I have had the pleasure of living in between the two world class resorts of Vail and Beaver Creek in the north central mountains of Colorado for the last 12 years. I arrived as an enthusiastic but decidedly mediocre skier and have watched as my now 8 and 10 year old children have learned how to be much more accomplished snow riders than I am. Their skill is a testament in part to the outstanding ski instruction that can be found here.
While these two ski areas are separated by a very short distance, they are unique experiences. Vail is, well, Vail. At 5,289 skiable acres it is the largest ski area in the contiguous 48 states. Known for its incomparable Back Bowls, containing over 3,000 of those skiable acres, the area has 3 terrain parks, numerous on-mountain dining options, and the Adventure Ridge area for tubing, ski biking, and other great activities. It is all supported by more than 350 inches of average annual snowfall in a season that runs from mid-November until late April.
Though Beaver Creek is smaller (1815 skiable acres), it truly is Vail's much more refined sibling. This is a family resort that competes for skier visits more with Deer Valley than with any of the other Colorado areas. It boasts 4 terrain parks and is known for the extensive amount of grooming it performs every day. Lest all that grooming make you think this is a ski area for softies, take the Talons Challenge in February and try to knock down 24K of vertical on the bumps of Grouse Mountain, or explore the Stone Creek chutes just east of Rose Bowl or Royal Elk Glade off the top of Grouse Mountain on a powder day or Challeneg yourself to complete the FIS men's world cup Birds of Prey run. No doubt you will come away with great respect for the Beav!
Both mountains share a lift ticket, but the real deal is to get yourself an Epic Pass which provides unlimited skiing (with no blackout dates) for the whole season at Vail, Beaver Creek, Keystone, Breckenridge, Arapahoe Basin, and Heavenly (Tahoe)!
Fine dining is the Vail Valley's second favorite sport, or so it would seem based on the number of outstanding chefs producing a wide variety of cuisine here. In Vail Village, Larkspur, Terra Bistro, La Tour, Sweet Basil, La Bottega and Russell's are among my favorites. And local chef and resturanteur Kelly Liken (of the eponymous restaurant at the entrance to Vail) is fresh from recently competing on Top Chef.
Vendettas and Pazzo's sling some great pizzas in Vail for those looking for casual fare. The Tap Room serves great burgers (and draft beer!) while Los Amigos is available to satisfy a craving for Mexican.
The talent in Vail is matched in Beaver Creek in such places as the Grouse Mountain Grill, Beano's Cabin, Toscanini, Splendido, and Wolfgang Puck's Spago in the Ritz Carlton Hotel Bachelor Gulch.
The Blue Moose dishes up some great pizza in the plaza of Beaver Creek, but my favorite casual place to eat in the Beav is the Dusty Boot. The Southwest Burger rocks Jalapeno Jack cheese, jalapeno slices and pork green chili on top. Nothing that a nice cold beer won't help wash down!
The food fest continues up and down the valley, but two places worth mentioning are Avondale in the new Westin Riverfront in Avon, and of course the world famous Saloon in Minturn. For the past two years my family has had Easter brunch at Avondale and it is nothing short of exquisite, as it should be to pair with its outstanding views up the draw to Beaver Creek.
The Saloon in Minturn is a must if you are here on a family trip. But make sure you go early as they don't take reservations and especially on the evening of a pwder day in Vail. The Saloon has the good fortune of being just steps away from the bottom of the off piste run known as the Minturn Mile. The bar at the Saloon fills up with riders eager to slake their thirst with a few margaritas once they have finished the Mile and the entry way can often look like a ski swap for all the equipment stacked up there. The Saloon offers a mix of Mexican, barbecue, and game dishes served up in a dining room that defines "atmosphere".
Outside of skiing and eating, there are numerous other activities to keep those who do not ski (or just want a day off) busy. Vail and Beaver Creek are loaded with shops ranging from local boutiques to outlets for the likes of North Face and Patagonia.
In Vail you can go bowling or go to the movies. Nordic skiing and snowshoeing can be found along the Vail golf course or up in McCoy Park. Snowmobiling tours can be found and you can even go dogsledding if you wish.
As the winter season gets underway I will revisit some of the places and activities described above and post a more detailed look at many of them, complete with photos and videos. In the meantime, get yourself ready to come out here and enjoy our little corner of paradise!
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