Vail Mountain Invites Skiers and Snowboarders to Celebrate Closing Day on Easter Sunday, April 24
- Annual World Pond Skimming Championships in Golden Peak begin at 3 p.m.
- Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars to perform free concert in Vail Village at 5 p.m. with special guest opener Chris Velan
VAIL, Colo. – April 18, 2011 – Closing day for the 2010-2011 ski and snowboard season on Vail Mountain is Sunday, April 24. Skiers and snowboarders of all ages are invited to join in the festivities both on and off the mountain throughout the day and commemorate the end of another phenomenal season. The resort also asks skiers and riders to celebrate responsibly to ensure that on-mountain celebrations can continue successfully in the future.
“With one of the best snow seasons is recent memory nearing a close, we have a lot to be thankful for this season and reason to reminisce with friends and family,” said Chris Jarnot, senior vice president and chief operating officer of Vail Mountain. “It’s a privilege to celebrate Vail’s closing day and we ask that all who choose to join in the festivities both on and off the mountain respect the opportunity as well as our natural surroundings so that we can continue to celebrate together for years to come.”
In Golden Peak, the World Pond Skimming Championships will get underway at 3 p.m. The competition will run until approximately 4:30 p.m., followed by a free outdoor concert from Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars at Checkpoint Charlie in Vail Village as part of Spring Back to Vail.
On the mountain, Blue Sky Basin will begin closing at 1:30 p.m.; China Bowl gates and the Sun Up Lift (#17) will close at 2:30 and Sun Up Bowl and Sun Down Bowl gates will close at 3:30 p.m. All remaining lifts on the front side will shut down for the season at 4 p.m. As is customary on closing day, Vail Ski Patrol will detonate a series of avalanche explosives at approximately 4:30 p.m. to signal the end of the season.
Resort officials ask everyone for their continued cooperation with ski patrol and other Vail Mountain staff when the resort closes on Sunday. For those picnicking on the mountain, trash and recycling containers will be provided. Skiers and riders are also reminded that late spring conditions exist and are encouraged to descend or download early. Once Vail Ski Patrol sweeps the mountain, it will remain closed until summer operations resume in early June.
Also beginning at 4 p.m. the U.S. Forest Service will be implementing a Special Order Closure on Vail Mountain, which prohibits unauthorized access to closed areas within Vail's Special Use Permit to help facilitate a safe end to the ski and snowboard season. Law enforcement and Forest Service staff will be present on Vail Mountain to help ensure that guests abide by the laws and rules of skiing and snowboarding. Skiers and snowboarders must continue to abide by the Colorado Ski Safety Act and “Your Responsibility Code” and observe all posted signs and closures.
“We are happy to see people of all ages enjoying the end of a spectacular snow season. However, the safety of Vail Mountain’s guests and employees as well as the public servicemen and women remains a top priority, particularly during closing day celebrations,” said Don Dressler, snow ranger for the White River National Forest. “Individuals who choose to abuse the day by engaging in unsafe or disrespectful behavior risk removal from the mountain by law enforcement and loss of future skiing and riding privileges.”
Guests are reminded that using any ski lift or trail while impaired by alcohol or controlled substances is prohibited under the Colorado Ski Safety Act. Guests are also not permitted to ride lifts, ski or snowboard on Vail Mountain with open containers or exposed quantities of alcohol, coolers, suitcase-like carriers, barbeques or similar items. One daypack per person will be permitted on closing day, provided the bag fits in a five-gallon container. Bags that do not meet the requirement will only be allowed if they contain no alcohol or controlled substances.
Inappropriate behavior that may jeopardize the experience of other guests is not tolerated. As in recent years, violators who are ticketed or arrested or caught throwing snowballs will lose skiing and snowboarding privileges for the 2011-2012 season. Those who disobey posted signs and closures or engage in other inappropriate behavior will lose skiing and snowboarding privileges for the first month and last week of the 2011-2012 season.
Vail Mountain staff thanks all guests and the Vail community for another great season.
For more information on Spring Back to Vail and closing day, visit www.vail.com.
“With one of the best snow seasons is recent memory nearing a close, we have a lot to be thankful for this season and reason to reminisce with friends and family,” said Chris Jarnot, senior vice president and chief operating officer of Vail Mountain. “It’s a privilege to celebrate Vail’s closing day and we ask that all who choose to join in the festivities both on and off the mountain respect the opportunity as well as our natural surroundings so that we can continue to celebrate together for years to come.”
In Golden Peak, the World Pond Skimming Championships will get underway at 3 p.m. The competition will run until approximately 4:30 p.m., followed by a free outdoor concert from Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars at Checkpoint Charlie in Vail Village as part of Spring Back to Vail.
On the mountain, Blue Sky Basin will begin closing at 1:30 p.m.; China Bowl gates and the Sun Up Lift (#17) will close at 2:30 and Sun Up Bowl and Sun Down Bowl gates will close at 3:30 p.m. All remaining lifts on the front side will shut down for the season at 4 p.m. As is customary on closing day, Vail Ski Patrol will detonate a series of avalanche explosives at approximately 4:30 p.m. to signal the end of the season.
Resort officials ask everyone for their continued cooperation with ski patrol and other Vail Mountain staff when the resort closes on Sunday. For those picnicking on the mountain, trash and recycling containers will be provided. Skiers and riders are also reminded that late spring conditions exist and are encouraged to descend or download early. Once Vail Ski Patrol sweeps the mountain, it will remain closed until summer operations resume in early June.
Also beginning at 4 p.m. the U.S. Forest Service will be implementing a Special Order Closure on Vail Mountain, which prohibits unauthorized access to closed areas within Vail's Special Use Permit to help facilitate a safe end to the ski and snowboard season. Law enforcement and Forest Service staff will be present on Vail Mountain to help ensure that guests abide by the laws and rules of skiing and snowboarding. Skiers and snowboarders must continue to abide by the Colorado Ski Safety Act and “Your Responsibility Code” and observe all posted signs and closures.
“We are happy to see people of all ages enjoying the end of a spectacular snow season. However, the safety of Vail Mountain’s guests and employees as well as the public servicemen and women remains a top priority, particularly during closing day celebrations,” said Don Dressler, snow ranger for the White River National Forest. “Individuals who choose to abuse the day by engaging in unsafe or disrespectful behavior risk removal from the mountain by law enforcement and loss of future skiing and riding privileges.”
Guests are reminded that using any ski lift or trail while impaired by alcohol or controlled substances is prohibited under the Colorado Ski Safety Act. Guests are also not permitted to ride lifts, ski or snowboard on Vail Mountain with open containers or exposed quantities of alcohol, coolers, suitcase-like carriers, barbeques or similar items. One daypack per person will be permitted on closing day, provided the bag fits in a five-gallon container. Bags that do not meet the requirement will only be allowed if they contain no alcohol or controlled substances.
Inappropriate behavior that may jeopardize the experience of other guests is not tolerated. As in recent years, violators who are ticketed or arrested or caught throwing snowballs will lose skiing and snowboarding privileges for the 2011-2012 season. Those who disobey posted signs and closures or engage in other inappropriate behavior will lose skiing and snowboarding privileges for the first month and last week of the 2011-2012 season.
Vail Mountain staff thanks all guests and the Vail community for another great season.
For more information on Spring Back to Vail and closing day, visit www.vail.com.
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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, and the Heavenly Ski Resort and Northstar-at-Tahoe 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 property and hotel company, manages casually elegant properties across the United States and in 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.