Vail Spring Skiing

Debbie Fairvalley is the director of sales for Sterling Brownell. She is also an avid skiier and has recently traveled to Colorado to catch the end of the ski season. Read on about her experiences below!

If there was ever any doubt of which mountain reigns supreme as the Best Ski Mountain in North America, that question was answered on my recent trip to Vail! I was lucky enough to land in Eagle/Vail on Thursday, March 26 (expecting to find typical Spring slushy conditions) and was greeted by over 32 inches of fresh snow that had begun to fall on Monday…. A quick 20 minute Colorado Mountain express van to Beaver Creek had me in my hotel room in time for lunch! I stayed at the Pines Lodge (a lovely Austrian feeling Rockresorts hotel that is ski in from the Beaver Creek runs) http://www.pineslodge.rockresorts.com/ The minute you arrive in the lobby you feel as though you have been transported to a quaint little Swiss hotel in the Alps. The views from the dining room feature vistas of the whole front range of mountains. The rooms are comfortable and offer nice roomy (newly renovated bathrooms). With it’s great location in Beaver Creek and nice walk to the Village and Mountain Base, this is an excellent value for those more budget conscious. It also has some quite attractive golf packages for the summer season! There is a (small) pool and hot tub (with waterfall) and ski rental shop located in the back off the lobby area.

The food is very good and the 1 restaurant serves breakfast, lunch & dinner. The setting is completed by a warm wood burning fireplace that welcomes you in the afternoon with hot cider, hot chocolate, tea, and coffee (not to mention some of the best toffee cookies I have ever put in my mouth). There is shuttle service to all other Beaver Creek resorts and activity areas – so no need for a car while on property. Day 2 had me on the slopes of Beaver Creek. This is a great mountain for intermediate skiers with lots of cruising runs that allow you plenty of time to ski at your own pace. They groom this mountain beautifully and cater to those “resort” skiers. They have also added a wonderful kids activity center/lunch stop on the mountain called the Spruce Saddle. We had cocktails here and it features great healthy food even adults would love! There are flat screen televisions all around the dining area (the ski instructors use this as a teaching tool with the ski school students – what a great idea!) Beaver Creek has a Torchlight Parade every Thursday night that is a great way for kids to meet other kids and ski down the mountain under the moonlight. Not a bad site to watch from below (sipping a hot toddy by the huge fire pit) either.

The village of Beaver Creek is centered around a large ice skating rink which is a gathering place for après ski and offers many dining options and shopping options for the whole family. Focus on FAMILY!

There are two other properties in Beaver Creek (in addition to the Ritz Carlton – Bachelor Gulch) that should be on your radar for future ski trips: The Snow Cloud (located in Bachelor Gulch) and The Osprey in the Village. Both of these properties are true ski in/ski out at located right at a chair lift that transports you to the top of the mountain.

The Snow Cloud is a condominium property offering 1 to 4 bedroom units that are HUGE and totally 5 star in their décor. It is a stone’s throw from the Ritz and very similar in appearance. The designer furnishings and touches make this a wonderful home away from home The 4 bedroom can easily accommodate 3 families (bunk rooms w/ 4 beds are perfect for the kids)!

The Osprey is a newly renovated property at the base of Strawberry Lift and would appeal to more hip, urban young families and couples. They call their intimate lobby area a living room and it truly feels that way….from the comfy mid century sofas to the WII video games playing on one of the TVs, you feel as though you can relax and just enjoy conversation areas. There is a 60’s looking fireplace in the living room with lots of ultra cool lounge lighting in the bar area. A continental breakfast is served daily and included in the rate. Many of the guestrooms feature a contemporary glass burning fireplace (very Palm Springs) and subtle chic cool colors in the linen. High tech glossy bathrooms make this property feel as though it could be in Miami Beach, until you look out your window and see skiers swishing down the mountain. I got a very positive response from guests staying here and they loved it!

One other great accommodation for families or small groups is Trapper’s Cabin. This is a true log cabin – accessible only by snow cat. This remote cabin is a true experience! The privacy is matched only by the beautiful woodsy décor. I happened to meet (by chance) a client of Alysia Hopper’s on the chair lift who was actually staying in Trappers Cabin and was loving it! In fact he was ready to confirm it for 2010….

Day 3 we were able to take a snowmobile tour out of Minturn area (arranged by Vail Resorts). What an experience this was…..4 hours, 36 miles, and one very sore thumb later I can truthfully say it was a wild ride! We were able to view an area where the 10th Mountain Infantry ( a World War II ski division ) trained called Camp Hale. In fact, my father in law was part of this group in WWII and trained here. It was very neat to see the remains of the artillery range, huts, and buildings actually used in 1940. The original developer of Vail Mountain was a 10th Mountain man…..so historically this was very interesting. Dinner this evening was at Beano’s Cabin – a NOT TO BE MISSED experience on the mountain in Beaver Creek. The snow cat ride from the base to Beano’s was enhanced by a full moon and howling wolves/coyotes on our journey. Once you arrive at Beano’s you are met by 3 resident porcupine greeters and escorted into a beautiful cabin with lots of open beams and a huge stone fireplace. The atmosphere was topped only by the cuisine. Wonderful game, fresh trout, and superb steaks are on the menu. But save room for the fantastic desserts…. A soothing guitar player offered the evening’s entertainment and by the end of the night – I wanted to forgo my snow cat ride back down the mountain for a warm place by the fire. Every couple should experience the romance of this place! Day 4 We decided to hop a local bus (from Beaver Creek Village) to ski Vail for the day and I am so glad I did. Vail represents a long family tradition (my in laws skied Vail in the 60’s – my husband learned to ski here as a child - and my two kids are graduates of Vail Ski School (where they learned to carve turns better than Peekabo Street!) They also went on to compete in NASTAR races in Salt Lake City so I feel the quality of instructors in Vail are superior to any other ski resort in the country.

Vail is a mountain for EVERYONE from beginners to double black experts! And the place is HUGE! If you were here for a week, you couldn’t ski all the terrain offered on this mountain. There are plenty of groomed runs for the basic skier, nice moguls for the younger knees, and back country natural bowls that allow you to ski without seeing anyone all day. We started off in China Bowl ( a nice open bowl featuring lots of blue runs) and by afternoon were ready to tackle Big Sky Basin and some of the Back Bowls. This was spectacular! Even as a terminal intermediate skier I was able to ski in/out of trees and experience the thrill of fresh powder up to my knees! Two Elk Restaurant is a great lunch stop with gourmet fare similar to Deer Valley. It gets very crowded for lunch so eating off hours allows you to grab food and find easy seating (with views beyond compare).

We were the last ones off the mountain on Day 4 – not wanting this “rush” to end but knew we would return next season in search of fresh powder…..

To learn more about ski travel or family ski trips, contact Debbie by clicking here!