Tag Archives: vail mountain

Vail Fourth of July Festivities Expanded

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Antlers' owners and guests enjoy the Fourth of July parade in Vail.

Antlers’ owners and guests enjoy the Fourth of July parade in Vail.

There is never a void of things to do in Vail for the Fourth of July, and this year is no exception. Vail America Days returns to Vail Village and continues throughout the Fourth of July weekend, July 4 – July 7. The celebration  has been expanded to a four-day festival featuring spectacular fireworks, a classic town parade  through the heart of Vail Village, live music, children’s entertainment and an open-air street  festival atmosphere.

Entertainment will include Vail’s celebrated 4th of July parade this year with a nostalgic theme, fireworks by the world-famous Zambelli Fireworks (conditions permitting), live musical  entertainment throughout the weekend featuring family music, Jazz, and our annual Patriotic Music from Bravo! Vail featuring the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. For the family, there will be an array of children’s activities, and multi-day festival style attractions with Americana style food and drink  – as always complimented by all that Vail summer has to offer on and off the mountain.

The Vail 50th themed parade will begin at Golden Peak at 10 a.m. on Thursday July 4 and will wind its way through the villages, ending in Lionshead. Vail’s parade is one of the most popular events during the Independence Day holiday, attracting thousands of spectators. This year’s theme is “Vail’s 50th Anniversary Celebration” and will set the tone for the rest of the day’s celebrations featuring musical entertainment, a patriotic concert and a fireworks display at dusk.

Fourth of July celebrations continue at noon and throughout the remainder of the day with free entertainment in Vail Village at the main Vail America Days Stage at Solaris Plaza. The live music and beer garden will be open to the public through 10 p.m. on and stay open from noon – 10 p.m. on Saturday, July 5 and Sunday, July 6 to keep the celebration going. Another new addition to Vail America Days, is the Stars and Stripes zones, which offer an array of games and activities for the whole family to enjoy, The Stars and Stripes zones are complimentary and will be located in Lionshead and Gore Creek Promenade on Thursday, July 4 – Saturday July 6 from 12 – 4 p.m. each day.

For a complete schedule visit VailAmericaDays.com.

Antlers Celebrates Vail’s 50th Anniversary with 50 Percent Off

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“50 For 50” package offers excellent value on lodging, lift tickets

1962 - The Vail Journal announces Vail's official opening

When Vail Mountain opened for skiing in 1962, the area had one gondola, two chair lifts and nine ski runs. Today, it’s North America’s largest ski resort with 31 lifts and more than 5,000 skiable acres. It’s fitting that Vail Resorts will kick off its 50th anniversary festivities by installing a new state-of-the-art gondola in the same location as the original Gondola One. The new ride will boast heated leather seats and WiFi, and will speed up the mountain at 1,200 feet per minute.

The Antlers at Vail hotel opened in 1972, and general manager Rob LeVine has been actively involved in the town’s planning and development for more than three decades. “I’ve been here long enough to remember when we put an Amana Radar Range microwave oven in one of our rooms, and people would come from all over just to see it work!” he says.

In honor of the resort’s half-century anniversary, The Antlers at Vail hotel celebrates with 50% savings from November 16 to December 13, 2012. The Antlers “50 For 50” stay-and-ski deal starts at $579 per person for 4 people in a 2-bedroom condo for 4 nights—and the price includes four-day lift tickets for each person! Along with the parties, historic presentations, concerts and other celebrations Vail has planned for its fiftieth birthday, skiers and boarders can enjoy uncrowded slopes and shorter lift lines in the early snow season.

For four decades the Antlers has offered a unique Vail lodging experience in a relaxed mountain setting. Named the Vail Valley ‘Green Business of the Year’ in 2009, the Antlers is also proud to be named a Platinum Service Award Winner by the Vail Valley Partnership. With condominiums ranging from studio suites up to four bedrooms and plenty of space to spread out, each room at the Antlers offers all the comforts of home including fully-equipped kitchens, fireplaces, outdoor balconies, free Internet access and free parking in a heated indoor garage. The Antlers Vail is conveniently located in the Lionshead area of Vail with numerous restaurants, galleries and shops within walking distance, and the free Vail town shuttle stops just footsteps away. For more information, call 1-800-843-8245.

Media Contacts: Rob LeVine, General Manager, Antlers at Vail, [email protected], 970.476.2471; or Darla Worden, WordenGroup Strategic Public Relations, [email protected], 307.734.5335.

