• Free scenic gondola rides and bike haul for children 12 and under
• 2008-2009 winter season passes valid at Vail are also good for scenic gondola rides and other Vail Mountain discounts
• New sunset drinks and apps at Game Creek Restaurant
VAIL, Colo. – June 5, 2009 – Vail Mountain will begin summer operations of the Eagle Bahn Gondola (Lift 19) on Saturday, June 13 for weekend-only operation, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Daily operations will begin Thursday, June 25.
Vail’s summer lineup includes scenic lift rides on the Eagle Bahn Gondola, hiking and biking, Adventure Ridge activities, live entertainment at Friday Afternoon Club (FAC), mountaintop dining at Bistro Fourteen, Talon’s Deck and Game Creek Restaurant.
Children aged 12 and under can ride the gondola for free when accompanied by a paying adult (up to three kids ride free per adult). Vail Mountain will also continue to offer its popular Lift and Lunch packages, including a one-day unlimited scenic gondola ride lift ticket and lunch voucher valid at Eagle’s Nest for $25 for adults. The one-day Lift, Lunch and Bike Haul Package is available for $30. For additional details on scenic ride, bike haul, bike rental and Lift and Lunch packages, visit www.vail.com or the Lionshead Ticket Office.
Adventure Ridge at Eagle’s Nest
Adventure Ridge features a variety of outdoor activities for the whole family including lawn sports, rebound trampolines, mountain biking, free guided nature hikes with the Gore Range Natural Science School, the Dino Dig, and disc golf.
Mountaintop Dining and Game Creek Restaurant
After a scenic gondola ride, hike or mountain bike ride up the mountain, visit any of Vail’s three mountaintop venues for incomparable scenic summertime dining. Choose from laid-back favorites from Vail’s Wildwood Smokehouse outside on Talon’s Deck, casual sit-down lunches and dinners at Bistro Fourteen where parents can enjoy an eclectic array of cuisine and bar menu and kids eat for just $10, or distinctive American cuisine, a superb wine list and flawless service at Game Creek Restaurant located in Game Creek Bowl. Talon’s Deck will serve lunch beginning June 13. Bistro Fourteen opens for the summer season on June 25 and will serve lunch and dinner Thursday through Saturday nights as well as sunset specials and Sunday brunch.
New this season, Game Creek Restaurant will offer sunset appetizer specials and a new à la carte dinner menu available on the deck overlooking Game Creek Bowl. Guests can also enjoy the traditional prix fixe dinner menu as well as Sunday brunch. The restaurant opens for the summer season beginning June 25. Reservations can be made by calling (970) 754-4275.
Vail All The Love
Vail Mountain will continue to provide guests with spectacular savings and values this summer through the Vail All The Love program, including a free trampoline session with the purchase of two at Adventure Ridge. Visitors to Vail who book any new lodging through the Vail All The Love website will be eligible for a buy-one-get-one-free gondola lift ticket offer during their stay. All offers require a valid Vail All The Love card. For details, visit www.vailallthelove.com.
Friday Afternoon Club
Kick off the weekends with Vail’s only mountaintop Friday Afternoon Club (FAC) at Adventure Ridge. FAC begins at 5 p.m. on Talon’s Deck and features live music from blues and bluegrass to rock and reggae, spectacular sunsets and food and drink specials. All performances are free and the Eagle Bahn Gondola offers free scenic rides after 4 p.m. The 2009 band lineup includes:
July 3: Cowboy Hillbilly Hippy Folk
July 10: Missed the Boat
July 17: All Strung Out
July 24: Matt Clark Band
July 31: Hustle
August 7: Missed the Boat
August 14: Mikee T & the Peaceful Warriors
August 21: Hustle
August 28: Matt Clark Band
September 4: All Strung Out
Eagle Bahn Gondola Hours
Saturday, June 13 - Sunday, June 21: Saturdays and Sundays only, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Thursday, June 25 - Sunday, Aug. 30: Daily, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Thursday, June 25 - Saturday, Aug. 29: FREE Twilight Scenic Rides Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 4-9 p.m.
September Weekend Hours
Friday, Sept. 4 - Monday, Sept. 7, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 12 - Sunday, Sept. 20: Saturdays and Sundays only, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
For more information about Vail Mountain, Adventure Ridge and mountaintop dining, visit www.vail.com or call the Mountain Information Center at (970) 754-VAIL (8245).
About Vail
Coveted as North America’s top ski resort, Vail is an extraordinary winter vacation destination. Spanning seven miles are seven legendary Back Bowls, blanketed last year with thirty-eight feet of powder snow. Under blue sky three hundred days a year and with more groomed terrain than anywhere on the planet, families reconnect and celebrate here from year to year and generation to generation. The vacation experience is world class, from the Vail Snow Sports School to the activities and festivals, the shops and spas, dining, nightlife and accommodations – with many new and luxuriously renovated to discover. Vail – Like Nothing on Earth.
About Vail Resorts
Vail Resorts, Inc., through its subsidiaries, is the leading of mountain resort operator in the United States. The Company's subsidiaries operate the mountain resort properties at the Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge and Keystone mountain resorts in Colorado, the Heavenly Ski Resort in the Lake Tahoe area of California and Nevada and the Grand Teton Lodge Company in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. 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 consumer website is www.snow.com.