Vail when do lifts open

Drew Ray, store manager of two Charter Sports locations, said he and his crew cannot wait for Opening Day. They are waiting to see whether they will have to go without the support workers from South America that typically come in for the winter season, he said. The early opening could involve something normally abhorrent to Schleper: downloading a lift. Large fan guns now line the sides of some of the runs; the guns are connected directly to a water line that was installed beneath the runs, along with a power feed, also buried underground.

Exploring the Mountain Grooming reports are provided every day to help you decide where to find your adventure. Brush past the trees as you head up to Game Creek Bowl Crossing Between Areas All of that terrain does make the resort seem to sprawl, and there are an abundance of tracks crisscrossing the resort, especially on the front side. Feeling a bit more confident? Best for Intermediates Anyone who can ski and ride at an intermediate level should definitely take advantage of the free tours provided by Guest Services, including the twice-weekly tours of Blue Sky Basin.

Families Vail has had families in mind from the start, knowing that attracting returning guests was the key to growing the resort. Find your own way Backcountry for Intermediates A rather well-known backcountry experience for strong intermediates or above is the Miniturn Mile.

Cat Skiing There are two options for cat skiing. Greg Burke Photographer. Trail maps Resort Map 1. Resort Map 2. Resort Map 3. Elevation Base 8,ft. Summit 11,ft. Vertical drop 3,ft. Total runs Terrain Parks 4. Longest Run 4mi. Skiable Terrain 5,ac. Snowmaking Area ac. High Speed Sixes 3. High Speed Quads Quad Chair 1. Triple Chairs 2. Surface Lifts 9. One way to find resort-specific details is to use the EpicMix app.

You can look up your ski resort to find hours, parking, restaurants including making reservations , rentals and other hopful information. The biggest changes relate to dining indoors at on-mountain quick-service locations. Before we get going, did you get your Epic Pass yet? It is on sale now and will only last until the season begins! Prices go up Oct. You'll want to lock in those savings now. If you are looking for a breakdown of Epic Pass benefits and new closing dates for the ski season you can find all the hopful details in our Epic Pass post.

First, the hopping good news! Vail Resorts fully reopened with lifts and terrain, as weather and conditions permitted last season and is moving back to more normal operation in with safety enhancements in place. Now that lifts and gondolas are filled to capacity, we look forward to shorter lift lines this year. First of all, the mountain access reservation system is over, and there's no more physical distancing in lift lines.

You no longer need reservations needed to ski except you'll want to reserve your hotel, rental car, lessons and possible flights of course. This makes a last-minute trip a lot easier if you like to chase epic powder days.

Let's take a brief look at the safety protocols for the Epic Pass destinations this winter:. Do you have the Epic Pass? There are some benefits to using the Epic Pass this year besides saving up to 50 percent off daily lift ticket prices. It also offers some peace of mind. The Epic Pass includes Epic Coverage. Epic Coverage provides refunds for certain personal events, including illness, job loss and injury. It also expands coverage to protect you from certain resort closures and travel restrictions, such as any due to COVID Best of all, you don't need to sign up.

It's included for free when you purchase your pass! We are selling a variety of discount Epic Passes for , both restricted and unrestricted, so be sure to check it out — there really is a pass option for every skier! Certain eligible Epic Passes that were purchased before Sept. You can buy them online or at the ticket window.

Online saves time. You can purchase same-day lift tickets this year both online and at the ticket window. Keep in mind you'll want to book seven days in advance to save more money. Lift tickets are refundable. It would be irresponsible of your froggy frogs not to mention that purchasing single-day lift tickets like this is the most expensive way to buy lift tickets. If you are planning to ski at least four days this season, consider an Epic Pass to get priority reservations and the most flexibility.

Bring those vaccine cards for skiers and riders ages 12 and up and credit or debit cards if you want to eat indoors on the mountain. You are required to show proof of COVID vaccinations to dine at indoor, on-mountain quick-service cafeteria-style restaurants.

This requirement includes anyone 12 and over in ski and ride school programs that include lunch. More details on the verification process will be released ahead of the season. You do not need to show proof of vaccination at full-service restaurants. Yes, you can still use the bathroom without a vaccination card. You'll need to carry the card with you in an easy-to-access spot and show it every time you enter an indoor, quick-service restaurant.

Vail Resorts will not store your vaccine information anywhere. You can find dining information in the EpicMix app. Why the strictness with on-mountain, quick-service locations? Indoor, on-mountain quick-service restaurants are higher volume, higher density locations with cafeteria-style settings and multi-party seating options.

The vaccine requirement may reduce the risk of spreading COVID in these unique settings and protect guests, their families and employees. Full-service restaurants are more spacious with party-specific seating, providing natural physical distancing and capacity management. Last season, large, quick-service restaurants were reconfigured for a cafeteria-style a pproach, with guests in a single line that passed all food areas on the way to the register.

This reduced the scramble of people heading in different directions. All restaurant transactions remain cashless unless required by local laws. The resorts are continuing and expanding the use of Time to Dine on-mountain reservation services, available via the Epic Mix app and through onsite QR signage. Reservations are available at a. Plan ahead or you might go hungry. In the interest of safety and reducing contact points, you may want to bring food, snacks and water.

We always stash a sandwich and some snack in our pockets anyway to save money at the ski lodges. If you froget your vaccine card, then remember to pack a lunch and eat outside. Dates and Hours of Operation.

The majority of lifts will open at a. Lift operating hours are posted at the base of all open lifts. As of today, skiers and snowboarders have access to the following lifts and more than 1, acres of skiable terrain in these areas on Vail Mountain: Avanti Express Lift No. If you do only have time to visit one, the Eagle Bahn Gondola has better views. I generally recommend it over Gondola One to non-skiers. Jan 4, Prima — Lower. Closed not groomed. Ramshorn — Lower.