Vail

    Vail's haunting slopes, perfectly shaped for skiing and riding, have always had a magnetic, almost supernatural appeal. First it was local Earl Eaton and 10th Mountain Division veteran Pete Seibert in the spring of 1957 who climbed up from Gore Creek Valley in search of the perfect ski mountain -- and found it. Next came dozens of others who were drawn in to help them build a ski resort. Almost immediately, a startling pilgrimage began of alpine faithful from all over the world. They proclaimed the word, and the word was Vail.
    Sun Valley, Idaho, rightfully claims the title of America's first ski destination resort, and Aspen, Colo., remains the national media's favorite winter obsession. Vail, however, is North America's first true modern winter resort, setting a goal no less lofty than to be everything to everyone. Remarkably, it has now reigned for two generations as America's favorite, indeed, signature, ski resort. What's Vail's secret? How did it draw more than 1.6 million skiers each of the past two years?
    For the answer, drop into the rolling nirvana of the Back Bowls -- the endless ridges and valleys rising and falling like a cresting sea. Traverse across this immenseness and you will soon feel the almost gravitational force of these mountains. I came to Vail like a wide-eyed kid from Wyoming, I thought it was nothing less than paradise. I find myself stopping and staring in amazement at this former deserted ranchland 100 miles west of Denver. Why did Vail succeed?
    Well, it's the mountains, I tell myself in short order. And lots of people agree. Newbies on the chairlifts, après yahoos in the bars. Hardcore local skiers who could live anywhere, but choose here. People in the industry, and people who run Vail. And I'm not just talking about the 5,000-plus acres of skiing stretching across a span of wild mountains larger than many Eastern counties. No, I'm including the raw grandeur of the surrounding Gore and Sawatch ranges, the intoxicating, high-altitude air, wind that smells like deserts hundreds of miles away, and the wonder that overtakes you in the midst of it all.
    What brings tourists to Vail the first time is its reputation and easy access. Vail is less than a two-hour drive west of Denver on I-70 and has direct connections to a dozen cities via nearby Eagle airport. But what brings them back are mountains that compel.
    Start with America's biggest mountain. At 5,289 acres and 3,450 vertical feet, Vail is as roomy as three of its sister resorts-Keystone, Breckenridge and Beaver Creek -- combined. The mountain employs 1,500 ski instructors and features 18 restaurants, more than are found in the entire nearby town of Glenwood Springs. It's that big. Just try to ski it all.    more >>