Vail’s Sun Up Bowl

Looking towards Mid-Vail

 Game Creek Bowl

John Taylor checking out Sun Down bowl and noting the skiers coming up Chair 5

Jim, Robby and Scott from the Fleetwind Ski Club

Blackberry Sport drink, drinking schedule

That looks like the end

Chris Ratzlaff at the top of Hunk Dory, Chair 4 is open in the distance

Early Ski season skiers in Vail at the top of Eagle’s nest with the Gore Range in the background

Photo: JRM353

November 16, 2011 – Vail, CO – “Lighten up” takes on a whole new meaning during spring snow season, when Vail Resort’s 193 trails are uncrowded, lift lines are short, skiers and boarders shed heavy outerwear for lightweight vests and turtlenecks (or for some hardy souls, shorts), and a lighthearted joie de vivre abounds.

“Spring is absolutely one of the best times to experience Vail,” says Antlers at Vail hotel General Manager Rob LeVine, a Vail local for three decades. “April is actually Colorado’s second-snowiest month, and we often have magnificent snow days with plenty of sunshine late in the season.” The conveniently-located Antlers Vail offers its popular ‘Design Your Own Ski Package’ from April 8 to May 20 in 2012. Pay for three nights and the fourth, fifth – and even sixth night is free. A one-bedroom bunkroom that sleeps four people starts at just $355 per night for the first three nights, with up to three additional nights free. Coupled with Vail Resorts’ deeply discounted spring lift tickets and passes, late-season values can’t be beat.

Along with reduced rates, Vail Resorts’ “Spring Back to Vail” promotion features plenty of end-of-the-season activities including on-mountain snow events and street parties. The best party of the year is held at the top of Vail Mountain on closing day – tentatively scheduled for April 15 this year – when many revelers arrive in costume to celebrate another great season. Other attractions include end-of-season concerts, Vintage SkiFest at Beaver Creek, and the World Pond Skimming Championships.

Since 1972, the Antlers has offered a unique Vail lodging experience in a relaxed mountain setting. The Antlers Vail condominiums – named Green Business of the Year by the Vail Valley Partnership Success Awards – is also proud to be a Green Star rated property. With condominiums ranging from studio suites up to four bedrooms and plenty of space to spread out, each room at the Antlers offers all the comforts of home including fully-equipped kitchens, fireplaces, outdoor balconies, free Internet access and free parking in a heated indoor garage. The Antlers Vail is conveniently located in the Lionshead area of Vail with numerous restaurants, galleries and shops within walking distance, and the free Vail town shuttle stops just footsteps away. For more information, call 1-800-843-8245 or visit the Antlers web site at www.antlersvail.com.

Media Contacts: Rob LeVine, General Manager, Antlers at Vail, RLeVine@antlersvail.com, 970.476.2471; or Darla Worden, WordenGroup Strategic Public Relations, darla@wordenpr.com, 307.734.5335

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Settle down guys !

Very fashionable !

Come on team !

One of the routines around here happens the first thing every morning.  The pool gates are unlocked and the changing rooms are opened for cleaning.  It’s always an adventure to open those changing room doors to see what might have been left behind from the night before.  Usually though, it’s just several  dirty towels, a bathing suit, one flip flop and maybe some underwear.  This particular morning was a total surprise.

Brian, one of our cracker jack houseman, was first on the scene.  He opened the west changing room door and noticed it didn’t want to move any further than a few inches.  He put his shoulder into it to force the door ajar.  Once inside, he knew he had to call a supervisor.  “Gladys, could you come down to the pool please?”

Tell me what you saw Brian. “Every towel (about 50 of them) had been thrown from their cubbie storage and soaked with water.  Toilet paper rolls had been stuffed down the throat of the porcelain throne. The soap bottles had been emptied and smeared on the mirrors and walls.”

We've limited these pictures to protect the innocence of others. Some things are just too graphic.

It took two cracker jacks 3 hours to clean up the mess.  “We just do our job and move along”, he told me.  ”Some kids think this is funny.  I don’t because my Grandma (Millie Barela) told me not to do stupid things or she would tell my Mom and Dad”.

