With two feet of new snow since closing day, and more than three feet over the past three days, Vail will reopen for skiing and snowboarding Friday, April 19 through Sunday, April 21.
Today, two days after the ski season ended, Vail Resorts made an announcement that set social media abuzz–they are extending the ski season and reopening the mountain for one additional weekend! What a fantastic way to close out the 50th anniversary. With two feet of new snow since closing day, and more than three feet over the past three days, Vail will reopen for skiing and snowboarding Friday, April 19 through Sunday, April 21. Here are the details…
As of today, Vail plans to provide skiers and snowboarders access to more than 2,400 acres of terrain and the following lifts this weekend:
Gondola One
Avanti Express Lift (#2)
Wildwood Express Lift (# 3);
Mountaintop Express Lift (# 4);
High Noon Express Lift (#5);
Born Free Express Lift (#8)
Northwoods Express Lift (#11)
Eagle Bahn Gondola
Lifts will open at 9 a.m. There will be no beginner terrain available.
Skiing and snowboarding at Vail this weekend will be free for 2012-2013 season pass holders. Lift tickets will be available for purchase at the Lionshead Children’s Ski School office and at the ticket office in Mountain Plaza for $50. A special $25 ticket will be available for guests who hold season passes from non-Vail Resorts owned and operated resorts. Guests will have the opportunity to apply their weekend ticket purchase towards the purchase of a Vail Resorts 2013-2014 season pass.
Vail Ski & Snowboard School
The Vail Ski & Snowboard School will be open for private lessons only based out of Lionshead and Vail Village.
On-Mountain Dining
Dining will be available at Mid-Vail, Marketplace at Eagle’s Nest and Buffalo’s.
Jacquie and I had fresh tracks on Prima Friday afternoon. Chair 11 opened with Riva Ridge, Prima, Pronto, Northstar, Northwoods, South rim, North rim and Gandy Dancer (watch for the rollers). Its fast and fun right now. Vail only recorded 2″ from the storm last night but over cast skies and flurries are looking promising today. I will be headed out this afternoon for some turns with our guest if anyone is on the hill and wants to join me. I suggest a ski with some width. Have fun and enjoy the GREAT snow!
Jacquie killing it on lower Prima Cornice.
Lodge pole Gap
Video of me coming down South Rim. video is a little bumpy.
Vail ski area reported 11 inches of new snow this morning at 5:30am and we probably received another 3-4 inches on Vail mountain throughout the day. Vail’s ski conditions are fantastic. It has been a bit of a wait. Most of the Back Bowls opened today but there are still a few sections closed waiting for a bit more snow. Pictures below are just some quick shots to give a quick eye for the snow conditions. Nice and soft.
Finally, we are getting a bit of a turn on the snow. 9+inches today and it snowed pretty good throughout the day so maybe another 3 inches or so will be reported on tomorrow’s Vail snow report. I did a few runs with Antlers at Vail condominium owner John Taylor over in Game Creek Bowl. The sun will be out the rest of today and tomorrow and then perhaps we get a bit more snow again on Tuesday. Chair 5 opened today, but mainly with skiing in Sun Up bowl. From what we could see they have not opened Sun Down bowl. Portions of Blue Sky Basin and China are open. We are just about 2300 acres open with more to come. Chris Ratzlaff
Game Creek Bowl
John Taylor checking out Sun Down bowl and noting the skiers coming up Chair 5
We are waiting for more snow but we are certainly skiing in Vail everyday! Some pictures and a video for you below. I joined a couple of guests from New York City this afternoon. We mainly stuck to runs in Northwoods and Chair 14 (Sourdough lift). The western U.S. has been very dry this winter and yet we are open with 1500 acres. Conditions are hard packed until we receive some more snow, so stick to the groomed runs for now. You can ski the bumps (and we do) but they are icy between the tops. We are hoping for 2-5 inches by Sunday morning.
Heading down towards mid-Vail
A little video from January 5
Looking over towards Vail’s mountain top
Skiing under Sourdough lift in Vail January 6, 2012
Vail mountain opened Chair 11 Northwoods today with First Step, South Rim, Northstar, Northwoods, and a few other trail names we can’t remember. Here is a quick pic of us ready to go into First Step. Light snow, maybe 1 inch with snow showers throughout the day. Everyone is curious if Chairs 14 (Sourdough) and Chairs 7 (Gamecreek) are next for opening.
Even though it is April here in Colorado (isn’t it April everywhere?), we still have lots of snow in the high country. The base up on Vail mountain near Mid-Vail is over 80 inches and more snow is expected this Sunday April 10th. Here are a couple of photos and a video from a recent back country hut trip to the Peter Estin hut near Vail Colorado that Chris Ratzlaff (Antlers at Vail Director of All things Big and Small) and Tom Schlader (Antlers Director of Preservation) did this past week.
Powder skiing near Vail, Colorado April 5th
Peter Estin hut about an hour drive (and then a 5 hour hike) from Vail
Video of us measuring the snow outside the Peter Estin Hut, we figured it was around 95-120 inches depending on where you measured
Group of Vail Backcountry skiers, the snow looks good.
With the snow finally falling this morning here in Vail and Loveland Mountain and A-Basin opening this weekend, I think it’s safe to say the winter ski season has begun! So get out your skis and boards and gear up! If you know you are going to ski or ride more than 7 days this season there is still time to get an Epic Pass , it is the best deal, and if you have to travel to get here there are some great specials out there. Vail Snowdaze has an amazing lineup this year with some good hotel specials and you can’t beat free concerts! Vail is also introducing a new family oriented festival called Vail Holidaze, from December 18th to 25th.
There is still time to recieve ”Book By November 1st” specials here at the Antlers
This April has just been amazing for snow at the Antlers at Vail hotel in Vail Colorado. Someone said we received 8 feet of fresh snow this past month and I believe them. This Wed-Sat we received anywhere from 18-24 inches of additional snow. Some pics nearVail mountain below were taken on Friday, others today on Sunday May 2nd. You can easily ski all the way to the bottom of the Vail ski mountain at this time. Up on top, the Forest Service snow depth shows 64 inches of base (or 5 feet of settled snow). Not too bad for May 2nd. Chris R.
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