Essential Travel Tips for Skiing Snowboarding Vail Colorado

Planning a ski or snowboard trip to Vail Resort in Colorado can be one of the best trips you’ve ever taken and one of the best ski resorts you’ll ever visit! But proper planning goes a long way. In this video I cover several different areas which I think will be extremely helpful in your trip to Vail to make sure you have the best trip possible and best time on the mountain! I cover Acclamation, what small essentials to pack, getting to Vail/where to stay, and having a general game plan for the mountain! Vail truly is like no place on Earth if you play your cards right and one of my favorite ski resorts I’ve ever traveled to and snowboarded at!
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[@BoardsBikesAndHikes]

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[@kylegriggs6857]

Thank you, this was the best video I have found!

[@BoardsBikesAndHikes]

Wow, thanks! Glad I could help 😁

[@kirkpopiolek91]

When deciding to head to the back bowls be sure to check the weather for visibility. We avoided the cat track going to China Bowl. Take Slot (black diamond) all the way down to the Orient Express Lift. Well worth the effort!!

[@BoardsBikesAndHikes]

Definitely doing that next time haha that cat track to China bowl was miserable. I wound up dipping off and going down something else to meet my buddy down there. I couldn’t take it anymore 🤣

[@spittfyre365]

Very Informative!! I'm going next week.. first time skiing. This was helpful. 🙏🏾🙏🏾🏂

[@BoardsBikesAndHikes]

Glad I could help! You’re going to have a blast! They’ve had amazing conditions this season

[@lennymo9088]

Great video, thanks. Acclimation is a serious issue. I got it at Snow Bird & ended up in the hospital via a stretcher & ambulance. Lost 2 days. Thanks again, wonderful tips for a Boston guy hoping to get to VAIL!!!

[@BoardsBikesAndHikes]

Holy cow!!!! Glad you’re alright? Altitude at the bird get you?!? We went to Snowbird and definitely got a little dehydrated and dry/bloody noses just where we are from KY and used to the humid air. We drank so much water 😂

[@BoardsBikesAndHikes]

Hopefully you’ll get out to Vail soon. Definitely one of my favorites

[@midwestmotoadventures773]

They should give you a key to the city! Just got back from CO and riding in Vail from the long weekend and I followed all of your tips. Started the Aclimate a few days before my arrival and had a one day rest day and I felt great! This sea level midwestern gal thanks you for making this awesome video!

[@BoardsBikesAndHikes]

Hahaha thanks so much! I hope you had a great trip! From what I’ve seen it was a great weekend for it!!! Glad I could help! I never go to CO without Aclimate😁🤙🏻

[@JasonTaylor-po5xc]

For backpacks, I recommend slim profile or ski-specific backpacks. Some lifts might even restrict getting on with a backpack on - this was the case with some at Breck - although enforcement was hit or miss. Or, you want something you could wear backwards or take on/off easily. You do not want a large/bulky pack on a lift.

[@BoardsBikesAndHikes]

For sure! Very good call! I mentioned the backpack but didn’t cover that aspect of it so thanks for the additional tip 😁🤙🏻 I run this one. It’s very slim and small. Nobody has ever said anything about me leaving it on my back on the lift 😬which I have seen happen to larger backpacks amzn.to/3rWG6gx

[@JasonTaylor-po5xc]

@@BoardsBikesAndHikes Same. I got a ski-specific backpack - never got asked to take it off - even with lifts that say no backpacks. Another advantage is that ski-specific ones are normally waterproof/very resistant - which really helps if you take a tumble.

[@BoardsBikesAndHikes]

Same. I’ve thought about switching but honestly I forget I have this one on most of the time. Definitely! That’s the last thing you want is a soggy backpack

[@JasonTaylor-po5xc]

Regarding rental cars, opt for 4x4 or AWD vehicles with winter tires or be comfortable with putting on chains because you might encounter winter conditions on the roads - ask your rental company about this. Colorado has a traction law when road conditions worsen. If you get stuck/accident/hold up traffic because you ignored the traction law, you can a massive fine. Colorado normally does a good job keeping the roads clear and well salted, so this only applies during a sudden snowstorm.

