Vail Ski Resort
Encyclopedia
Vail Ski Resort is located in Eagle County
, Colorado
, next to the town of Vail
. Vail Mountain, at 5289 acre (2,140.4 ha), is the largest single mountain ski resort in the United States
, featuring seven bowls and intermediate gladed terrain
in Blue Sky Basin
. It opened in 1962 and is currently owned and operated by Vail Resorts
, which also operates three other ski resorts in the state (Breckenridge
, Keystone
, and Beaver Creek
as well as Heavenly Ski Resort
and Northstar at Tahoe
, at Lake Tahoe
.
in the Northwoods area, cornices
in Blue Sky Basin, and much more. Vail Village is modeled on Bavaria
n village styles, with pedestrian streets.
Unlike other Colorado ski towns such as Aspen
, Breckenridge
, or Steamboat Springs
, which existed as mining towns prior to the establishment of their ski resorts, the town of Vail was built when the resort opened.
and Earl Eaton in 1962, at the base of Vail Pass
, which was named after Charles Vail, designer of the highway
that passed through the valley.
During World War II, Seibert joined the U.S. Army's 10th Mountain Division which trained at Camp Hale
, 14 miles south of Vail between Red Cliff
and Leadville. During the training Seibert and Eaton became familiar with the surrounding terrain, areas of which would become resorts in later decades. They discovered a peak that believed to be well-located and with good snow, calling it No-name Mountain, which later became Vail.
Construction of the resort began in 1962 in the uninhabited valley. It opened six months later on 15 December. There were three lifts: one gondola
that ran from the base of the front side to midmountain, called MidVail; a lift from MidVail to the mountain peak; and a lift allowing access to the back bowls. Vail quickly grew to become a popular ski resort, a village formed at the base, near the gondola ski lift, which was taken down in the 1970s.
Also at that time, the construction of Interstate 70
highway had begun, replacing highway Route 6
. During the 1970s, the Eisenhower Tunnel
was completed and President
Gerald Ford
and family vacationed at their Vail home, bringing it international exposure. Vail grew into a super-resort, with skiers and vacationers paying European trip prices for a Colorado vacation. Later, Vail's village expanded. In 1970, Denver was awarded the 1976 Winter Olympics
with Vail selected to host the skiing competitions. However, Colorado voters denied funding by a 3:2 margin in November 1972 and, three months later, the games were awarded instead to Innsbruck
in Austria
.
By the 1970 the mountain had been greatly expanded, with a second gondola added in the Lionshead area, which also included a residences and shops at the base of the slopes. On 26 March 1976, when carrying cable snagged on a support tower and two cabins derailed from gondola towers, killing four people and injuring eight. The gondola was closed for the remainder of the season until the Von Roll Lift Company installed a new monitoring system, preventing any further accidents. Soon after the original gondola in the village was replaced with a lift.
In 1989, Vail hosted the Alpine Skiing World Championships
with great success. The championships were held in Vail/Beaver Creek again a decade later (Vail 99)
, to even bigger fanfare. In 1985, five high-speed detachable quad chairlifts
were opened, the second mountain in the country to use them, after Breckenridge. Vail Associates bought Vail, Breckenridge
, Keystone
, and Heavenly
in California
in 1996. The company allowed skiers to buy an all-mountain pass that granted admission to all of their resorts.
In October 1998, the Earth Liberation Front
set fire to the resort's Two Elk restaurant, Camp One, ski patrol headquarters, and four ski lifts, causing in damage, to protest the planned expansion of ski terrain into lynx
habitat. All the buildings destroyed by arson were rebuilt. Poma Ski Lifts Company
added three high-speed quads to open the Blue Sky Basin
expansion. Most of the lifts suffered only minor damage. However, the drive station for High Noon lift was destroyed, and later rebuilt.
In the early 2000s, hundreds of millions of dollars were invested in the resort. In 2000, Vail opened Blue Sky Basin, an intermediate-expert back-country area with moguls, tree skiing, cliffs, and ridges. Vail has been the number one ski resort in the United States 14 times in a 17 year period.
In 2004, the original Lionshead skier bridge was replaced. At the end of the 2005-06 ski season, the chairlift number one (located at the base of "Giant Steps") the last double chairlift in operation since the early 1960s. According to a press release on 1 August 2006, Vail began offsetting all of its power usage by purchasing wind power
credits. They were the second largest corporation in the United States to do so.
