A Beginner’s Guide to Vail Mountain: Navigating the Behemoth that is Vail
A Guide For Skiers & Snowboarders New To Vail - Beginner Specific
Vail is the largest ski resort in the United States. Whatever you are looking for in a ski trip, Vail Resort has it. The ski area encompasses over 5,200 acres, which is divided among the Front Side, the Back Bowls and Blue Sky Basin. Two base areas, Vail Village and Lionshead, offer dining, entertainment, shopping and guest assistance. Cascade Village, a smaller base area on the western side, offers a smaller selection of amenities. With all the divisions, even an experienced skier or boarder new to Vail may have some problems finding their way.
Vail Mountain Trails
If the mountain is the heart of Vail resort, then the trails are its circulatory system. They connect you to all points on the mountain. The runs, or ski trails, are marked as green dots, blue squares or black diamonds according to their difficulty level. Be sure to GET A MAP before you get on any lift. Each morning you can also get a grooming report which shows what trails have been groomed to corduroy, as the locals call it, otherwise known as the flat terrain areas where there are no bumps. Pro tip: You won’t look as much like a tourist with a grooming report as you will with a trail map. The grooming report is just a small version of the trail map.
Green Trails On the Slopes of Vail Mountain
These are the beginner run, located exclusively on the Front Side of the ski area. Vail sometimes has a speed limit posted enforced by ski patrol and other staffers, where these trail merger with others. Always pay attention, look uphill before merging onto a new trail and avoid sudden turns or stops. Skiers and boarders above you are watching. As the mountain code reads, skiers in front of you have the right of way. Always error on space, not speed, especially in the green beginner areas.For true beginners, Gopher Hill in Golden Peak or Chair 15 at the top of the gondola is your best bet. However, once you get the hang of things, try The Meadows – an exciting, open run off the Avanti Express. Note: You will need to know how to get on and off a lift before you adventure off the bunny slopes.
Start: Vista Bahn Express (Vail Village)
1. Take the Vista Bahn up to Mid Vail. You can also grab a bite to eat here from Look Ma’s. The chili is superb and affordable. There is also a free water station located here. If you brought your lunch, Sarge’s shelter has a microwave area to heat it up!
2. From Mid Vail, ride down the easy hill run off to your left. This leads to two lifts at the bottom.
3. Get in line for the Wildwood Express to the right.
4. After you get off the Wildwood Express, The Meadows is to your immediate right.
5. The Meadows will drop you back at the Wildwood Express. You can repeat the run or continue to more green runs, Ramshorn and Swingsville, off the Mountain Top Express, which is located to your left.
When you are done, you can follow your trail map back to the base, or you can ride the Vista Bahn back down. This is one lift that allows for this. Just ski up, wave to the lift operator & load every other chair. Most injuries happen at the end of the day, so it’s cool to play it safe.
Blue Trails On the Slopes of Vail Mountain
Everyone loves a good cruise down a blue run. Vail’s blue runs offer skiers and riders open, wide runs, but with moderately challenging terrain and technical trees and moguls along the sides (where they let the snow build up). For the intermediate beginner, below is a list of Front Side Blue Trails that are easy to find. However, for a bigger selection of Blue Runs, head back to Blue Sky Basin.• Simba. This is arguably the easiest blue on the mountain. It starts from the top of the gondola. And ends at the base of Pride Express where you can do laps on it or crusie all the way back to the bottom of the gondy. This is a great first long blue experience.
• Lodge Pole. Located at the upper middle mountain area toward Eagles Nest and the top of the gondola. Off Chair two, Avanti Express, take Eagles Nest Ridge to Lodgepole. This is a locals favorite to go fast, so keep moving and don’t stop if you can’t be seen from above!
• Avanti. Under the chairlift, make sure you avoid the black diamond section in the middle of the run. This trail curls around the cattrack and you can duck into Chaos Caynon. Check it out, kids love this easy gladed area.
Black Trails On the Slopes of Vail Mountain
Most of the black runs are located in The Back Bowls, but you will find some in Blue Sky Basin and The Front Side. There are two kinds of black runs: black diamonds and double black diamonds. The black diamonds may have difficult terrain, tight trees, moguls and/or drops, whereas the double blacks are often through extreme terrain, which include cliffs and rocky areas.You can get a feel for these runs while riding Skyline lift back in Blue Sky. Take the ridge all the way to Big Rock Park to avoid black runs and wind up at Pete’s Express or pass Petes, and get back to the base of Skyline and Tea Cup to go back to the front side.
Pro Tip. Snow does not always stick so well on steep slopes. Once track are made early in the morning, many of these runs are tracked out. It’s then time to duck into the trees where all the snow is blown from the prevailing westerly winds.
Some Trails Merge Into Different Degrees Of Difficulty
Many of Vail’s runs are mixed. The terrain changes from green to blue or blue to black. All trail are posted, but always check your map to not get in a pinch. Here are some examples.• Riva Ridge: Blue / Black
• The Preserve: Green / Black (Take Bwana Loop to avoid the black runs.)
• Simba: Blue / Black
• Flapjack: A green run that empties to black runs if you miss the Northwood Express Lift