At 3:30 that afternoon the front desk got the call that shocked the staff.  A guest explained from the emergency phone at the pool “Someone has made a total disaster of the changing room down here.  Could someone come and clean up the mess?”

The Banditoes had struck again and in broad daylight! What fearlessness these criminals posses!  We knew we had to call in a private investigation team.

We contacted the Mariah Davis Team, LLC (Darci’s Daughter). Their motto:  “We Know Mischief  Because We’ve Done It.   Let Our Experience Work For You”.

Mariah Davis. We were thrilled she took the case.

She would not be able to crack the case without her two assistants Emily and Katy Radcliffe. They would go undercover and blend in as guests.

They went to work immediately.  Their professionalism was extraordinary.  Interviewing the rest of the commoners, dusting for finger prints and taking into account, of all things, bicycles and who owned them.  I asked “Why the bikes?”  Mariah looked at me with an unflappable expression and said “They will need a get-a-way device.  Now please let us do our job.”

The next morning the changing room at the pool was in total disarray again!  Three times in 24 hours.  Of course Brian was first to spot the damage and called to report it.  He was interviewed by Mariah, Emily and Katy for clues but only kept repeating “I’m really getting sick of cleaning this bathroom.”

Then the break came that the Team was looking for.  Two people of undisclosed age were throwing towels and linens off the 7th floor balcony and there were witnesses.  Mariah quickly grabbed a bicycle and brought it to the lobby.  “What are you doing that for?” she was asked.

“Now we wait.  They’ll be here” she said with certainty.

BRILLIANT!

The trap had been set and now all we had to do was wait…and wait….and wait.

Almost 10 minutes had gone by and as predicted, the two vandals walked into the Lobby to report that one of their bikes had been stolen.  BUSTED.

They were detained in our Lobby and the Kangaroo Court that had already tried and convicted them of these hideous crimes, only needed to render a sentence.  Since we are a kinder/gentler property we decided only to give them a good tongue lashing.  They were released under the custody of their parents.

The Antlers needs to express our appreciation to Mariah and her assistants, Emily and Katy, for solving this case without any real inconvenience to other guests.  They are the consummate professionals.

For the benefit of other properties we have released this photo of the two young men.

Beware. These two could check into your Hotel next.

The Town of Vail is hosting two full weekends of oom pah parties, lively demonstrations and traditional German fare in Lionshead and Vail Village. Festivities include brat-eating and Beck’s Keg Bowling contests, yodeling and alpenhorn blowing, and Bavarian dancing. Oktoberfest is two full weekends the whole family will enjoy.  It is in Lionshead near the Antlers at Vail condominiums on September 9 – 11 and then down in Vail Village September 16 – 18.  Both Schedules can be printed here.  The Antlers at Vail will have Vail room rates from $156 per night during this weekends, but these mountain view, Studio suite units will book up early, so call soon.

Party in Lionshead

 Fancy lake (seen in picture above) is the first stop on this counter clockwise hike.  But you can do the hike in either direction.  You can do Missouri lakes first in a clockwise direction and then over Fancy pass, then down pass Fancy Lake and back to the trailhead.

View Fancy Pass, Missouri Lakes loop in a larger map

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There are some steep trails as you head up above timberline

Lots of snow out here for August 10th, wow

The top of Fancy Pass at 12,600 feet (we think)

Upper Missouri Lake

 Some Llamas enjoying a hike of their own

Lower Missouri Lake

Another hiking bridge

Wildflowers up in the Holy Cross Wilderness area, with plenty of snow for mid-August

Driving some Razorbacks near Wolcott Colorado, just 25 minutes from Vail and the Antlers at Vail

Dad the driver and three kids along for the ride !

Experienced Rednecks

Helmets on and ready to go

Cole from Sage Adventures is pointing out the view to the New York mountain range and the Beaver Creek resort.

The Panageas family out in front

A horseman watching his sheep up near Castle Peak