TEXT:
I had a business trip to Denver and I decided to add a few days. I never skied Vail and the late season prices and snow were good. The truth is I had not skied in 25 months, I'm not getting younger or stronger, and had not done a ski trip by myself, so this excursion had multiple facets. On with the show.
Wednesday after work I rented a Jeep Renegade, a buzzy little workhorse, and joined the familiar I-70. It was still daylight so I drove around Vail, through the famed Minturn, and up to the top of Battle Mountain Pass where virtually no snow was found. Bad sign I thought. I returned to Vail village to find 'limited' snow on the ground and several brown spots on the slopes immediately above. Dinner was beers and a loaded burrito in the Red Lion, a proper ski bum bar in the middle of Vail. The town was largely empty. I went for a walk and met Bob Lazier, famed sports car racer and original and current owner of the Tivoli Lodge where I was staying. Great guy. Good sign.
The skiing was all about location and elevation. I logged 40 lift rides and 55k vertical over two days. Plus a near death experience. Vail was "53%" open, meaning no China Bowl and no Blue Sky Basin. You can probably stop reading now.
Thursday morning I rented Blizzard Bonafides from Troy's ski shop, both highly recommended. I was about 10th on the gondi and started at the top in Game Creek bowl - bad idea. Rock hard ungroomed or groomed - either way it was bad. Went down to Avanti lift where the snow was better. Worked up to easy blacks by 10am. Back to the top of lifts 3 and 4, trying to not repeat any runs. Got a tip from a guide from Hendersonville, NC and headed over to Northwoods (11) where the runs are a longer and lonelier. Lunch at Buffalos at the top of the mountain - not a bad deal by the way. Met some more interesting folks. Back onto the slopes headed down Sun Up bowl - several times. All I can say is wow! The scale of that bowl is amazing. That alone makes Vail worthwhile. If you can - go! I then went into Sun Down Bowl, steeper, less groomed, worse snow, but still great. I took an ungroomed line roughly above the ungroomed Forever slope. Really Bad Idea. Hard, mangled, grippy, mushy deep snow. Literally sink or swim. Steep. Above my level. Lonely. Took me about a half an hour of really hard work to make it down ~1000 vertical to where the snow improved and the pitch somewhat flattened so that I could return to exhausted normal skiing. Not life threatening, but certainly embarrassing. A few more runs and the lifts were closing. Back to the Red Lion. My legs were dead. Great day #1.
Friday morning it is snowing, wicked windy, bone cold. 9am up to Game Creek bowl. Bad idea. Now we have hard choppy grippy moguls covered by 3 inches of fairy dust. Lets go down in elevation again - all they way to Lionshead. Really bad idea. Back to Game Creek and made several laps in the middle where the snow was blowing and accumulating. Very good idea. Tired and cold by 10 am so I go into Buffalos for coffee and a Danish. Great idea. Back out and suddenly I feel like iron man. Lapped lifts 3, 4, and 11. I learn where the stashes are accumulating. Quick lunch break at 2 then back at it. Four pm and I take the famed Riva Ridge down 4 miles top to bottom. Back to the Red Lion, love that place. Starting to love Vail. Truly dead tired in the Avon Comfort Inn by 9pm. Went out for beer and bbq. Awesome day #2.
Saturday back to flatland. That's my entire season. Last week at Vail is a great time to visit. Nearly all crowds gone, zero liftlines, casual vibe, and reasonable prices. I'd go again in a heartbeat.
PHOTOS:
A most familiar landmark - good times ahead.
Uh oh, no snow above Minturn.
Not too shabby view from my room. I have to say that Tivoli is a really great lodge if you can book it.
Sun up Bowl. I am half way down and needed a breather, so I pretended to stop for photos. After the path turns right, there is another mile or so run out to the end.
Top left of this photo is where I met my ski-maker. Fortunately survived.
Totally empty Vail in the evening. Fake, Kitschy, but not damn bad.
Game Creek Bowl in the morning snow and howling wind. This is getting good. Btw, that is still a long way down, I needed two breathers on the way.
Northwoods some slope about half way down in the afternoon snow - this is getting freaking good. Note skier density.
One more shot at lift 4 - Christmas slope, a good blue, hard and ungroomed for several days, but had the best wind loading and no other skiers. weird. Mid-Vail area below, at the top of the gondi.
Riva Ridge at the end of the day, looking up at the 'tourist trap'. Finally, looking back at me - tired and happy.
