Vail is the largest resort in the United States with 5,289 acres of the most diverse and expansive skiing in the world, blessed with over 300 days of sunshine a year.
Vail Mountain is accessed by three base areas: Lionshead, Vail Village, and Golden Peak. Lionshead is home to the Eagle Bahn Gondola and Born Free Express (Chair 8). Mountain access out of Vail Village 2012/2013 is Vail's new state of the art gondola, "One". Golden Peak is home to the Riva Bahn Express (Chair 6), accessing the terrain park and Northwoods Chair 11, and the race course. Also at Golden Peak is Chair 12, the Gopher Hill Ski School beginner lift.
The Front Side of Vail is home to the most groomed terrain on the planet. Wide, long runs such as Riva Ridge, Born Free, and Simba, Lodgepole, and Bear Tree are popular. Check the daily grooming report for up to date info on where the best places are to ski groomed terrain. The Front Side is also home to Kid's Adventure Zones, three Terrain Parks including Golden Peak Terrain Park, home of a 22 foot half pipe and site of theBurton US Open Snowboarding Championships, Game Creek Bowl, The EpicMix race course, and mountain dining restaurants at Eagles Nest (including Bistro Fourteen), Mid-Vail, the 10th, and Larkspur at the base of Golden Peak.
The World Famous Back Bowls offer wide open skiing and amazing views. Start by exploring Sun Up and Sun Down Bowls, and work your way back to China and Teacup Bowls. China Bowl offers the only groomed blue run runs in the Back Bowls (access from Front Side via Sourdough Express #14). If you are feeling adventurous, make your way all the way out to Siberia Bowl and the surface T-Bar style lift #22 and Inner and Outer Mongolia Bowls!
Not enough terrain for you yet? Follow signage from Patrol Headquarters back to the three high speed quad lifts and Blue Sky Basin. Ski the steep and snow filled sections under Skyline Express #36, or explore the runs on Pete's and Earl's Express lifts (#38 and #39), named after Vail's founders Pete Seibert and Earl Eaton.