The past three weeks have marked a turning point in our ski season, with prodigious snows returning to the Vail Valley, and excellent ski conditions to match!  It finally feels like winter here in Vail, with smiles up and down Bridge Street... snowplows working hard to keep up... and the perfect freshness that new snow brings to our world.  What a blessing to call this "home"!

(Photo taken today in the Sun Down Bowl trees.  Connor Walberg, photographer)

14" last week.  10" Monday night.  And look what is bearing down on us!  It looks like we can keep our powder skis out!



Winter is finally making its presence known here in the Vail Valley, and the new powder skis that have languished in the garage since September are now bringing smiles to my face!  10" overnight were a nice complement to the 14" or so we received last week, making for some nice turns this morning with my wife!

Even better, it looks like we are in for more over the next several days.  Take a look at the forecast below!

SNOWY WEATHER WILL BEGIN IN EARNEST WEDNESDAY EVENING AND CONTINUE
THROUGH MONDAY AS WAVE AFTER WAVE MOVES OVER COLORADO AND UTAH.
THE NORTHERN MOUNTAINS WILL BE AFFECTED FIRST WEDNESDAY EVENING
AND BY FRIDAY...PRECIPITATION WILL OVERSPREAD THE NORTHERN...
CENTRAL...AND SOUTHERN MOUNTAINS. PLENTY OF PRECIPITATION IS
EXPECTED THROUGH THE PERIOD WITH SNOW FOR HIGHER ELEVATIONS.

Inch-by-inch, the snow is building up here in Vail... and in spite of the lack of epic dumps over the past couple of weeks, the skiing is terrific!  A couple of hours on skis with friends yesterday were great fun, and my buddies coming off the hill this afternoon have big grins on their faces!  Click on the video link below to see why!

Video from Vail Mountain, December 15, 2011

If that's not enough, take a look at the following image, courtesy of Connor Walberg Photography and Vail Resorts.

Chair 10 and Two Elk Restaurant opened yesterday, and we're all looking forward to skiing Vail's Back Bowls and Blue Sky Basin as soon as conditions permit.  Stay tuned! 

Ten inches over the past weekend made a big difference... take a look at the following image and tell me how you think it was!!

The fresh snow prompted the ski company to open Northwoods and Chair 11... Game Creek and the Back Bowls are next.  Here's crossing our fingers for a couple more good storms in the next week or so!

The image below should provide you with a good idea... with the Gondola, Vista Bahn, and Chairs 2, 3, 4, 8, 12 and 15 up and running, we're just a storm or two away from having much of the rest of the mountain ready for the upcoming holidays!  We're all crossing our fingers that the next week or two will produce for us!

                                                                                                                                            The Vail Daily

Further strengthening the Vail Valley's reputation as America's #1 ski racing venue, Beaver Creek will serve as the replacement venue for the recently canceled World Cup ski races in Val D'Isere, France. The make-up races will begin Tuesday, following this weekend's full complement of events at the 'Beav!

The regularly scheduled men's Birds of Prey races begin Friday with the downhill. There is a super-G race Saturday and a giant slalom Sunday. The make up races will the begin with the men running giant slalom on Tuesday, the women racing super-G on Wednesday, and wrapping up with the men racing slalom on Thursday.

                                                                                                The Vail Daily

WHEW!  What a busy week!  And what a compliment to everyone in the Vail Valley who work so hard to pull of major events such as this.  Thanks to everyone involved, from the ski company, to the Vail Valley Foundation, and especially to all of the volunteers!

Follow up ... here's a fun article highlighting next week's races in Beaver Creek.

Beaver Creek picks up three more races

This is the view that has greeted us this week, courtesy of Dominique Taylor of The Vail Daily!

A nearly full moon rises over the Gore Range, lit up in alpenglow, Wednesday in Vail.

Vail’s 2011-2012 Season Begins Friday, Nov. 18 with Mountain Access from Both Vail Village and Lionshead

VAIL, Colo. – Nov. 10, 2011 – Consistently cold temperatures over the past few weeks in conjunction with natural snowfall have helped Vail Mountain operations teams to prepare for yet another strong opening day for skiers and snowboarders. The resort will open 9 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 18 for the 2011-2012 season with access to the mountain from both Vail Village and Lionshead.