In summer 2007, after seven years without a new chairlift, Vail undertook one of the biggest lift improvements at a Colorado ski area when it installed two high-speed quad chairlifts to replace the Highline (double) and Sourdough (triple) lifts. This eliminated a traverse from the Sourdough lift to the Two Elk Lodge restaurant. A new plaza was opened at the bottom of the Vista Bahn Express ski lift in Vail Village in 2008. On 27 February 2010, one of the original black diamond trials (a steep slope for advanced skiers), International, was renamed Lindsey's to honor Vail's Olympic
gold medalist Lindsey Vonn. The trail is next to "Giant Steps" and one of two flanking the original lift number one from the base of the mountain. On 10 December 2010, Vail replaced the regular speed chairlift called High Noon 5 in the back bowls with an express lift that moved twice as quickly.
. Master Development Plans, Winter and Summer Operations Plans, Construction Plans, and every phase of the permit holder's skiing operation is approved by the federal government annually prior to construction and operation. In exchange for the use of National Forest system lands the resort pays an annual fee to the U.S. Treasury amounting to about one dollar per skier visit. Twenty-five percent of the fees collected are returned to Eagle County, Colorado
, for roads and schools, in lieu of taxes. The federal government supports the objective of providing healthy recreation opportunities in quality natural outdoor environments. Millions of national and international users during all seasons of the year appreciate the opportunities provided by Vail Resorts
and White River National Forest through the public and private partnership on federal lands.
Reference: Code of Federal Regulations, Title 36: Parks, Forests, and Public Property, Part 251—Land Uses, § 251.51 Definitions. Ski area —a site and attendant facilities expressly developed to accommodate alpine or nordic skiing and from which the preponderance of revenue is generated by the sale of lift tickets and fees for ski rentals, for skiing instruction and trail passes for the use of permittee-maintained ski trails. A ski area may also include ancillary facilities directly related to the operation and support of skiing activities. http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=ecfr&sid=47928e2028e3485f3a71583560737510&rgn=div6&view=text&node=36:2.0.1.1.17.2&idno=36
, to determine ski area feasibility of the greater regional area and identify additional opportunities for public parking and access to National Forest lands between Vail Pass
and Lake Creek above Edwards, Colorado
. The investigation was stimulated by the planned construction of Interstate 70 in Colorado
over Vail Pass
, or alternative Red Buffalo Corridor, and the awarding of the '76 Winter Olympic Games
to Denver, Colorado. by the International Olympic Committee
with the showcase downhill event planned for the yet to be developed Beaver Creek ski area. New parking areas on Shrine Pass, Battle Mountain, Meadow Mountain, Minturn, Stone Creek, Avon, and Lake Creek were identified as development sites, base areas, and potential new skier entrance portals. Integration of Vail Ski Resort
, including Blue Sky Basin, with skiing terrain on Battle Mountain, Grouse Mountain, Meadow Mountain, Stone Creek, Beaver Creek
, and Lake Creek were analyzed and considered physically feasible as an integrated mega-resort with multiple portals. Twenty-eight ski lifts were planned for Grouse Mountain above Minturn, which was rated comparable to Snowmass
in overall size and capacity with significant amount of terrain in the intermediate category with good snowfall. Findings were presented to William Lucas, Rocky Mountain Regional Forester, by Thomas Evans, Forest Supervisor, and Erik J. Martin, professional landscape architect, lead member of the Blue Ribbon study committee for ski area planning feasibility, and program manager for ski area administration. Grouse Mountain above Minturn was highly rated for developed alpine skiing and conceived by White River National Forest skiing experts as a potential future phase of a large mega-skiing complex on National Forest System lands linking the existing Vail ski area and Battle Mountain east of Minturn with Grouse Mountain, Beaver Creek, Meadow Mountain ski area, Bachelor Gulch, and Arrowhead on the west side. Development of Grouse Mountain did not occur due to the high cost of development, rejection of the '76 Winter Olympic Games, vocal public opposition at the local and statewide levels, and a desire by Vail Resorts
to fully develop Beaver Creek and Vail Mountain prior to expansion. The opportunity to provide developed alpine skiing on Grouse Mountain was eliminated from future consideration with the establishment of the Holy Cross Wilderness
in 1980.
