Vail Ski Resort
Snow Globe in the Hills
Pete Seibert and Earl Eaton climbed a nameless mountain in 1957. On top of that mountain with huge grins on their faces, Seibert looked around the horizon then turned to Eaton and said,
“My God, we’ve climbed all the way to heaven.”
Mountain peaks stretch across and up on all sides covered by a blanket of white fluff, tall evergreen trees wrap around the base of the peaks and the sun and the rich blue sky are so close, you can almost touch them. During a good snow, it’s kind of like taking a snow globe, shaking it up and watching a serene, picturesque little world tucked away in the mountains.
Nestled in the eastern Colorado Rockies about an hour’s drive from Denver to the east, Vail’s has something for everyone. There is expert, intermediate and beginner downhill skiing on flats, bumps, powder, half-pipe and jumps, snowboarding on trails, in powder or in a half-pipe, cross country skiing, ice skating, tubing, mountain climbing, nature hikes and much more. With seven natural bowls stretching six miles wide, there is something fun to do to on all 5,289 acres of Vail.
Vail is also about luxury, service and atmosphere. The Village at the base is pedestrian friendly, modern, charming and somewhat similar to the Alps in appearance. The shopping and lodging are upscale. Choice of après-ski can include hot chocolate with whip cream by a cozy fireplace, fine dining at a high-end restaurant or mingling in the social scene at a bar/lounge with live music. Whatever the choice, anyone who goes to Vail is there for the singular purpose of living the good life; so most people are going to have smiles on their faces most of the time. It’s expensive but life is short, and when something is done as good as it’s done in Vail, money becomes a secondary issue and enjoying the moment becomes a primary one.
Vail is consistently rated the Number one ski resort in North America and recognized among the world’s best, so don’t be surprised to see someone famous. As they like to say in Vail, “Like nothing on earth.”
It is a 5,289-acre winter playground.
