VAIL, Colo. – Nov. 29, 2018 – After receiving an additional four inches of snow overnight and more in the forecast through the weekend, Vail Mountain opened Blue Sky Basin today. This is the second-earliest opening for Blue Sky Basin in history, behind only the Nov. 25, 2002 opening. Vail is now offering 4,200 skiable acres of terrain, the most currently open in North America.
“There is no doubt that Vail is the place to be for the holidays. We have almost 80 percent of the resort’s terrain open, and it is still November,” said Doug Lovell, Vail chief operating officer. “This is the strongest start to a season that we’ve seen in decades, and it is only looking to improve with more snow expected over the weekend. This is going to be a legendary season.”
Belle’s Camp in Blue Sky Basin is now open for daily operations, and Wildwood Smokehouse is scheduled to open on Friday, Nov. 30.
Skiers and snowboarders now have access to 4,200 acres of skiable terrain accessible via the following lifts on Vail Mountain:
- Gondola One
- Eagle Bahn Gondola (#19)
- Born Free Express Lift (#8)
- Avanti Express (#2)
- Wildwood Express Lift (#3)
- Mountain Top Express Lift (#4)
- High Noon Express (#5)
- Game Creek Express (#7)
- Sun Up Express (#9)
- Northwoods Express (#11)
- Gopher Hill (#12)
- Sourdough Express (#14)
- Little Eagle Lift (#15)
- Orient Express (#21)
- Lionshead Carpet (#34)
- Eagle’s Nest Carpet (#35)
- Tea Cup Express (#36)
- Skyline Express (#37)
- Pete’s Express(#39)
All guests are reminded that they must observe all posted signs, closures and slow zones, especially during the early season. Closed trails may contain hazards due to early snow coverage. Accessing closed terrain is a violation of the Colorado Ski Safety Act and will result in the loss of skiing privileges and could involve prosecution and a fine.
Epic Pass: Last Chance to Purchase Extended to Sunday, Dec. 2
The last chance to purchase the 2018-19 Epic Pass and other Epic Season Pass options – including the Epic Local, Epic 7-Day and Epic 4-Day – is Sunday, Dec. 2. The Epic Pass provides skiers and riders with the greatest multi-resort pass value in the ski industry, offering access to more than 65 resorts in eight countries for $949. New for the 2018-19 winter season, the Epic Pass will now feature unlimited, unrestricted skiing and riding at 19 mountain resorts including Crested Butte, plus seven days at Telluride, in addition to unlimited access to Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone and Arapahoe Basin. The remaining lineup of passes is available for purchase at epicpass.com.
Snow Days
From Dec. 13 to 16, Vail Snow Days features an expanded four-day lineup of events and activities from free concerts, by Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, Shakey Graves and more, a Pray for Snow Bonfire, pub crawls, and more. Visit www.vail.com/snowdays for a list of all activities.
10 Days of Epic
To celebrate 10 years of the Epic Pass, Vail Mountain will offer 10 days of specials on Fridays and Saturdays through Dec. 16. Some specials include complimentary fries with the purchase of an Epic Burger; 50 percent off ski school group lessons; après at Express Lift Bar featuring $3 drink specials; and 20 percent off Epic Mountain Express rides to and from Vail. Additional details are available at www.vail.com/readysetsnow
About Vail Mountain
Under blue skies more than 300 days each year, Vail is the world’s premier mountain resort. The year-round alpine destination delivers a superior, seamless experience for every guest, from the vast terrain and natural grandeur of the surrounding Gore and Sawatch Ranges to world-class events, shops and spas, and the abundant culinary options and luxurious accommodations that line the pedestrian-friendly streets of Vail and Lionshead Villages. Vail offers more than 5,200 acres of developed ski and snowboard terrain including seven limitless Back Bowls in winter, and flourishing with new summer activities after the debut of Epic Discovery in 2016. Coupled with the enduring spirit of innovation inherent in Vail’s founders, and a timeless pursuit of excellence in all aspects of guest service and operations, Vail is like nothing on earth.
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Media Contacts
Sally Gunter, (970) 754-3001, sgunter@vailresorts.com
About Vail Resorts, Inc. (NYSE: MTN)
Vail Resorts, Inc., through its subsidiaries, is the leading global mountain resort operator. Vail Resorts’ subsidiaries operate 15 world-class mountain resorts and three urban ski areas, including Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone and Crested Butte in Colorado; Park City in Utah; Heavenly, Northstar and Kirkwood in the Lake Tahoe area of California and Nevada; Whistler Blackcomb in British Columbia, Canada; Perisher in Australia; Stowe and Okemo in Vermont; Mt. Sunapee in New Hampshire; Stevens Pass in Washington; Wilmot Mountain in Wisconsin; Afton Alps in Minnesota and Mt. Brighton in Michigan. Vail Resorts owns and/or manages a collection of casually elegant hotels under the RockResorts brand, as well as the Grand Teton Lodge Company in Jackson Hole, Wyo. Vail Resorts Development Company is the real estate planning and development 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.