. Lift access from remote areas and new portals, including Minturn, were analyzed in the plan. The theme of an 8.31 aerial transportation corridor designation is to serve the principal purpose of transporting people to, from, and within communities, and ski areas. The theme of an 8.25 land allocation is to allow ski areas on federal lands to be developed and operated by the private sector to provide opportunities for intensively managed outdoor recreation activities during all seasons of the year. The 8.25 management area prescription includes existing developed ski areas and undeveloped expansion areas with potential for future development. Ski areas provide winter sports activities and other intensively managed outdoor recreation opportunities for large numbers of national and international visitors in highly developed settings. In some areas, use in the summer may be as intensive as in the winter. The White River National Forest forest plan addresses vegetation management, intensity of use, seasons of use, and motorized access. The 8.25 management area includes existing resorts that have already been permitted and developed, as well as additional suitable terrain into which development is planned for the future. The 1984 Forest Plan and 2002 revision were authored by Erik J. Martin, Program Manager for Ski Area Administration, to identify future expansion opportunities and alternative special-use permit boundaries for Vail ski area. The 1984 Land and Resource Management Plan [Forest plan] was revised in 2002 http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fsbdev3_000999.pdf, and analyzed in a Final Environmental Impact Statement http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fsbdev3_001099.pdf. A summary of the Final Environmental Impact Statement to accompany the Land and Resource Management Plan - 2002 Revision is available to the public at local Forest Service Offices, public library, or National Forest web site http://www.fs.fed.us/r2/whiteriver.
Eagle County, Colorado
Eagle County is the thirteenth most populous of the 64 counties of the State of Colorado in the United States. The county is named for the Eagle River. The county population was 41,659 at U.S. Census 2000. The county seat is the Town of Eagle...
, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, next to the town of Vail
Vail, Colorado
The Town of Vail is a Home Rule Municipality in Eagle County, Colorado, United States. The population of the town was 4,589 in 2005. The town was established and built as the base village to Vail Ski Resort, with which it was originally conceived...
. Vail Mountain, at 5289 acre (2,140.4 ha), is the largest single mountain ski resort in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, featuring seven bowls and intermediate gladed terrain
Glade skiing
Glade skiing, sometimes called tree skiing, is any form of downhill skiing performed off-trails in the woods or in a maintained woods trail. Glade skiing is dangerous and usually for experts only, although some trails exist for beginners...
in Blue Sky Basin
Blue Sky Basin
Blue Sky Basin is the most recent expansion to Vail Ski Resort in Colorado in the United States. It is the most debated and controversial ski area expansion in Colorado history...
. It opened in 1962 and is currently owned and operated by Vail Resorts
Vail Resorts
Vail Resorts, Inc. runs four ski resorts in Colorado, as well as two in Lake Tahoe and a summer resort in Wyoming. They also own luxury resort hotels throughout the United States. The company trades on the New York Stock Exchange, symbol MTN...
, which also operates three other ski resorts in the state (Breckenridge
Breckenridge Ski Resort
Breckenridge Ski Resort, or just Breck, is perenially one of North America's top 2 most visited ski resorts, and is located in Summit County, Colorado in the town of Breckenridge...
, Keystone
Keystone Resort
Keystone Resort is the largest ski resort in Summit County located in Keystone, Colorado, United States. It was founded on November 21, 1970 by Max Dercum. The resort is owned and operated by Vail Resorts which also operates three other resorts in the state and Heavenly Ski Resort and Northstar...
, and Beaver Creek
Beaver Creek Resort
Beaver Creek Resort is a major United States ski resort near Avon, Colorado, run by Vail Resorts. The resort comprises three villages, the main Beaver Creek Village, Bachelor Gulch, and Arrowhead to the west...
as well as Heavenly Ski Resort
Heavenly Ski Resort
Heavenly Mountain Resort is a ski resort located on the California-Nevada border in South Lake Tahoe. It has 97 runs and 30 lifts that are spread between California and Nevada and four base facilities...
and Northstar at Tahoe
Northstar at Tahoe
Northstar California is a year-round resort situated near the North Shore of Lake Tahoe in Placer County, California, approximately from the San Francisco Bay Area...
, at Lake Tahoe
Lake Tahoe
Lake Tahoe is a large freshwater lake in the Sierra Nevada of the United States. At a surface elevation of , it is located along the border between California and Nevada, west of Carson City. Lake Tahoe is the largest alpine lake in North America. Its depth is , making it the USA's second-deepest...
.