Colorado Mountain Biking at Its Best with the Antlers at Vail This Summer

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Reserve rooms by June 1, 2012 and save 20% to 30% off regular rates

Colorado Mountain Biking at the Antlers at Vail Hotel

Photo by Chauncey Davis

“It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best,” said Ernest Hemingway, “since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them.” With 343 miles of bike trails, a bicycle is the perfect vehicle for exploring the Vail Valley’s diverse contours. And for those who prefer to skip the “sweat up the hills” part, the Vail Gondola offers transport for people and bikes to the top of Vail Mountain for an exciting coast down.

The Antlers at Vail hotel is a conveniently located home base—rated #1 in Vail Specialty Lodging by TripAdvisor readers—with comfortable condominiums just footsteps from the popular Gore Creek trail and darned close to the Vail Gondola.

Need more reasons to bring your bike to the Antlers this summer? Here are seven:

  1. Guests who reserve rooms by June 1, 2012 can save 20% to 35% off regular prices, with rates for a studio suite starting as low as $156 per night.
  2. Both Vail and Beaver Creek offer maps for navigating the area’s 340+ miles of biking trails, and the Antlers’ knowledgeable staff will happily provide suggestions and directions.
  3. Vail Mountain Bike Camps offers summer day camps for kids 7 to 13 years old, and private and group mountain biking skill lessons for people of all ages.
  4. The 2012 Vail Recreation District Mountain Bike Races series runs from May 23 – August 15, 2012, offering  mountain bikers of all ages and experience levels fun and the opportunity to win cash prizes.
  5. Riders looking for a summertime challenge can join the Antlers team for the 11th Annual Comcast Colorado Eagle River Ride on Saturday, July 28. The tour begins in Beaver Creek and brings riders along the scenic banks of the Colorado and Eagle rivers, and riders can choose from the 42-, 68- or 100-mile routes. Riders of all levels are welcome, and new team members receive a customized Antlers team jersey.
  6. Want to see how the pros do it? The USA Pro Cycling Challenge features elite professional teams and athletes from around the world, with a stage finish in Beaver Creek on August 23, 2012.
  7. No bike? No problem. Nearby shops like Charter Sports, Vail Bike Tech and Bike Valet offer bicycle and helmet rentals for adults and kids.

Since 1972, the Antlers has offered a unique Vail lodging experience in a relaxed mountain setting. Named the Vail Valley ‘Green Business of the Year’ in 2009, the Antlers is also proud to be named a Platinum Service Award Winner by the Vail Valley Partnership. With condominiums ranging from studio suites up to four bedrooms and plenty of space to spread out, each room at the Antlers offers all the comforts of home including fully-equipped kitchens, fireplaces, outdoor balconies, free Internet access and free parking in a heated indoor garage. The Antlers Vail is conveniently located in the Lionshead area of Vail with numerous restaurants, galleries and shops within walking distance, and the free Vail town shuttle stops just footsteps away. For more information, call 1-800-843-8245 or visit the Antlers web site at www.antlersvail.com.

Media Contacts: Rob LeVine, General Manager, Antlers at Vail, [email protected], 970.476.2471; or Darla Worden, WordenGroup Strategic Public Relations, [email protected], 307.734.5335.

Vail mountain opens Chair 11 December 3rd

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Vail mountain opened Chair 11 Northwoods today with First Step, South Rim, Northstar, Northwoods, and a few other trail names we can’t remember.  Here is a quick pic of us ready to go into First Step.  Light snow, maybe 1 inch with snow showers throughout the day.  Everyone is curious if Chairs 14 (Sourdough) and Chairs 7 (Gamecreek) are next for opening.

Our Backyard

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A few photos taken just a couple of hours ago of Lionshead, Chair 8, the Vail Gondola and Garfs Deck.  More terrain at Vail mountain opens tomorrow.  I love how colorfull this sport can be.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gobble, Gobble, Gobble and Happy Thanksgiving!

Another 3-4 inches of new snow April 14th Vail

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Mountain Top Express VailVail ski mountain and the Antlers at Vail hotel are not done for the ski season just yet. We have over a another week to go and there isn’t a brown spot on the mountain. Even before the 3-4 inches of snow today, the base on the top of Vail mountain was 77 inches. Sort of sad we’ll be closing in Vail on April 24th. We could probably go until May 24th this year!  Rest of this week, stay 3 nights at regular price and get the 4th, 5th and 6th nights free.  Rates from $160 per night for a full Vail condo on the river.

Vail groomers are trying to keep up on Vail mountain

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Lots of snow this past week and it started snowing out again this morning (Friday).  In the last 7 days Vail mountain has received 40 inches.  256 inches so far this year.  The Vail groomers have been particularly busy trying to keep up.  The Antlers is filling up faster than ever with the recent snow so we are sorry if we are sold-out for your dates.  Call soon as the Antlers condominium/hotel is still offering 15% off for select dates when you stay longer five nights or more.   