“We’re still eight days out from opening, and things could change between now and then, but we have made such great progress with snowmaking that we can say with confidence already that we will be able to open both the Vista Bahn out of Vail Village and the Lionshead lifts for access on opening day, and we wanted to let everyone know,” said Chris Jarnot, senior vice president and chief operating officer of Vail Mountain.

Beginning at 9 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 18, skiers and snowboarders will have access to the Born Free Express Lift (#8), the Little Eagle Lift (#15), the Vista Bahn Express Lift (#16) and the Eagle Bahn Gondola (#19). Primary trails open to the public will include Born Free and Bear Tree as well as a top-to-bottom route via Columbine, Lodgepole and Born Free from the gondola.

In addressing the progress that Vail Mountain’s snowmakers have made earlier this week, Paul Fillion, senior director of mountain operations, said that they have been “killing it,” and have made more progress quicker and earlier than any time in his more than 30 years of experience with snowmaking at the resort.

As always, Vail Mountain’s operations team will continue to evaluate additional terrain openings as weather and conditions permit. Guests can expect more information to be released as opening day approaches, especially if conditions change in the coming days.

As usual in the early season, Vail Mountain lifts will open at 9 a.m. to accommodate early-morning operations. Skiers and riders are asked to observe all posted signs and closures, especially during the early season. Closed trails may contain hazards due to early snow coverage. Crossing an on-mountain closure is a violation of the Colorado Ski Safety Act and will result in the loss of skiing privileges and could involve prosecution and a fine of up to $1,000.

For more information about Vail Mountain, including opening day, terrain updates, snow reports, events and lodging and vacation values, visit www.vail.com or contact the Mountain Information Center at (970) SKI-VAIL (754-8425).

The picture below, courtesy of today's Vail Daily, should tell you all you need to know!  I've never seen so many tracks down the mountain, this early in the year, and two weeks before Opening Day!  And with  more snow in the forecast, "the stoke" is spreading all over town!  

The Vail Valley's first big storm of the year landed in town last night, pummeling Vail, Beaver Creek and Bachelor Gulch with several inches of snow.  Up top at Patrol Headquarters, the word is that two feet of fresh snow is on the ground.  Looking at the following picture, who's to argue?

This is the kind of event that marketing dreams are made of.  I've already received email from friends on the East Coast asking if we're skiing yet!  Here's hoping for more of the same, as we look ahead to Opening Day at Vail on November 18th!

Winter is about to make it's return in the Vail Valley!

The Vail Valley has been blessed with extended Indian Summer this year, interrupted only briefly by a couple of light, early season snowfalls.  Yet, based upon the numerous storm warnings that are coming out today, it appears that winter is about to make a solid return.  Stay tuned... it's about to get interesting!

..WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM TUESDAY EVENING THROUGH WEDNESDAY MORNING...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GRAND JUNCTION HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM WATCH FOR EARLY SEASON SNOW...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM TUESDAY EVENING THROUGH WEDNESDAY MORNING.

* TIMING...6 PM TUESDAY EVENING THROUGH NOON WEDNESDAY.

* SNOW ACCUMULATION...6 TO 12 INCHES WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS
  POSSIBLE.

* SNOW LEVEL...INITIALLY NEAR 9000 FEET DROPPING TO 7000 FEET BY
  WEDNESDAY MORNING.

* WINDS...SOUTHWEST TO WEST AT 12 TO 15 MPH BECOMING NORTHWESTERLY
  AT 15 MPH AFTER FRONTAL PASSAGE.

* VISIBILITY...GENERALLY 3 MILES IN SNOW...DROPPING AS LOWS AS 1
  MILE OR LESS IN HEAVIER SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW.



You've probably heard the saying "We moved here for the skiing.  We live here for the summers!"  Click on the link below to see why... this is some beautiful imagery of Vail's Back Bowls, sans snow.  Enjoy!