Ski areas
Vail Mountain has three sections: The Front-Side, Blue Sky Basin, and the Back Bowls. The mountain is the second largest resort in North America after Whistler Blackcomb at over 5200 acres (2,104.4 ha). Most of the mountain is wide open terrain with trails of all types, from cruising runs from most Front Side and Blue Sky Basin lifts, to the wide open Back Bowls, glades, chutes, and mogulsMogul skiing
Mogul skiing is a type of freestyle skiing where skiers ski terrain characterized by a large number of different bumps, or moguls.-Moguls:...
in the Northwoods area, cornices
Cornice (climbing)
A snow cornice or simply cornice is an overhanging edge of snow on a ridge or the crest of a mountain. They form by wind blowing snow over the crest of the mountain, so they often form on the leeward sides of mountains...
in Blue Sky Basin, and much more. Vail Village is modeled on Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
n village styles, with pedestrian streets.
Unlike other Colorado ski towns such as Aspen
Aspen, Colorado
The City of Aspen is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of Pitkin County, Colorado, United States. The United States Census Bureau estimates that the city population was 5,804 in 2005...
, Breckenridge
Breckenridge, Colorado
Established in 1859, the historic town of Breckenridge is a home rule municipality that is the county seat of Summit County, Colorado, United States. As of the 2010 Census, the town had a population of 4,540. The town also has many part-time residents, as many people have vacation homes in the area...
, or Steamboat Springs
Steamboat Springs, Colorado
The city of Steamboat Springs is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of Routt County, Colorado, United States. The city is also known as "Steamboat," "The Boat," or "Ski Town USA". As of the 2010 census, the city population was 12,088.The city is an...
, which existed as mining towns prior to the establishment of their ski resorts, the town of Vail was built when the resort opened.
History
Vail was founded by Pete SeibertPete Seibert
Peter W. Seibert was an American skier and the founder of Vail Ski Resort in Colorado. In 1980 he was inducted into the Colorado Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame....
and Earl Eaton in 1962, at the base of Vail Pass
Vail Pass
Vail Pass is a high mountain pass in the Rocky Mountains of central Colorado. The pass was named for Charles Vail, a highway engineer.Vail Pass lies on the boundary between Eagle and Summit counties, between Vail on the west and Copper Mountain on the east. It provides the route of Interstate 70...
, which was named after Charles Vail, designer of the highway
U.S. Route 6 in Colorado
In the U.S. state of Colorado, U.S. Route 6 is an east–west highway stretching from Colorado to Nebraska. Much of the route overlaps other highways in Colorado, and as a result, much of US 6 is unsigned.- Route description :...
that passed through the valley.
During World War II, Seibert joined the U.S. Army's 10th Mountain Division which trained at Camp Hale
Camp Hale
Camp Hale, between Red Cliff and Leadville in the Eagle River valley in Colorado, was a U.S. Army training facility constructed in 1942 for what became the 10th Mountain Division. It was named for General Irving Hale....
, 14 miles south of Vail between Red Cliff
Red Cliff, Colorado
Red Cliff is a Statutory Town in Eagle County, Colorado, United States. The population was 289 at the 2000 census. The town is a former mining camp situated in the canyon of the upper Eagle River just off U.S. Highway 24 north of Tennessee Pass...
and Leadville. During the training Seibert and Eaton became familiar with the surrounding terrain, areas of which would become resorts in later decades. They discovered a peak that believed to be well-located and with good snow, calling it No-name Mountain, which later became Vail.
Construction of the resort began in 1962 in the uninhabited valley. It opened six months later on 15 December. There were three lifts: one gondola
Gondola lift
A gondola lift is a type of aerial lift, normally called a cable car, which is supported and propelled by cables from above. It consists of a loop of steel cable that is strung between two stations, sometimes over intermediate supporting towers. The cable is driven by a bullwheel in a terminal,...
that ran from the base of the front side to midmountain, called MidVail; a lift from MidVail to the mountain peak; and a lift allowing access to the back bowls. Vail quickly grew to become a popular ski resort, a village formed at the base, near the gondola ski lift, which was taken down in the 1970s.
Also at that time, the construction of Interstate 70
Interstate 70 in Colorado
Interstate 70 is a transcontinental Interstate Highway in the United States, stretching from Cove Fort, Utah to Baltimore, Maryland. In Colorado, the highway traverses an east–west route across the center of the state. In western Colorado, the highway connects the metropolitan areas of Grand...
highway had begun, replacing highway Route 6
U.S. Route 6 in Colorado
In the U.S. state of Colorado, U.S. Route 6 is an east–west highway stretching from Colorado to Nebraska. Much of the route overlaps other highways in Colorado, and as a result, much of US 6 is unsigned.- Route description :...
