Vail Ski Mountain Overview

Now is the time to Ski Vail Mountain, the largest ski resort in North America with 5,289 acres and 34 strategically placed lifts. From smooth, gentle beginner slopes…to sculpted corduroy cruisers….to moguls, bowls and glades. You can carve out a place to call your own. In fact, on an average day at Vail, there are only two skiers per acre….on a busy day, a whopping four per acre. Imagine having this much mountain to yourself.  Come explore the three sides of Vail Mountain:

FRONT SIDE
Ski Vail's Front Side boasting more than 127 individual trails with virtually every type of terrain over 1,678 acres, including 989 acres of beginner and intermediate slopes.  Access to the front side of Vail Mountain is available from three points: Golden Peak via the Riva Bahn Express, Vail Village via the Vista Bahn Express and LionsHead via the Eagle Bahn Gondola and Born Free Express.
 
The Front Side can be divided into three sections:

• The Eastern Side is home to Golden Peak, including the Golden Peak Terrain Park & Pipe and Northeast Bowl with favorite runs like Northwoods for cruisers, Prima & Pronto for bumps and North Rim for powder.  All runs are serviced by the Northwoods Express Lift (Chair 11), which brings you to the top of Vail Mountain (PHQ).
• The Central Mountain is made up of the Mid Vail Area (Mountain Top Express Lift #4 and Wildwood Express Lift #3), where you'll find gentle cruisers like Christmas and Ramshorn, as well as the challenges of bumps and steeps on Zot, The Skipper, and Look Ma. The Avanti Express Lift (Chair #2) and long intermediate runs including Avanti, Berries, Pickaroon and Bear Tree also make up the Central Mountain area.
• The Western Side of Vail Mountain includes LionsHead with runs like Simba, Born Free, and Safari accessible from the Eagle Bahn Gondola, Born Free Express (Lift #8) and Pride Express (Lift #26). Game Creek Bowl, serviced by the Game Creek Express Lift (#7) is also part of the Western front side and is home to the Game Creek Restaurant & Club, as well as favorite runs like Showboat, Dealer's Choice, Wild Card bumps and the glades of Faro and Ouzo.
  

SKI VAIL'S LEGENDARY BACK BOWLS
Stretching more than six miles wide over 2,966 acres and offering an unparalleled powder paradise. The views are spectacular and the runs last forever in these uniquely and perfectly formed bowls.

From West to East, Vail's Back Bowls can be divided into these areas:

• Sun Down Bowl - The furthest West of the Bowls, accessible from the top of Wildwood Express and Game Creek Express with the bumps of Ricky's Ridge, powder of Seldom and glades of Windows.
• Sun Up Bowl - The original Back Bowls of Vail, serviced by The High Noon Lift (Chair 5) and accessible from the tops of Mountain Top Express and Northwoods Express. You really can ski forever on Forever, invite your friend to go before you on Apres Vous, don't be a chicken on the cliffs of Chicken Yard, and find all the white stuff on Cow's and Milt's Face. The North side of Sun Up Bowl is home to The Slot (often groomed) Headwall and Yonder, all bringing you down to the Sun Up Lift (Chair 17) for laps after laps.
• Tea Cup Bowl is best accessed from the top of Sun Up Lift and the Tea Cup Express Lift. Tea Cup is a small bowl with some of the best and longest lasting powder you'll find. Emperor's Choice is a favorite and is often beautifully groomed.
• China Bowl is accessed from the top of Sun Up Lift, Tea Cup Express Lift and Sourdough Lift and offers something for every ability. From the gentle groomed cruisers of Poppyfields East and West, to the intermediate glades of Shangri La, and the steeps, bumps and powder on Ghingas Khan and Jade Glade….you could spend an entire day just in China Bowl doing laps on the China Bowl Express Lift. Be sure to take a break atop China Bowl and enjoy the food and views at Two Elk Restaurant.
• Siberia Bowl is just on the other side of China Bowl, serviced by the China Bowl Express lift, and is home to some incredible runs like Rasputen's Revenge and Red Square, as well as some fun cruisers like Bolshoi Balroom. The views out here are incredible and you'll find very few people on the wide open slopes.
• Inner and Outer Mongolia Bowls are the furthest Eastern bowls in the Back Bowls. The secluded terrain is "out there", but a treat if you make the trip!

SKI VAIL'S BLUE SKY BASIN
Blue Sky Basin opened in January, 2000 and offers a true adventure experience for intermediate and advanced levels.
The 645 acres of natural, gladed terrain is nestled more than two miles into the wilderness….away from the sites and sounds of civilization, but with the modern amenities of today. Four high-speed lifts provide access to this unique terrain that's virtually untouched, except for some grooming among the trees.
Belle's Camp sits atop and provides a warming facility designed after the mining days - bring your sack lunch (there is no food service) or items to grill out yourself on the two grills, as you gaze out towards Mount of the Holy Cross and the Ten Mile Range.

Orientation of Blue Sky Basin

• The Sky Line Express Lift at the bottom of Tea Cup Bowl and China Bowl wisks you to the top of Blue Sky Basin. You'll follow the bumps and glades, and soon be atop the ridge where you'll see the incredible "back-country" gladed terrain all around and incredible views of the Back Bowls.
• To your right is Earl's Bowl, serviced by Earl's Express Lift. In The Wuides is a wide open run, often groomed and a favorite with intermediate levels. Champagne Glade and Montane Glade are both incredible on powder days! Do laps on Earl's Express lift for hours of exploring.
• To your left is Pete's Bowl with long, gladed runs off the front side like Little Ollie and Heavy Metal - you'll never take the same line twice. If you want real a challenge, take the cornice off Lover's Leap or brace yourself for the steep chute on Steep & Deep.
• Pete's Express lift accesses the other side of Pete's Bowl with long groomed cruisers The Star and Grand Review (be sure to pause and take in the views). Resolution and Hornsilver are great runs on a powder day!
• From the top of Sky Line Express are Cloud Nine and Big Rock Park - fun cruisers, most often groomed through the open trees for intermediates.
• All runs return to the Sky Line Express Lift or stop at Pete's Express Lift for more exploring.