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Vail Mountain Kicks Off 2009-2010 Ski and Snowboard Season on Friday, November 20
  • First annual Bud Light Snuggie Pub Crawl kicks off in Vail Village on Friday, Nov. 20
  • Freddy Jones Band to perform free concert in Lionshead on Saturday, Nov. 21
Vail, Colo. – Nov. 18, 2009 – Vail Mountain is scheduled to open for the 2009-2010 ski and snowboard season on Friday, Nov. 20 at 9 a.m. The resort will offer skiing and riding on the Born Free trail, accessible by Born Free Express (#8) in Lionshead. The Eagle Bahn Gondola (#19) will offer access to beginner terrain in the Little Eagle lift (#15) area as well as Eagle’s Nest for on-mountain dining at the Marketplace. Lift tickets on opening day are $69 for adults, $59 for seniors and $45 for children 12 and under. The gondola will be free to foot passengers through the weekend. Paid parking in the Town of Vail’s Lionshead and Vail Village structures as well as outlying lots resumes Friday, Nov. 20.

With the help of natural snowfall last weekend and cold temperatures all week, Vail Mountain snowmaking and cat crews have worked hard to provide the best possible early-season terrain offering. In addition to all levels of ski and snowboard terrain, guests will also have access to boxes and rails as part of the early-season terrain park experience on Born Free.

“We’re excited to welcome the community and destination guests back to Vail Mountain for the 2009-2010 season and look forward to expanding the terrain offering in the coming weeks,” said Chris Jarnot, chief operating officer of Vail Mountain. “The early-season at Vail is a great opportunity for guests to make a few runs and enjoy some incredible values in town as well as on the mountain, including the new $9.95 Lunch for Less offering and the inaugural flip of the Epic Mountain Burger at Eagle’s Nest.”

Ticket and pass sales are currently available at the Lionshead Ticket Office from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. The Adult and Children’s Snowsports School offices will also be open in Lionshead from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Small World Nursery at Golden Peak will be open for childcare beginning Friday, Nov. 20 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Opening Weekend Events and Values
Celebrate the opening of Vail Mountain’s 2009-2010 season with a weekend of festivities and exclusive lodging offers. The celebration begins in Lionshead on Friday, Nov. 20 at 8:30 a.m. with music, giveaways and $1 croissant breakfast sandwiches provided by Centre V with proceeds benefiting the Vail Valley Charitable Fund. Don't miss the first ever Snuggie Pub Crawl presented by Bud Light in Vail Village, beginning at 7 p.m. Participants will receive a free Snuggie while supplies last and a chance to win a pair of K2 skis, two VIP passes to Vail Snow Daze and tickets to Yukon Kornelius. Continue the fun on Saturday, Nov. 21 with a free Freddy Jones Band concert at Vail Square in Lionshead at 3 p.m.

Start the festivities early on Thursday, November 19th by coming to "The B!," A Movie of EPIC Proportions, at the Burton in Vail. The movie will be broadcast outside the shop in Lionshead on the big screen at 7 p.m.

With special opening weekend room rates starting at just $99 per night, visitors to Vail can stay for all the festivities on and off the mountain. Participating properties include the Vail Marriott Mountain Resort & Spa, the Lodge at Vail and the Arrabelle at Vail Square.

Early Season Events at Vail
In addition to skiing and snowboarding and countless dining, spa and shopping values, early season visitors to Vail can enjoy a calendar full of events and entertainment. Kicking off the season, Vail Snow Daze, the resort’s annual winter kick-off bash, returns Dec. 7-13, 2009. Grammy-nominated Barenaked Ladies will take the stage for a free concert on Saturday, Dec. 12 at Ford Park. Also included in the free concert lineup presented by Bud Light are Robert Randolph & The Family Band and Eve 6. Legendary rockers Yukon Kornelius featuring Stefan Lessard of Dave Matthews Band, Adam Gardner of Guster, Ed Robertson of Barenaked Ladies, Eric Fawcett of N*E*R*D and unannounced special guests will also perform a ticketed show at Dobson Arena with opening act Pete Kilpatrick on Friday, Dec. 11. Vail Snow Daze celebrates the start of the winter ski and snowboard season in Vail with a weeklong schedule of contests, parties, giveaways and on-mountain events including the annual Dummy Demolition Derby under the lights at Golden Peak with first annual free Chili Chowdown. The Vail Marriott Mountain Resort & Spa will offer a special Vail Snow Daze rate of $129 per night, including two tickets to Yukon Kornelius. Certain restrictions apply. For more information, visit www.vailsnowdaze.com.

Epic Season Pass
For those who plan on visiting beyond the early season, there’s still time to take advantage of one of the best deals in the industry – the unrestricted, unlimited Epic Season Pass, on sale through Sunday, Nov. 22. The pass is available for $599 for adults and $299 for children ages 5-12, for skiing and snowboarding at all five Vail Resorts – Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone and Heavenly – as well as at Arapahoe Basin. Visit www.epicpass.com for details and additional benefits.

Vail Mountain lifts will open at 9 a.m. for the duration of the early season. For guests with restricted passes, be advised that restrictions will be in effect Friday, Nov. 27 and Saturday, Nov. 28. Skiers and riders are asked to observe all posted signs and warnings, especially during the early season. Closed trails may contain hazards due to early snow coverage.

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 (754-8245).

About Vail Resorts
Vail Resorts, Inc., through its subsidiaries, is the leading mountain resort operator in the United States. The Company's subsidiaries operate the mountain resort properties of Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge and Keystone mountain resorts in Colorado, Heavenly Mountain Resort in the Lake Tahoe area of California and Nevada, and the Grand Teton Lodge Company in Jackson Hole, Wyo. The Company's subsidiary, RockResorts, a luxury resort hotel company, manages casually elegant properties across the United States and the Caribbean. Vail Resorts Development Company is the real estate planning, development and construction subsidiary of Vail Resorts, Inc. Vail Resorts is a publicly held company traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: MTN). The Vail Resorts company website is www.vailresorts.com and the consumer website is www.snow.com.

Contact(s)

Liz Biebl

Director, Brand Communications
Email: ebiebl@vailresorts.com
Phone: (303) 404-1831
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