. During the 1970s, the Eisenhower Tunnel
Eisenhower Tunnel
The Eisenhower Tunnel, officially the Eisenhower–Johnson Memorial Tunnel, is a dual-bore, four-lane vehicular tunnel approximately west of Denver, Colorado, United States. The tunnel carries Interstate 70 under the Continental Divide in the Rocky Mountains. With a maximum elevation of above sea...
was completed and President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Gerald Ford
Gerald Ford
Gerald Rudolph "Jerry" Ford, Jr. was the 38th President of the United States, serving from 1974 to 1977, and the 40th Vice President of the United States serving from 1973 to 1974...
and family vacationed at their Vail home, bringing it international exposure. Vail grew into a super-resort, with skiers and vacationers paying European trip prices for a Colorado vacation. Later, Vail's village expanded. In 1970, Denver was awarded the 1976 Winter Olympics
1976 Winter Olympics
The 1976 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XII Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated February 4–15, 1976 in Innsbruck, Austria...
with Vail selected to host the skiing competitions. However, Colorado voters denied funding by a 3:2 margin in November 1972 and, three months later, the games were awarded instead to Innsbruck
Innsbruck
- Main sights :- Buildings :*Golden Roof*Kaiserliche Hofburg *Hofkirche with the cenotaph of Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor*Altes Landhaus...
in Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
.
By the 1970 the mountain had been greatly expanded, with a second gondola added in the Lionshead area, which also included a residences and shops at the base of the slopes. On 26 March 1976, when carrying cable snagged on a support tower and two cabins derailed from gondola towers, killing four people and injuring eight. The gondola was closed for the remainder of the season until the Von Roll Lift Company installed a new monitoring system, preventing any further accidents. Soon after the original gondola in the village was replaced with a lift.
In 1989, Vail hosted the Alpine Skiing World Championships
FIS Alpine World Ski Championships 1989
The FIS Alpine World Ski Championships 1989 were held in Vail, Colorado, U.S.A., from February 2-12, 1989.Vail and Beaver Creek would also host the World Championships a decade later, in 1999....
with great success. The championships were held in Vail/Beaver Creek again a decade later (Vail 99)
FIS Alpine World Ski Championships 1999
The FIS Alpine World Ski Championships 1999 were held in Vail and Beaver Creek, Colorado, U.S.A., from February 2-14, 1999.Lasse Kjus of Norway placed in the top two in all five events, winning two gold medals and taking three silvers. Hermann Maier of Austria won gold medals in the two speed...
, to even bigger fanfare. In 1985, five high-speed detachable quad chairlifts
Detachable chairlift
A detachable chairlift or high-speed chairlift is a type of passenger aerial lift, which, like a fixed-grip chairlift, consists of numerous chairs attached to a constantly moving wire rope that is strung between two terminals over intermediate towers. They are now commonplace at all but the...
were opened, the second mountain in the country to use them, after Breckenridge. Vail Associates bought Vail, Breckenridge
Breckenridge Ski Resort
Breckenridge Ski Resort, or just Breck, is perenially one of North America's top 2 most visited ski resorts, and is located in Summit County, Colorado in the town of Breckenridge...
, Keystone
Keystone Resort
Keystone Resort is the largest ski resort in Summit County located in Keystone, Colorado, United States. It was founded on November 21, 1970 by Max Dercum. The resort is owned and operated by Vail Resorts which also operates three other resorts in the state and Heavenly Ski Resort and Northstar...
, and Heavenly
Heavenly Ski Resort
Heavenly Mountain Resort is a ski resort located on the California-Nevada border in South Lake Tahoe. It has 97 runs and 30 lifts that are spread between California and Nevada and four base facilities...
in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
in 1996. The company allowed skiers to buy an all-mountain pass that granted admission to all of their resorts.
In October 1998, the Earth Liberation Front
Earth Liberation Front
The Earth Liberation Front , also known as "Elves" or "The Elves", is the collective name for autonomous individuals or covert cells who, according to the ELF Press Office, use "economic sabotage and guerrilla warfare to stop the exploitation and destruction of the environment".The ELF was founded...
set fire to the resort's Two Elk restaurant, Camp One, ski patrol headquarters, and four ski lifts, causing in damage, to protest the planned expansion of ski terrain into lynx
Lynx
A lynx is any of the four Lynx genus species of medium-sized wildcats. The name "lynx" originated in Middle English via Latin from Greek word "λύγξ", derived from the Indo-European root "*leuk-", meaning "light, brightness", in reference to the luminescence of its reflective eyes...
