Skiing Vail: The Complete Guide

VAIL MOUNTAIN · BEAVER CREEK · 2026–27

Vail is big enough to get lost on and varied enough to keep an expert busy for a week. The numbers say it best: 5,317 skiable acres, 32 lifts and 278 runs, a base at 8,120 feet and a summit at 11,570. Nearly 3,000 of those acres are bowl skiing. Average snowfall is 354 inches, and more than half the terrain (53%) is rated advanced, with 29% intermediate and 18% beginner.

Twelve miles west, Beaver Creek is the calmer, more manicured sibling: 2,082 acres, 24 lifts, 167 runs and a summit at 11,440 feet, with a gentler mix of 28% beginner, 38% intermediate and 34% advanced terrain. Most guests ski both, and both are on the Epic Pass.

The front side

The front side faces the town: long groomers, mogul runs and the lift network that feeds everything else. Riva Ridge, Vail's longest run at about four miles, is the classic top-to-bottom cruise, and skiing it without stopping is a rite of passage.

The Back Bowls

Over the ridge lie the Back Bowls: seven miles of wide-open terrain with no trees to steer around. On a clear morning after a storm, this is why people come to Vail. Ride up early, start at the eastern bowls while the snow is soft in the sun, and work west as the day goes on. On a cold, flat-light day the open bowls can be hard work; that's a day for the front side.

Blue Sky Basin

Beyond the bowls is Blue Sky Basin, 645 acres added in the late 1990s, with glades, natural features and a backcountry feel. Getting there takes time, so treat it as a half-day or full-day destination. Lunch at Belle's Camp, by the fire pits, is part of the ritual. If it's your first visit, the free mountain tours are the easiest way to learn the route out and back.

Gondolas and where to start

• Gondola One from Vail Village, the 2012 replacement for the old Vista Bahn and the fastest start to the front side. The 10th, a sit-down lunch spot, is at the top.
• Eagle Bahn Gondola from Lionshead to Eagle's Nest, where non-skiers can ride up for lunch and the views.
• Riva Bahn Express at Golden Peak, a high-speed quad.
• Cascade lift from Cascade Village, west of Lionshead, a quieter way onto the mountain.
• At Beaver Creek, the Centennial lift from the village and the Riverfront Express Gondola from Avon, which opened in 2007.

Where you stay decides which lift you'll use every morning. Our Vail Village vs Lionshead vs Beaver Creek guide helps you choose.

Epic Pass basics

Vail and Beaver Creek are Vail Resorts mountains, so the Epic Pass family covers them: the full Epic Pass, the Epic Local Pass and the Epic 1–7 Day Pass, plus regional, military, college, senior, adaptive and kids' products. A few things worth knowing for 2026–27:

• Buying ahead is how you save. Vail Resorts says Epic Day passes cost far less than lift tickets bought at the window, and pass prices rise as the season approaches; vail.com flags an increase on November 15.
• Guests aged 13 to 30 save 20% on the Epic Pass or Epic Local Pass.
• Pass holders get five Epic Friend Tickets, each 50% off an adult lift ticket for a friend.
• Epic Mountain Rewards gives pass holders 20% off on-mountain food, lodging, lessons and rentals.

Holiday restrictions and tiers differ by product, so check the details for your dates on epicpass.com before you buy.

Ski school and private lessons

The Vail and Beaver Creek Ski & Snowboard Schools run group and private lessons for every level, and Vail's DEVO program trains young skiers who want more. New for 2026–27, every private lesson at Vail and Beaver Creek is automatically upgraded to Epic Ascent:

• An instructor who doubles as your mountain guide, with skip-the-line access and a custom ski-day plan
• A concierge for gear, mountain transportation and dining reservations
• Gear delivered to your lodging, plus a private fitting lounge
• One booking covers up to six people at the same price

Beaver Creek also runs childcare for little ones not yet skiing. Check minimum ages for each program when you book, and book early for holiday weeks. Prefer to keep rentals out of the lesson? Ski Butlers delivers and fits rental gear at your lodging.

A day that works

Ride up early. Bowls in the morning sun, the front side or Blue Sky by midday, lunch at The 10th or Belle's Camp, a few last runs, then après. On a Beaver Creek day, finish at the base in time for the village's afternoon rhythm and dinner nearby.

Moving between Vail and Beaver Creek is easy on Core Transit's free express, or about 15–20 minutes by car. Many guests also add a day in Summit County, over Vail Pass: see Vail to Breckenridge and Vail to Keystone, and book your ride each way.

Season dates

For 2026–27, Vail opens on November 13 and Beaver Creek on November 25. Beaver Creek hosts the Stifel Birds of Prey World Cup races in December; dates and more are in the Vail events calendar.