TR: Vail 2-26-2010 through 3-1-2010

[Bostonian]

So this the first day of a multiday trip out to vail. A bluebirdday spent out in the bpowder of the back bowls. Skied quit a bit today. Very sunny and warm with the hope of newsnow. Day two coming tomorrow!

Now with fancy cell phone pictures!

 

[Bostonian]

Vail 2-26 and 2-27; Beaver Creek 2-28

Date(s) Skied: 2/26/2010, 2/27/2010, and 2/28/2010

Resort or Ski Area: Vail (2 days); Beaver Creek (1 Day)

Conditions: Powder! Packed Powder, Machine Groom, heavy wet snow, and everything else you can think of!

Trip Report: Ahhh, nothing like skiing out in the Rockies. Whether it is the high altitude, the steeps, the bowls, and what not... This was paradise all over again. This year once again I did two days at Vail, and the third at Beaver Creek. After arriving to Denver at 11pm, my friends and I proceeded to take the 70 out to Vail. Through Vail pass and Loveland Pass we hit some nice snow squalls and by the time we got to vail it was already 2:30AM.

Day 1: Vail The day began in Lionhead, as we road the Tram up to the the Game Creek Bowl. The first run was through some nice powder, down Deuces Wild. We then took the Game Creek Quad back up to ski dealer's choice and then on to the back bowls. Just like last year, we dropped into tea cup, and skied Dragon's Teeth, and Genghis... and then back up the orient express quad to enjoy some nice pow stashes in the Shangri-La Glade. After one more run, it was getting bumped up down where the is. After a few more runs in China Bowl. Riding back up the Orient Express Lift, time for lunch at Two Elk Boy was it packed! Everyone in Colorado must have been there. As the day began to wane, we made our way back to the front side... Whiskey jack, to flapjack... up the northwoods express... Onto Gandy dancer (A damn good run) for 2 times, down to Cappucino up the number 3 lift, down the ridge onto simba back to the base of Lionshead. Finished the day down at Garfinkles, and celebrated over a beer

Day 2: Vail So day two this trip brought us to Blue Sky Basin. For those who don't know Vail, the resort is broken up into three main parts... the Front Face, the Back Bowls, and Blue Sky Basin. Saturday, we made our way over to BB, via China Bowl. Riding up the skyline express, the glades looked delicious. Still holding snow, and not melting as fast, the first run of the day down the powder field between the Champagne Glade and Into the Wuides. The snow was getting all sort and heavy in the sun, so rather then hit that again, I decided to duck down the Divide which still had some good pow stashes. Riding up the sky line again, I made my way into Pete's bowl, through cloud 9, down into some gully (I think Hornsilver.) Another run up the lift, I hit grand review and made my way back down to the the orient express lift. My friend Eric thought it would be a good idea to hit up Siberia Bowl, but we found rather quickly while hitting Gorky Park, the snow was wet, heavy and painful! Finally, we made it down, and back up to the ridge (via the Orient Express), we took our time hitting Gandy again, and then making our way back to Lions Head, for a damn good beer at Bart and Yeti's!

Day 3: Beaver Creek: Sunday... By sunday my legs were killing. Face was windburned and I was craving more! We decided to hit up BC and some nice groomers. This place reminds me of Killington. Steep, groomed, and lifts everywhere! Began the day out on Grouse Mountain. Talk about Steep! Took two runs down Raven Ridge, and needed to rest, because my legs were mush. I made my way over to the Village, and decided to take a few runs myself while my friends skied some double blacks. Finished the day hitting up Mystic Island, and Booth Gardens. Not to mention Stone Creek Meadow, and then down Willie's Face to 1876. Also we the boxes at the park, and lastly, made our way up to red tail, to come back down to the village, down the green cruiser to the strawberry lift... to make our way down primrose to sawbuck and into Leave it to Beav, and into the Beaver Creek Landing where we parked. All in all a great day on the snow.