habitat. All the buildings destroyed by arson were rebuilt. Poma Ski Lifts Company
Poma
Poma, also known as Pomagalski S.A. is a French company, specialising in construction of cable-driven lift systems, including fixed and detachable chairlifts, gondola lifts, funiculars, aerial tramways, people movers, and surface lifts. Poma has installed more than 7800 devices on five continents,...
added three high-speed quads to open the Blue Sky Basin
Blue Sky Basin
Blue Sky Basin is the most recent expansion to Vail Ski Resort in Colorado in the United States. It is the most debated and controversial ski area expansion in Colorado history...
expansion. Most of the lifts suffered only minor damage. However, the drive station for High Noon lift was destroyed, and later rebuilt.
In the early 2000s, hundreds of millions of dollars were invested in the resort. In 2000, Vail opened Blue Sky Basin, an intermediate-expert back-country area with moguls, tree skiing, cliffs, and ridges. Vail has been the number one ski resort in the United States 14 times in a 17 year period.
In 2004, the original Lionshead skier bridge was replaced. At the end of the 2005-06 ski season, the chairlift number one (located at the base of "Giant Steps") the last double chairlift in operation since the early 1960s. According to a press release on 1 August 2006, Vail began offsetting all of its power usage by purchasing wind power
Wind power
Wind power is the conversion of wind energy into a useful form of energy, such as using wind turbines to make electricity, windmills for mechanical power, windpumps for water pumping or drainage, or sails to propel ships....
credits. They were the second largest corporation in the United States to do so.
In summer 2007, after seven years without a new chairlift, Vail undertook one of the biggest lift improvements at a Colorado ski area when it installed two high-speed quad chairlifts to replace the Highline (double) and Sourdough (triple) lifts. This eliminated a traverse from the Sourdough lift to the Two Elk Lodge restaurant. A new plaza was opened at the bottom of the Vista Bahn Express ski lift in Vail Village in 2008. On 27 February 2010, one of the original black diamond trials (a steep slope for advanced skiers), International, was renamed Lindsey's to honor Vail's Olympic
2010 Winter Olympics
The 2010 Winter Olympics, officially the XXI Olympic Winter Games or the 21st Winter Olympics, were a major international multi-sport event held from February 12–28, 2010, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with some events held in the suburbs of Richmond, West Vancouver and the University...
gold medalist Lindsey Vonn. The trail is next to "Giant Steps" and one of two flanking the original lift number one from the base of the mountain. On 10 December 2010, Vail replaced the regular speed chairlift called High Noon 5 in the back bowls with an express lift that moved twice as quickly.
White River National Forest
Vail Resorts operates on National Forest System lands under special use permit to the White River National ForestWhite River National Forest
White River National Forest is a National Forest in northwest Colorado. It is named after the White River that passes through it. It also contains the Flat Tops Wilderness Area, largely considered the birthplace of the U.S...
. Master Development Plans, Winter and Summer Operations Plans, Construction Plans, and every phase of the permit holder's skiing operation is approved by the federal government annually prior to construction and operation. In exchange for the use of National Forest system lands the resort pays an annual fee to the U.S. Treasury amounting to about one dollar per skier visit. Twenty-five percent of the fees collected are returned to Eagle County, Colorado
Eagle County, Colorado
Eagle County is the thirteenth most populous of the 64 counties of the State of Colorado in the United States. The county is named for the Eagle River. The county population was 41,659 at U.S. Census 2000. The county seat is the Town of Eagle...
, for roads and schools, in lieu of taxes. The federal government supports the objective of providing healthy recreation opportunities in quality natural outdoor environments. Millions of national and international users during all seasons of the year appreciate the opportunities provided by Vail Resorts
Vail Resorts
Vail Resorts, Inc. runs four ski resorts in Colorado, as well as two in Lake Tahoe and a summer resort in Wyoming. They also own luxury resort hotels throughout the United States. The company trades on the New York Stock Exchange, symbol MTN...
and White River National Forest through the public and private partnership on federal lands.
Reference: Code of Federal Regulations, Title 36: Parks, Forests, and Public Property, Part 251—Land Uses, § 251.51 Definitions. Ski area —a site and attendant facilities expressly developed to accommodate alpine or nordic skiing and from which the preponderance of revenue is generated by the sale of lift tickets and fees for ski rentals, for skiing instruction and trail passes for the use of permittee-maintained ski trails. A ski area may also include ancillary facilities directly related to the operation and support of skiing activities. http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=ecfr&sid=47928e2028e3485f3a71583560737510&rgn=div6&view=text&node=36:2.0.1.1.17.2&idno=36
Forest Service Feasibility Studies
In 1972 the White River National Forest analyzed the terrain surrounding Vail, ColoradoVail, Colorado
The Town of Vail is a Home Rule Municipality in Eagle County, Colorado, United States. The population of the town was 4,589 in 2005. The town was established and built as the base village to Vail Ski Resort, with which it was originally conceived...