[@BoardsBikesAndHikes]

Definitely this 100%! The so a really good job but you’re right. You never know! Better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it😁

[@gregmckinnirey5858]

Thanks for the info that helps a lot! We're coming from Australia on the 28th Feb for 2 weeks so we'll definitely need to acclimatize. 2 nights in Denver should help. Plus it's summer here so we'll probably freeze lol. Looking forward to riding there but not keen on the crowds!! We might take your advice re Monday - Thursday. Our Epic pass covers Vail and Beaver creek for 10 days each so that saves us a ton of $$$. Cheers for the advice and info.

[@BoardsBikesAndHikes]

No problem! Glad I could help!😁 yes definitely 2 nights in Denver you should be more than ready. And yes it’ll be very cold. Colorado has definitely been the coldest out of everywhere that I’ve been! Both Vail and Beaver are a little warmer than like Breckenridge or Keystone though. Definitely if you’re going to Vail Mon-Thursday. Beaver creek you could honestly do any day and it’s not too bad. We rode it on Friday and still barely had any lines, it stays much more low key. It’s like a hidden gem! Hope you all have an awesome time and great snow conditions 🙏🏻

[@BoardsBikesAndHikes]

The back bowls of Vail are definitely my favorite area and at Beaver Creek McCoy Park was our favorite section to hit aspen tree runs all day

[@JasonTaylor-po5xc]

My general recommendation is to avoid the large ski resorts if you are a first timer or early beginner. Big resorts are only worth it once you have the basics down pat and can ski/ride advanced greens to blues. The exception is for taking lessons - if you get your lift tickets and rentals _with_ the lessons or as an add-on, they can be a great value (normally only $60 or so for a lift ticket with purchased with a group lesson). Otherwise, I recommend skiing smaller resorts like Granby Ranch, Ski Cooper, or Loveland Ski Area's Valley. For example, Loveland Valley is only $50 for adults and there are no advanced skiers to worry about. You can refine your skiing skills for so much less. Also, the smaller resorts are much less crowded and have a more local/less corporate feel. Or, if you know you are going to be skiing/riding a lot, grab an Epic pass (or another pass that covers the resorts you plan to visit) - normally the break even point is around 4-6 days depending on which pass you purchase and when you plan to ski/ride.

[@BoardsBikesAndHikes]

Thanks for all the additional tips 😁🙏🏻I really appreciate it! The only bigger resort I think does an over the top job for beginners seems to be breck. It feels very very beginner friendly. I also like that beaver creek has beginner tree skiing. But you are correct, really only worth the higher price tag and crowd once you can explore more of the mountain for sure!

[@lennymo9088]

BTW, my buddy never takes breaks and packs peanut butter sandwiches & Camel Pack.

[@BoardsBikesAndHikes]

Same haha. I never stop. I pack uncrustables, cliff bars and water bottles

[@lawyh1506]

Thank you so much for making the resort review videos! If Vail is your 3rd favourite, which resorts are your favourite and second favourite? Your videos are super helpful as I have skied extensively in Europe (99% of the time on piste) for over 10 years but never in North America. I am planning my ski trips in NA after getting my hand on the Epic pass and thinking about visiting Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Heavenly, and Whistler over 2-3 trips from Europe. These days, I have been doing some research to see if the bucket list makes sense.

[@BoardsBikesAndHikes]

Thanks for checking it out and the kind words! I’ve got lots more of these coming soon as well from the 5 new resorts I hit this season! On the epic pass Vail is definitely number 3, Beaver Creek is 2 and Whistler is number one for sure. Beaver creek has the best aspen tree runs I’ve ever snowboarded and an awesome layout and village. Plus it’s not crowded at all. Very very low crowds compared to most epic resorts. I’ve got a review video of it as well if you’re interested 😁 Whistler is just MASSIVE. So much terrain and it feels like you can literally ride 360 degrees anywhere on the mountain. It’s just a massive playground with every type of run/terrain you could want. Plus a top to bottom run you’re looking at easily 45min to an hour straight of riding. And there’s so many lifts if one has a long line you can just ride further down to another one. Definitely recommend. Whistler is our favorite spot to travel to. We’ve been 4 times in the summer and once in winter and plan on coming back for sure. Breckenridge is really fun also, I’ve been on 2 trips there and loved the town and the mountain. It’s on of my top places as well. What’s your favorite place to ride in Europe?🤔id like to get over there in a year or so. My sister lives there so I’d like to go visit and do some riding

[@BoardsBikesAndHikes]

Beaver Creek Colorado Ski Resort Review kzbin.info/www/bejne/jarMYYKrpZmbbrM

[@lawyh1506]

