Mountain Information

Wide open. Easy going. Friendly. At seven miles across, Vail Mountain is the largest ski resort in the United States - so big, you can always find space for yourself. In fact, on an average day, there are only two skiers per acre, and on a busy day, only four! And, with 33 lifts, you’ll never have to wait in line for long (if at all) - even on weekends.

In 2006, Vail, Colorado took the top spot for the 14th time in 19 years in the SKI magazine poll for its steeps, cliffs, powder, tree runs and terrain parks. Featuring four terrain parks, seven bowls and 5,289 acres of free-ride terrain, Vail Mountain comprises three areas, each with its own distinguishing characteristics:

Front Side - More than 1,600 acres of easier terrain that's perfect for skiers who are newer to the sport.

Back Bowls - The best place to be when it's a powder day, with more than 3,000 acres of the mountain's most difficult terrain.

Blue Sky Basin - The latest addition to Vail's terrain offers gladed skiing, with nearly half of it classified as intermediate.

Vail Mountain places a big emphasis on grooming - and runs its snowcats all night and also during the day. This means that during ski season, finding fresh tracks is as easy as finding breathing space. If you time it just right, you can ski 4 miles of luxurious carpet from top to bottom on Riva Ridge, the mountain's longest run.

Vail Mountain Fast Facts

Dates and Hours
Ski Season: Mid-November through Mid-April
Hours of Operation: 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., extending to 4 p.m. in early February.

Total Skier/Snowboarder Visits
2005-2006: 1,676,118
2004-2005: 1,568,192
2003-2004: 1,555,513
2002-2003: 1,610,961
2001-2002: 1,536,024
2000-2001: 1,645,902
1999-2000: 1,371,702

Elevations
Base Elevation: 8,120 feet / 2,476 meters
Peak Elevation: 11,570 feet / 3,527 meters
Vertical Rise: 3,450 feet / 1,052 meters

Snow
Snowmaking: 390 acres / 158 hectares
Average Annual Snowfall: 348 inches / 881centimeters

Monthly Snowfall Averages
(measured at the top of the mountain and based upon historical totals)
November: 58 inches
December: 59 inches
January: 64 inches
February: 57 inches
March: 63 inches
April: 40 inches

Acreage
Total Skiable Area: 5,289 acres / 2,141 hectares
Front Side: 1,627 acres / 658 hectares
Back Bowls: 3,017 acres / 1,221 hectares
Blue Sky Basin: 645 acres / 261 hectares

Trail Classification (Total Mountain Acreage)
53% Expert/Advanced
29% Intermediate
18% Beginner
Conventional Trails: 193
Longest Run: Riva, 4 miles / 6.4 kilometers

Lifts
Total Number of Lifts: 33
Gondola: 1
High-speed quads: 14
Fixed-grip quad: 1
Triple chairs: 3
Double chairs: 4
Surface lifts: 5
Magic Carpets: 5
Total Uphill Capacity Per Hour: 53,381

Terrain Parks
4 Total: Fly Zone, Flight School, Aviator and Sky Way
Pipes: 1 Superpipe, length 450 feet, walls 18 feet/ 2 half-pipes with 13-foot walls
Tabletops: At least 14 throughout all parks
Rails/ Boxes: More than 30 plus 12 unique hand-carved rails

Climate (Temperatures in Fahrenheit)
In winter, daytime low temperatures are in the teens with averages in the 20s and 30s; below 30 degrees at night.
In summer, average temperatures are 75 degrees in the daytime and 45 degrees at night.
Vail experiences more than 300 days of sunshine per year.