Mountain Biking Vail

America's "Tour de France" Approaches!

Next week's USA Pro Cycling Challenge is generating a ton of excitement in the Vail Valley, and in fact, throughout the state of Colorado!  With the top three finishers of this year's Tour de France on tap to compete alongside many of the best riders in Europe and America, and with up to a million spectators expected to cheer them on throughout the tour, this is going to be a highlight of our summer season!

The Vail Valley will host two of the events.  Stage 3 on Thursday will be a time trial from Vail Village to the cul-de-sac on the East Vail bike path.  On Friday, Stage 4 starts in Avon and runs 86 miles up to Steamboat Springs.  Both events afford all of us the opportunity to get up close and personal with the world's top cyclists... cool!

A plethora of events surrounding the races will make for another great experience here in Vail.  For more details, visit the Challenge's official site...  

USA Pro Cycling Challenge .

And here is an informative article from the Vail Daily...

USA Pro Cycling Challenge Article

I encourage you to be here... it's sure to be a fantastic finish to what's been an amazing summer in the Vail Valley!

Another year... another "Triple ByPass"!

Beginning with my 50th birthday a few years ago, the annual Triple ByPass bicycle ride has been one of my benchmarks of the summer season.  Along with 3,500 or so other "lunatics" (what our non-biking friends call us), we ride 124 miles from Evergreen to Avon... over three mountain passes... and climbing more than 10,000 vertical feet.  And all of this in eight hours or so.  Typically, it's a good day in "the office"!

This year, for the first time ever, the ride was offered in reverse.  Now on the surface, one would think that riding from Vail to Denver would be easier than riding from Denver up to Vail.  Well, the joke was on me. 

At least I wasn't the only one who thought this made perfect sense.  Many of us were caught by surprise by the final climb of the day, up 3,500 vertical feet and 16 miles from Idaho Springs over Squaw Pass.  Now it's one thing for this to be your first climb of the day, as in years past.  It's totally another when you have already been on your bike for over 90 miles. 

Needless to say, I was glad when it was all over.  And of course, I'm already making plans for my "assault" on the climb next year...!

5:15 a.m., 125 miles and 10,000 vertical feet to go!

10th annual Teva Mountain Games

officially launch "Summer Vail" 2011!

The first major event of the summer season kicked off today here in Vail... the 10th annual Teva Mountain Games!  This is truly an awesome, fun event here in town, taking us all back to our "roots" as to why we moved here in the first place... i.e., biking, rafting, kayaking... and the list goes on!  Last year's games attracted over 30,000 visitors over the four day event, and this year looks to be equally popular.

The increasingly popular sport of SUP (stand up paddling) is featured this year, right on Meadow Drive, no less!  The following is my first attempt... and yes, I did end up getting wet!



Great fun for all, especially my buddies who watched me go "swimming"!

Please visit the following links from The Vail Daily for a full lineup of events and other interesting information on the games... this is one not to be missed if you enjoy everything "outdoors"!

http://www.vaildaily.com/article/2011110539983

http://www.vaildaily.com/article/20110601/SPORTS/110609981/1078&ParentProfile=1062

http://www.vaildaily.com/article/20110601/NEWS/110609985/1078&ParentProfile=1062

Hope to see you this weekend... it's going to be fun!





When Mother Nature Gives You Snow, You Go With the Flow...

Vail Offering Tubing and Kids Snowmobiling This Weekend!

Vail, Colo. – June 1, 2011 – In an effort to remain flexible and provide the best early-summer on-mountain experience for its guests, Vail Mountain announced today that with ample snow still remaining at higher elevations, it will reopen two lanes of tubing as well as the Adventure Speedway kids snowmobile track at Adventure Ridge this weekend, Friday, June 3 through Sunday, June 5. The return of snow tubing and kids snowmobiling will coincide with the previously scheduled opening of the Eagle Bahn Gondola (#19) on Friday, including limited dining at Eagle’s Nest and Adventure Ridge activities as part of traditional early-summer operations.

