Vail Ski Resort

Not only is it the largest mountain but also Vail is consistently ranked the finest ski resort in North America, if not the world. And for good reason. At the peak of Colorado's Rocky Mountains, Vail is crafted to meet even the most mundane needs of today's skiers.

Vail overlooks nothing when providing the ultimate Colorado ski experience as evidenced by its well-placed network of lifts and trails.

34 lifts expand over the 5,289 acres of terrain. The front side of the mountain is laden with wide open and luxuriously groomed trails proven especially ideal for the intermediate to advanced skier. This front side offers 14 high speed lifts taking you to everything from gentle beginner runs to the most exhilarating terrain parks. On the backside of the resort, Vail features seven famed bowls, a vast expanse of open-bowl skiing that is perfect on a powder day. Conditions reviews rank it "so-so" when the sun shines, leaving the bowls tracked out and windblown. Coupled with the fact that they are not particularly steep, Vail's back bowls area is a good place for intermediates to learn how to ski powder (Vail gets an average of 346 inches of annual snowfall).While you're near the bowls, head another two miles into the wilderness and check out the great backcountry and tree skiing in Blue Sky Basin. This area offers more varied terrain along with scenery and solitude. The gladden runs are both groomed and naturally fluffy or gnarly depending on the conditions. The mountain boasts three world-class terrain parks with rails and an 18'walled superpipe. Overall there are few steep long mogul runs and virtually no chutes, crags or cliffs for experts. Thus, Vail remains a mountain most ideal for the intermediate skier. Certainly standing at 11,570 feet atop of Vail mountain, no skier is unimpressed by its vast amenities, varied terrain and pristine alpine surroundings.