village and Mid-Vail. It brought a gondola back to the same path as Vail's very first gondola.

For the 2013-2014 season, two more new chairlifts were built. At Golden Peak, the Gopher Hill lift was updated to a triple chairlift. This helped the ski and ride school. More importantly, Vail got its first high-speed six-person chairlift. This was the Mountaintop Express. It could carry 33% more people per hour. It also used a special moving carpet at the loading area. This helps skiers get on the lift more easily and reduces stops.

For the 2015-2016 season, a second high-speed six-person chairlift was built. This was the Avanti Express. It also had a loading carpet. Vail also added a new zipline and an alpine coaster for summer fun.

In 2016, the Sun Up lift was replaced with a high-speed quad. This meant that almost all major uphill lifts on the mountain became high-speed. Only a few fixed-grip lifts remained.

For the 2017-2018 season, Vail built its third high-speed six-person chairlift. This was the Northwoods Express. It improved how many people could get up the mountain, especially in the afternoons.

Vail is known as one of the best ski resorts in the country. It has over 5,289 acres of terrain and gets about 360 inches of snow each year. Vail has been ranked the number one ski resort in the United States many times.

Vail and the National Forest

Vail Ski Resort operates on land that belongs to the White River National Forest. This means the U.S. government approves how the resort is built and run each year. For using these lands, Vail pays a yearly fee to the government. A part of this money goes back to Eagle County, Colorado, to help with roads and schools. This partnership helps provide fun outdoor activities for many visitors.

Mountain Features

How High is Vail?

• Base: 8,120 feet (2,470 m) (This is the lowest point where you start skiing.)
• Summit: 11,570 feet (3,530 m) (This is the highest point on the mountain.)
• Vertical Rise: 3,450 feet (1,050 m) (This is the difference between the base and the summit.)

What Direction Do the Slopes Face?

• North: 40% of the skiable area.
• South: 20%
• East: 20%
• West: 20%

Ski Trails and Terrain Parks

• Skiable area: 5,289 acres (8.3 sq mi; 21.4 km²) (The total area you can ski on.)
• Trails: 193 total
  • 18% are for beginners (easy green runs).
  • 29% are for intermediate skiers (blue runs).
  • 53% are for advanced/expert skiers (black diamond runs).
• Longest run: Riva Ridge - 4 miles (6.4 km) (That's a really long ride down!)
• Average annual snowfall: 370 inches (9.4 m) (How much snow Vail gets each year.)
• Terrain Parks: 3 (Places with jumps and features for tricks.)
  • 1 Superpipe (A giant half-pipe for snowboarding and skiing.)
• Bowls: 10 (7 official) (These are wide, open areas that look like a bowl.)
  • Sun Down Bowl
  • Sun Up Bowl
  • China Bowl
  • Siberia Bowl
  • Tea Cup Bowl
  • Inner Mongolia Bowl
  • Outer Mongolia Bowl
  • Pete's Bowl
  • Earl's Bowl
  • Game Creek Bowl

Lifts at Vail