So now I am back in Waltham, legs sore, a bit jet lagged, and ready to head back to work tomorrow. But i have some photos I took, and also the Eisenhower Tunnel too! Enjoy!

Eisenhower Tunnel

Continental Divide

Looking down China Bowl:

Looking out to Teacup from the China Bowl Lift

Lift 17

Up on Siberia (I think)

Heading back down to the Front Side:

On Top Blue Sky:

Me at Beaver Creek after skiing Willie's:

Beaver Creek Shot:

Beaver Creek Lot:

One more Eisenhower shot on the way home with TONS of traffic:

 

[billski]

Thanks for the report. Now you're making me nervous. 2 weeks till I'm there. Melting? Did you get any freshies?

 

[Bostonian]

Thanks for the report. Now you're making me nervous. 2 weeks till I'm there. Melting? Did you get any freshies?

Well last night on the drive back to Denver, It was snowing like crazy from the Vail Pass well past the Eisenhower Tunnel... you should be okay for your trip and there is more snow in the forecast for later this week./

 

[powbmps]

The sheer size of the back bowls nevers fails to impress.

 

[WakeboardMom]

My son is there now; skied the back bowls yesterday. BC today. I was jealous before, but even more now after seeing your pictures. Seems like the Two Elk Lodge is always crowded. (We saw Cameron Diaz there a few years ago.)

I'm jealous. Next year for me for sure. Glad to hear that you had a fun trip.

 

[kickstand]

Man, do I love Vail. It's been about 5 years since I've been. We just started telling the kids we'l take them to CO when they turn 8 (they're 3). 5 more years to go!

BTW, where in Waltham are you? I'm born and raised there.....

 

[snoseek]

It's always such a dilemna whether to get that epic pass or not. I ski midweek so I know there is some serious fun to be had over at Vail. I'm glad you got it when it was decent in an otherwise terrible....seriously the last four/five weeks have been fun but man has Northern Colorado been screwed for the most part. The forecast looks kind of warm looking ahead. The day you drove back was a Sunday right? That must have been a frustrating haul.

 

[billski]

Talked to staff in a ski shop today. Everyone is hoping that snow to the SW works its way north. I guess skiing on packed stuff is getting kinda old.

I found a great rate on demo rentals today. Most shops are charging 50-55/day. I got it for about half that. PM me if you need to know more.

 

[Bostonian]

It's always such a dilemna whether to get that epic pass or not. I ski midweek so I know there is some serious fun to be had over at Vail. I'm glad you got it when it was decent in an otherwise terrible....seriously the last four/five weeks have been fun but man has Northern Colorado been screwed for the most part. The forecast looks kind of warm looking ahead. The day you drove back was a Sunday right? That must have been a frustrating haul.

My buddy who moved out to Denver swears by the Epic Pass... Plus it allowed me to get $25 off a lift ticket too! As for the snow storm that Sunday night, yeah it was a little messy to say the least. It looked like they closed down I-70 West bound for a little while. All in all it took 4 hours to get back to Denver.

Talked to staff in a ski shop today. Everyone is hoping that snow to the SW works its way north. I guess skiing on packed stuff is getting kinda old.

I found a great rate on demo rentals today. Most shops are charging 50-55/day. I got it for about half that. PM me if you need to know more.

Nice... Maybe next year when I go out there, I will demo. For the most part, the ski shops in Lionshead is very reasonable. I got a wax and sharpen for $20...

 

[speden]

Nice... Maybe next year when I go out there, I will demo. For the most part, the ski shops in Lionshead is very reasonable. I got a wax and sharpen for $20...

I got a really cheap wax at Vail too. At the ski check place they will do an overnight wax for $15. So I had my skis and my two sons skis waxed. I asked if it could be charged to my hotel and they said sure, what's your room number. Then when I checked out, the charge for the ski waxing didn't show up, so it ended up being free.