You can bet the champagne was flowing in a certain small Rocky-Mountain town when the news came out in September: Vail had just been voted the number-one ski resort in North America by the readers of Ski Magazine--a savvy bunch if ever there were one.
But the local heroes can be forgiven if they weren't exactly painting the town red.
For one thing, the hue just wouldn't work with the surrounding town's classic European ski-village look. For another, it's not exactly the first time the mountain has been so honored. In fact, Ski Magazine has rated Vail number one 11 times in the past 15 years. You could say that excellence is getting to be a habit with Vail.
Vail has been the resort of choice for discriminating skiers from day one. It was founded in 1962 by Pete Siebert, a veteran of the Army's famed 10th Mountain Division. Back in the day, the resort had one gondola, two chairlifts, and eight ski instructors.
Today, on the eve of the ski area's 40th anniversary, Vail is the largest single-mountain resort in North America. The numbers tell the story: At the height of the winter season, 33 lifts and gondolas serve 193 trails. There are now 4,000 acres of skiable terrain. A few more instructors ply the slopes, as well--more than 1,000, at last count.
One thing that hasn't changed from the old days: In an average (average!) year, 30 feet of powder cover the world-famous open Back Bowls. Some things never change, and pristine powder on top of a thick base is one thing you can count on at Vail.
One thing that is new is that snowboarders now cruise the slopes alongside traditional skiers. In fact, boarders will find a 400-foot-long, 10-foot-high half pipe built especially for them. And even those with an aversion to ground that tilts will be pleased when they discover the 10 miles of cross-country skiing now offered by the resort.
Beginner or expert, skier or snowboarder, everyone can find something to celebrate at Vail.•