Wow, thank you so much for your detailed reply! For Europe, you can't go wrong visiting the big hitters with lots of skiing above 2000 metres. Zermatt is probably the most famous, but it really lives up to the hype - with the most iconic view of the Matterhorn, modern lifts and award-winning mountain restaurants. I usually stay on the Italian side (Cervinia) to save some serious money (up to 50%) and if you're athletic and fast (which I'm sure you are) you'll have no problem reaching the furthest sector in Zermatt (Sunnegga), have a nice lunch and make it back to Italy before 4pm. The descent from the Klein Matterhorn (over 3800m) to Cervinia (2000m) is epic too! I also had a great time skiing in Tignes/Val d'Isere and Val Thorens of the Three Valleys and I think they need no introduction. And a lot of resorts in France are linked so you can cover a lot of mileage each day. Kitzbühel in Austria has one of the most beautiful and historic Alpine villages and it is magical to visit at Christmas as you can also visit the Christmas market and decorations, but the town is at an altitude of 800m so there is no guarantee that you will be able to ski back into town, especially given what has happened in Europe this year. But surprisingly, Kitzbühel was not too crowded when I was there over Christmas, probably because some of the rich clientele who visit the resort are not hardcore skiers. Another good thing about visiting Kitzbühel is that it is very convenient for you to visit the neighbouring resorts, within 10 minutes you would be in SkiWelt Wilder Kaiser and 40 minutes you would be in the very beautiful Zell am See area. And I had probably the best rump steak ever at the Bärenbadalm in Kitzbühel, as the owner actually rears the cattle in the area during the summer! In terms of price, Switzerland is generally the most expensive (I know lift passes are still 60% cheaper than Vail...), followed by France/Austria and Italy. You can always find very good value in the lesser known Italian resorts. Can't wait for your videos!

[@BoardsBikesAndHikes]

@@lawyh1506thanks so much for such a detailed answer about those resorts! I took screenshots of them so I have them saved to remember! I hope to get over there in the next year or so and check some out. I’ve heard quite a bit about those first 2 but not the 3rd one. I’ll definitely be looking them up! It’s wild to me that it’s so much cheaper to ski there! I’ve heard that from several people that once you are there it’s much more affordable! No problem! I really appreciate the info! Hopefully it’ll be a better snow year next season 🙏🏻

[@JasonTaylor-po5xc]

You could do all the Colorado ski resorts in one long trip. Keystone and Breck are about 30 miles (~50km) from each other. Vail isn't too far either. While they are large resorts by American standards, they might be considered small when compared to some in the Alps. It doesn't matter - they are all large enough that it takes several days at each resort to get in most of the runs anyway. Breck is great for groups with a wide variety of abilities - from first timers and experts - and the town is a real town with real history and charm - not a fake base town like Keystone. Beaver Creek is the only place I am aware with a green alpine "bowl" area - normally they are all blue to expert only.

[@JasonTaylor-po5xc]

I will say that getting adjusted to the high elevation is critical. My wife had a near/mild heart attack because of severe altitude sickness because she overexerted herself at high elevation. This can happen to anyone regardless of age or fitness level. She had to be rushed back down to Denver for a few days before she could return to the mountains. The next trip we took, we spent a day in Denver _prior_ to going into the mountains and that made all the difference. Especially as beginners, ski/riding is basically an all-day workout at high elevation, if your body isn't prepared for this, you will feel it. It really sucks to only get in half a day after spending $250 on a lift ticket because your body can't take it. Or, worse, an expensive ER visit.

[@BoardsBikesAndHikes]

Dang 😨 glad she’s alright! That is terrifying!!!! We had a buddy that went with us to Breckinridge the year before and thought he was going to have to go the the ER but wound up just staying in the room most of the trip resting. Using those oxygen cans like crazy. And it took him 3 days to recover. It can be no joke for sure

[@JasonTaylor-po5xc]

@@BoardsBikesAndHikes Yeah, we had a 2 hour ambulance ride back to Denver (Lakewood). She stayed a couple days to recover. Doc said this was pretty common when folks go directly from near sea level to high elevation like that, especially when combined with intense activities. For some reasons, women will sometimes have back pain instead of chest pains as a sign of trouble.

