Vail is a dream destination for any skier offering cosmopolitan charm, unparalleled customer service and miles of groomed trails and untamed back bowls. Vail's Tyrolean architecture is attractive to some but less popular with the younger generation. Vail was conceived in 1962 by two World War II vets and has since created someting of a monopoly on the central Colorado ski industry.
Vail mountain is a sprawling behemoth stretching 7 miles above Gore Valley. It is useful to think of the mountain in three parts; The front face of the mountain, the back bowls and the newest addition, Blue Sky Basin. Beaver Creek is 15 miles down the valley. Skiers report that Beaver Creek Resort is less crowded and more down to earth than Vail
Lift tickets for Vail and Beaver Creek are the most expensive of all the Vail Resort family (Breckenridge and Keystone are also Vail Resorts) and one of the highest in the country. Pre-season and late season tickets do offer some savings. Vail and Beaver Creek operate several cross-country ski centers, the favorite of which is Beaver Creek's McCoy Park. Call ahead to reserve gourmet picnic tours, to book lesson or to reserve nature trails.