, to determine ski area feasibility of the greater regional area and identify additional opportunities for public parking and access to National Forest lands between Vail Pass
Vail Pass
Vail Pass is a high mountain pass in the Rocky Mountains of central Colorado. The pass was named for Charles Vail, a highway engineer.Vail Pass lies on the boundary between Eagle and Summit counties, between Vail on the west and Copper Mountain on the east. It provides the route of Interstate 70...
and Lake Creek above Edwards, Colorado
Edwards, Colorado
Edwards is a census-designated place in Eagle County, Colorado, United States. Edwards is the principal community of the Edwards Micropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 10,266 at the 2010 census...
. The investigation was stimulated by the planned construction of Interstate 70 in Colorado
Interstate 70 in Colorado
Interstate 70 is a transcontinental Interstate Highway in the United States, stretching from Cove Fort, Utah to Baltimore, Maryland. In Colorado, the highway traverses an east–west route across the center of the state. In western Colorado, the highway connects the metropolitan areas of Grand...
over Vail Pass
Vail Pass
Vail Pass is a high mountain pass in the Rocky Mountains of central Colorado. The pass was named for Charles Vail, a highway engineer.Vail Pass lies on the boundary between Eagle and Summit counties, between Vail on the west and Copper Mountain on the east. It provides the route of Interstate 70...
, or alternative Red Buffalo Corridor, and the awarding of the '76 Winter Olympic Games
Winter Olympic Games
The Winter Olympic Games is a sporting event, which occurs every four years. The first celebration of the Winter Olympics was held in Chamonix, France, in 1924. The original sports were alpine and cross-country skiing, figure skating, ice hockey, Nordic combined, ski jumping and speed skating...
to Denver, Colorado. by the International Olympic Committee
International Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...
with the showcase downhill event planned for the yet to be developed Beaver Creek ski area. New parking areas on Shrine Pass, Battle Mountain, Meadow Mountain, Minturn, Stone Creek, Avon, and Lake Creek were identified as development sites, base areas, and potential new skier entrance portals. Integration of Vail Ski Resort
Vail Ski Resort
Vail Ski Resort is located in Eagle County, Colorado, next to the town of Vail. Vail Mountain, at , is the largest single mountain ski resort in the United States, featuring seven bowls and intermediate gladed terrain in Blue Sky Basin...
, including Blue Sky Basin, with skiing terrain on Battle Mountain, Grouse Mountain, Meadow Mountain, Stone Creek, Beaver Creek
Beaver Creek
- Places :United States*Beaver Creek, Colorado*Beaver Creek, Maryland*Beaver Creek, Minnesota*Beaver Creek, Montana*Beaver Creek Township, Michigan*Beaver Creek Township, MinnesotaCanada*Beaver Creek, Yukon, a town in the western Yukon...
, and Lake Creek were analyzed and considered physically feasible as an integrated mega-resort with multiple portals. Twenty-eight ski lifts were planned for Grouse Mountain above Minturn, which was rated comparable to Snowmass
Snowmass
Snowmass may refer to:*Snowmass Village, Colorado, USA, a town in Pitkin County**Snowmass , part of the Aspen/Snowmass ski resort complex*Snowmass, Colorado, USA, an unincorporated town in Pitkin County, known locally as "Old Snowmass"...
in overall size and capacity with significant amount of terrain in the intermediate category with good snowfall. Findings were presented to William Lucas, Rocky Mountain Regional Forester, by Thomas Evans, Forest Supervisor, and Erik J. Martin, professional landscape architect, lead member of the Blue Ribbon study committee for ski area planning feasibility, and program manager for ski area administration. Grouse Mountain above Minturn was highly rated for developed alpine skiing and conceived by White River National Forest skiing experts as a potential future phase of a large mega-skiing complex on National Forest System lands linking the existing Vail ski area and Battle Mountain east of Minturn with Grouse Mountain, Beaver Creek, Meadow Mountain ski area, Bachelor Gulch, and Arrowhead on the west side. Development of Grouse Mountain did not occur due to the high cost of development, rejection of the '76 Winter Olympic Games, vocal public opposition at the local and statewide levels, and a desire by Vail Resorts
Vail Resorts
Vail Resorts, Inc. runs four ski resorts in Colorado, as well as two in Lake Tahoe and a summer resort in Wyoming. They also own luxury resort hotels throughout the United States. The company trades on the New York Stock Exchange, symbol MTN...
