Vail mountain is opening early! A combination of some of the best early-November snowmaking conditions and more than four feet of natural snowfall last week have allowed both Vail Mountain and Beaver Creek Resort to open early for the 2018-19 ski and snowboard season. Vail, originally slated to open on Friday, Nov. 16, will open for the season on Wednesday, Nov. 14, at 9 a.m. Beaver Creek will open Saturday, Nov. 17, four days ahead of its scheduled Nov. 21 opening date.
Vail will offer skiing and riding out of both Vail Village and Lionshead Village, with upload and download access to the Mid-Vail area via Gondola One and top-to-bottom skiing and riding through Lionshead Village. Complimentary breakfast burritos from Vail Mountain and hot cocoa will be provided for early risers on opening day while supplies last.
Vail is calling you. The base of Vail mountain (in Lionshead Village) two days prior to early opening for ski season 2018-2019.
“We are thrilled to be kicking off the 2018-19 season by opening early and truly setting the tone for the season to come at both Vail and Beaver Creek,” said Doug Lovell, Vail chief operating officer. “This is the first time we’ve been able to open both resorts early in more than 10 years. We owe a big thank you to our mountain operations teams for their hard work in making this possible for our loyal guests and season pass holders.”
Beginning on Wednesday, Nov. 14, skiers and snowboarders will have access to the following lifts and more than 500 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)
- Little Eagle Lift (#15)
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.
At Vail, the Golden Peak base area and the Riva Bahn Express Lift (#6) are a designated race training area only and will open to the public at a later date.
Vail Mountain is Opening Early: Offerings
10 Days of Epic
To celebrate 10 years of the Epic Pass, Vail Mountain will offer 10 days of specials on Fridays and Saturdays from Nov. 16 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
Snow Days
From Dec. 13 to 16, Vail Snow Days features an expanded four-day lineup of events and activities from free concerts, a Pray for Snow Bonfire, pub crawls, and more. Visit www.vail.com/snowdays for a list of all activities.
On-Mountain Dining
The Marketplace at Eagle’s Nest and Mid-Vail will open for the season for daily operations on Wednesday.
Vail Ski & Snowboard School
Beginning Wednesday, the Lionshead and Vail Village Ski & Snowboard School offices will be open. Walk-ins are accepted. For the best price guaranteed, guests are encouraged to book in advance online at www.vail.com or by calling (970) SKI-VAIL (754-8245).
Vail Mountain Nordic School
The Vail Mountain Nordic School, located in Golden Peak, opens Wednesday with guided backcountry, snowshoe and cross-country ski tours in the mountains around Vail. For more information, visit www.vail.com or call (970) 754-3200.
Lift Tickets
The Ticket and Season Pass Offices located in Lionshead and Vail Village will be open daily from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For more information about Vail Mountain visit www.vail.com, stop by the Mountain Information Center, or call (970) SKI-VAIL (754-8245).