Vail’s Chair 5 High noon express opening Friday Dec 10th

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Here is the latest press release:  Incredible news, Vail’s newest high-speed quad chairlift, the High Noon Express Lift (#5), also known as “Chair 5,” is set to officially open for the season on Friday, Dec. 10 at 9 a.m. The long-awaited lift boasts a ride time of six minutes, just half that of the fixed-grip triple chairlift it replaces. With the opening of the lift and surrounding terrain, Vail’s skiable acres will climb to 5,000 on Friday. 

To celebrate the lift’s debut, guests are invited to gather at the top of the lift for complimentary cookies, hot cocoa and commemorative lapel pins while supplies last. Long-time Vail local’s Pepi and Sheika Gramshammer’s inaugural ride up the High Noon Express Lift (#5) will kick off the opening of the High Noon Express Lift and surrounding terrain at 9 a.m.

 “There is nothing on earth like Vail’s Back Bowls on a powder day, and with 70 percent more capacity and half the ride time of the old lift, the new Chair 5, will allow our guests to move quicker up and around the mountain and get even more out of their days,” said Chris Jarnot, senior vice president and chief operating officer of Vail Mountain.

 The legendary Back Bowls have been part of the ski scene since Vail opened in 1962 with only a gondola out of the village and two chairlifts, including the original lift out of the bowls. The area surrounding the new High Noon Express Lift (#5) is made up of Sun Up Bowl on the east side and Sun Down Bowl on the west with High Noon Ridge standing between and sweeping vistas of the Colorado high country that made the Back Bowls famous amongst skiers and snowboarders worldwide. Pepi himself was amongst the first to ski the terrain prior to its public opening in December 1962 and will be eternally linked to the long and infamous trail “Forever,” which he skied with Vail pioneers Dick Hauserman, Bob Parker and Morrie Shepard before the lift was installed, remarking that he thought it would take them “forever” to hike back out.

 Manufactured by Leitner-Poma of America, the High Noon Express Lift (#5) will improve skier and rider circulation in the Sun Up and Sun Down areas and will also provide an alternate route for guests moving west from the top of the Teacup Express Lift (#36) at the end of the day. The new lift increases Vail’s uphill lift capacity to 59,092 people per hour.

Chair 5 rides up that ridge straight ahead, picture taken from Sun Down Bowl looking East towards High-noon Ridge

Vail Back Bowl drama Chair 5

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Vail mountain’s new Chair 5 High Noon Express is still being worked on (photo from 11/22/10).  A sign nearby says that they’ll be opening in mid-December, so people are a bit worried and bummed.  With some of the best early season snow in the last 6-7 years, everyone is ready to get in the Vail Back Bowls to hit the powder.  Well, the lift isn’t ready yet, so what are we going to do !

It started me thinking what the old timers, such as Bert Farin (Antlers alumni) and our G.M. Rob LeVine would say.  Apparently years ago, Chair 5 was shut down for an entire winter due to a broken bull wheel!  I sent both of them an e-mail to see if they remembered the details.  

Bert responds:

“My first winter in Vail was 78-79.  The next season I had moved to Jackson Hole and that was the year Chair 5 was shut down.  So it was the winter of 79-80.  If I recall, it had to do with the cable.  I think they tried to add triple chairs to the old cable and it wasn’t safe, so the State shut down the lift for the whole season.  I was in JH so it didn’t affect me, but I was thinking it would suck to be in Vail and not have access to the b.b.  Ironically that was a poor snow season in both WY and CO, so maybe it wasn’t the end of the world.  I should get double credit for knowing the history even when I wasn’t in town.  Bummer about not having the lift ready to go.  At least you still have access to China Bowl and Category III (see I am an old dude).”

Rob LeVine responds:

“Proving once again that my memory ain’t so good … I thought it was around 82 or 83.  However, I totally trust Bert’s recollection.  I do remember how bummed (and pissed) everyone was when it was finally announced, but Bert’s right … it wasn’t a banner year for snow, so it could have been worse.

Not surprisingly, there were folks who would ski down and then either ski out Two Elk trail, or hike back up … similar to the old stories about Pete Seibert and Earl Eaton.  You know that “Forever” referred not to how long the run seemed, but to how long it took those pioneers to hike back out.   I’m afraid I don’t recall much else.”

Well, hopefully we don’t have much more of a wait…

Chris Ratzlaff