[@BoardsBikesAndHikes]

I can’t imagine! That would be awful. Hopefully you were still able to get some enjoyment. Normally we fly in and still head the the resort but just take the first day/day and a half pretty chill just walking around and exploring before we go to crazy. I’ve done that once though flown straight in and rode. Luckily it didn’t bother me that time but I’m afraid to risk it again😅

[@BoardsBikesAndHikes]

It’s crazy how big of a difference it can make and how it affects people differently

[@JasonTaylor-po5xc]

@@BoardsBikesAndHikes Absolutely, I asked my doctor at home about it and she told me of the two, she would expect me to have the biggest issues with altitude because I'm overweight and have some health issues. But, I did ok. My wife is relatively heathy by comparison.

[@Readit4Life_2Chron7_14]

Been riding & skiing all over summit county, Utah & midwest. Vail resorts and Aspen (depending on which of the 4 Aspen mtns. you ride) will ask you to take off your backpack or will not let you one with one. Last season we ran into this consistently at Solitude & rarely at Brighton - both are in Utah and again on Aspen/Buttermilk/Aspen Highlands. Occasionally it's hit or miss. BUT if they are on it that day, it's annoying. I ride with a snowboard specific Dakine narrow backpack or very narrow but adequate hydration backpack. I've been asked to take them off. So just beware.

[@BoardsBikesAndHikes]

Weird! How big is your backpack? I ride with a dakine pack as well but mines small, Only 12L but they never had me take it off. That would be annoying to do over and over. I haven’t been to Aspen yet, I’d like to so bad, but I’ve been to the others you mentioned 😁

[@nicolas127809]

Not everyone has this much time to aclimate. I am going to veil for 4 days and also explore Denver Colorado

[@BoardsBikesAndHikes]

For sure. We normally don’t either. I’d recommend at least taking it slow the first day you arrive. If you ride stay low and take it slow on day 1 till you’ve slept at altitude. Typically after that first night sleeping your body adjusts and you’re good to go

[@BoardsBikesAndHikes]

Also drink tons of water and some form of electrolytes and it helps a ton. That plus saying day 1 easy, we’ve always been good 😁👍🏼

[@gemalunamayoral1773]

Hey! Do you have any products that you can recommend for kids going to avoid altitude sickness? Thank you!

[@BoardsBikesAndHikes]

I’m not sure on any products specifically. But I do know that those little oxygen bottles are safe for kids and they helped a lot, especially the first time we came to CO. Also just tons of water and some electrolytes will help tremendously. We always start drinking more water a few days out and make it a priority to drink at least a whole bottle first thing in the morning and before bed with some electrolyte mix in there. As well as consuming way more throughout the day.

[@BoardsBikesAndHikes]

This is what we always use anytime we travel to Colorado. amzn.to/3TpLlR9 they’re all good but the crab easberry is our personal favorite amzn.to/3RJS2MD Then we normally will just buy one of these there just to have in case. You can get them everywhere. Gas stations, grocery stores, etc.

[@gemalunamayoral1773]

Thank you so much! 🙏🏽

[@BoardsBikesAndHikes]

@@gemalunamayoral1773 no problem!😁hope you all have a wonderful time!

[@detera11]

Here is a video about Vail... continue to film he's own face 100%

[@BoardsBikesAndHikes]

I appreciate the feedback🫡 Since I posted this, I have tweaked my style, a little bit to show more of the resort and less of myself😁🤙🏻

[@guschiggins2002]

If you trust a flat lander for advice with a golden orca hanging on the wall........

[@BoardsBikesAndHikes]

That’s my snowboard shelf lol I’ve got them all hanging there in between days on the MTN. Take it with me every-time I go out west

[@brandonjohnston1425]

Could someone link noon rental cars in this comment I can’t find them

[@BoardsBikesAndHikes]

www.nucarrentals.com

[@BoardsBikesAndHikes]

🫡

[@kenberkley4197]

Hey do you always drive in the passing lane???

[@BoardsBikesAndHikes]

1. I wasn’t driving lol holding the giant selfie stick in the back 2. There was construction right before I recorded this clip so yes we were in the passing lane to get around construction 😜

[@LearnHowToWipeYaArse]

Vail sux, (the company)

[@BoardsBikesAndHikes]

But the resort is pretty sick

[@LoganRobinson-w6i]

When deciding to head to the back bowls be sure to check the weather for visibility. We avoided the cat track going to China Bowl. Take Slot (black diamond) all the way down to the Orient Express Lift. Well worth the effort!!

[@BoardsBikesAndHikes]

definitely! and I definitely like your plan better for getting back there! Waaaaaaay better than suffering through the Cat Track, it is so long. Made that mistake one time and never again lol