to fully develop Beaver Creek and Vail Mountain prior to expansion. The opportunity to provide developed alpine skiing on Grouse Mountain was eliminated from future consideration with the establishment of the Holy Cross Wilderness
Holy Cross Wilderness
The Holy Cross Wilderness is a U.S. Wilderness Area located in San Isabel and White River national forests near Leadville, Minturn, Avon, Edwards, Eagle, and Vail, Colorado. The wilderness with of trails was established in 1980. The wilderness was named after its highest peak, Mount of the...
in 1980.
Forest plans
The 2002 Revision of the 1984 Land and Resource Management Plan Forest plans, White River National Forest, Chapter 3-Management Area Direction, 8.25 Ski areas - Existing and Potential, pages 3-80 through 3-8, and 8.31 Aerial Transportation Corridors, page 3-84, establishes long-term planning direction for Vail Ski ResortVail Ski Resort
Vail Ski Resort is located in Eagle County, Colorado, next to the town of Vail. Vail Mountain, at , is the largest single mountain ski resort in the United States, featuring seven bowls and intermediate gladed terrain in Blue Sky Basin...
. Lift access from remote areas and new portals, including Minturn, were analyzed in the plan. The theme of an 8.31 aerial transportation corridor designation is to serve the principal purpose of transporting people to, from, and within communities, and ski areas. The theme of an 8.25 land allocation is to allow ski areas on federal lands to be developed and operated by the private sector to provide opportunities for intensively managed outdoor recreation activities during all seasons of the year. The 8.25 management area prescription includes existing developed ski areas and undeveloped expansion areas with potential for future development. Ski areas provide winter sports activities and other intensively managed outdoor recreation opportunities for large numbers of national and international visitors in highly developed settings. In some areas, use in the summer may be as intensive as in the winter. The White River National Forest forest plan addresses vegetation management, intensity of use, seasons of use, and motorized access. The 8.25 management area includes existing resorts that have already been permitted and developed, as well as additional suitable terrain into which development is planned for the future. The 1984 Forest Plan and 2002 revision were authored by Erik J. Martin, Program Manager for Ski Area Administration, to identify future expansion opportunities and alternative special-use permit boundaries for Vail ski area. The 1984 Land and Resource Management Plan [Forest plan] was revised in 2002 http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fsbdev3_000999.pdf, and analyzed in a Final Environmental Impact Statement http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fsbdev3_001099.pdf. A summary of the Final Environmental Impact Statement to accompany the Land and Resource Management Plan - 2002 Revision is available to the public at local Forest Service Offices, public library, or National Forest web site http://www.fs.fed.us/r2/whiteriver.
Elevation
- Base: 8120 ft (2,475 m)
- Summit: 11570 ft (3,526.5 m)
- Vertical Rise: 3450 ft (1,051.6 m)
Trails
- Skiable area: 5289 acres (21.4 km²)
- Trails: 193 total (18% beginner, 29% intermediate, 53% advanced/expert)
- Longest run: Riva Ridge - 4 miles (6.4 km)
- Average annual snowfall: 346 inches (8.8 m)
- Terrain ParksTerrain parkA terrain park is an outdoor area that contains terrain that allows skiers and snowboarders to perform tricks. Terrain parks have their roots in skateparks and many of the features are common to both. One of the first in-bounds terrain parks was the "Snowboard Park" built in 1990 at the Vail...
: 3- 1 SuperpipeSuperpipeA superpipe is a large halfpipe structure used in extreme sports such as snowboarding, freestyle skiing, skateboarding, freestyle BMX and inline skating....
- 1 Superpipe
- Bowls: 10 (7 official)
- 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
- 31 total
- 1 GondolaGondola liftA gondola lift is a type of aerial lift, normally called a cable car, which is supported and propelled by cables from above. It consists of a loop of steel cable that is strung between two stations, sometimes over intermediate supporting towers. The cable is driven by a bullwheel in a terminal,...
(12 person) - 18 High-Speed Quads
- 1 Fixed Grip Quad
- 2 Triple Chairs
- 1 Double Chair
- 9 Surface Lifts
- 1 Gondola