"If you can't beat her, join her! Mother Nature provided Vail with one of the best ski and snowboard seasons in history and stuck around throughout the spring with a series of storms and cold temperatures,” said Chris Jarnot, senior vice president and chief operating officer of Vail Mountain. “The snow is melting quickly, but we still have enough at Eagle’s Nest to offer tubing and kids snowmobiling, at least through this weekend."

The Eagle Bahn Gondola (#19) will be open this weekend from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Friday through Sunday. Tubing and kids snowmobiling will be available from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday through Sunday. Also available will be the climbing wall, bungee trampoline, and ever-popular Dino Dig as well as dining at Talon’s Deck, offering a range of lunch items from BBQ and burgers to salads and regular specials. Hours and operations of on-snow attractions this weekend and beyond are weather dependent as crews continue preparations for traditional summer activities including the new nine-hole miniature golf course in Lionshead, the new Top of the Mountain Tours, horseback tours, pony rides, disc golf and more.

For more information about Vail Mountain, Adventure Ridge and summer hours and operations visit www.vail.com, or stop by the Mountain Activities & Information Center, open from 9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., or call (970) 754-VAIL (8245).

Vail's snow crews prep for this weekend's snowmobiling!

(Don't worry... the lower elevations are warm and green!)

Late season snow makes early season biking a "challenge"!

As they say, a picture says a thousand words... and tells you why we're all looking forward to summer!!

Three feet of snow "greeted" me recently at the gates of the bike path in East Vail.  Hopefully, Vail Pass will be cleared by the end of the month!

No explanation necessary... !



It's not over, 'till it's over!

Looks like we'll wind up the 2010/2011 ski season with yet another powder day in Vail... see below for the weekend forecast!

Winter Storm Warning

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION CO
300 PM MDT FRI APR 22 2011

...PROLONGED WINTER STORM WITH SIGNIFICANT SNOW ACCUMULATIONS
ABOVE 9000 FEET EXPECTED ACROSS THE WESTERN COLORADO MOUNTAINS
THIS WEEKEND...

.DEEP PACIFIC MOISTURE COMBINED WITH ANOTHER IN A SERIES OF
SPRING STORMS IS EXPECTED TO BRING PERIODS OF SNOWFALL TO MUCH OF
THE HIGH COUNTRY THROUGH THE ENTIRE WEEKEND. INITIALLY...SNOWFALL
WILL BE LIGHT ON SATURDAY...BUT EXPECT SNOW TO INCREASE SATURDAY
NIGHT WITH FREQUENT SNOW SHOWERS CONTINUING INTO SUNDAY. SNOW
LEVELS WILL RISE TO 8000 TO 9000 FEET DURING THE DAY...BUT LOWER
TO THE MOUNTAIN BASES AT NIGHT. SIGNIFICANT ACCUMULATIONS CAN BE
EXPECTED ABOVE 9000 FEET WHERE TOTAL ACCUMULATIONS WILL RANGE FROM
10 TO 20 INCHES. SEE WEATHER.GOV/GJT FOR UPDATES ON THIS
DEVELOPING STORM SYSTEM.



Vail Mountain snowfall record is now in sight!

Vail is rapidly closing in on its all-time snowfall record, something that has locals buzzing and our guests smiling! 


Until the 2000-01 ski season, Vail measured snowfall at Patrol Headquarters (PHQ), situated at the top of the mountain.  The PHQ record is 505 inches, looking back to 1977-78.  Since Vail started taking mid-mountain measurements, the best season on record was 2007-2008, when the resort had 458 inches of snow between opening day and closing day.


Even the mountain top record now seems well within reach here in the final few days of the 2010/2011 season!  As of this morning, we stood at 495", and it's been snowing all day.  And continued precipitation is in the forecast through the end of the week.


While this means no more sunny days in the Back Bowls this year, it also means that we'll have a couple more days on our powder skis... not a bad trade-off at all... and one which has everyone who is lucky enough to be here smiling from ear-to-ear.  What a finish to another fantastic season in Vail.  We're very blessed to call this special place "home"!