How to ski VAIL in one day | experience the entire resort

I've wanted to ski Vail Colorado since I was old enough to know what it was. I finally got the chance - but I only had one day to do it. One reason was lack of time... the other was that it's super expensive. After a bunch of research I think I was able to find some of the best routes to have a proper Vail experience in one day.

[@bryanwoods4192]

Getting a hotel in Denver is an incredibly long drive and risk the pass being closed. If you're really on a budget, then stay in Eagle. It's about 25 minutes away, more affordable, and is where many of the locals live.

[@helenrigmaiden6375]

Also Avon isn't too bad. Frisco and Dillon are reasonable

[@scottangle574]

I worked in Vail as a lift operator back in 1990. Those were the hey days for empty runs during the weekdays during heavy snow storms. Only the hard core skiers and locals would be out there. Skiing alone during a heavy snow storm on the back bowls than was the best skiing I ever have done. A 19" day and a 24" day were the best. Yes I have skied California several times Utah and Wyoming. Working there the entire season was the deal breaker for sure.

[@michaelchristian8409]

Vail's back bowls are other worldly. GO!

[@robertberin4872]

This makes me rethink getting the Tahoe Local pass. The Colorado boys have similarly made a breath-taking village here in Tahoe.

[@Givyj13]

Awesome video quality! Getting ready for my first trip to vail in a few months, and this was very informative.

[@brucemclennan9715]

Well done, practical with some good tips for getting around the terrain.

[@shaheernoor2628]

Lovin the bowls and views, great overview!!

[@craigj5403]

We skied VAIL 40 years ago, back then 18 to 25$ for a lift ticket, the back bowls were a little smaller then, I believe. It was by far my favorite place to ski. Copper Mountain down the road from Vail was a good place too, I worked there in my younger days. Thanks for the video.

[@tomvansoelen6557]

I worked part time for Vail in the summer for free pass. As a local, we always work our way to Blue Sky first thing in the morning because those lifts are the first to close. Then the bowls, then the front side if your legs can take it! Unfortunately I have too many orthopedic issues and no longer ski. Having skied all over the West, Vail is my favorite. Snow quality is some of the best.

[@johnnypham9073]

This was awesome, thanks for the parking tip!

[@powerproductions8769]

Awesome video!! Heading out there during my winter break. Looking forward to it.

[@EveryotherKarl]

Hope you have a great trip!

[@davida.larock385]

Thanks for sharing your awesome day at Vail! Next time you visit keep in mind that instead of traversing the entire mountain to get back to Lionshead you can take Riva Ridge (one of the nicest runs on the mountain) to Golden Peak where the terrain park is, click your skis off and jump on the Vail transit back to your hotel. Maybe we can hit the slopes for a few runs when I get back that way!

[@EveryotherKarl]

Sounds like a good trail - will have to try it some day!

[@cardo1111]

Excellent, well-done and informative vids👍🏽 Small world I live in the lower Hudson Valley area of NY and am quite familiar with the areas you mentioned. I'm old enough to remember going to Mountain Creek when it was Vernon Valley/Action Park. Mountain Creek has gotten a bit pricey but still a good NY Metro area option. I'm a beginner looking to avoid crowded areas while I'm learning. The winter we had here was the harshest in a while so local, ski areas were packed on school holidays and weekends. All the best!

[@chrisdiantonio7622]

Hudson valley gang 🤙🏼

[@330_Crew]

That hat transition near the end was sick.

[@Toron90]

Great video bro

[@Mitchellmayer1]

Yoooo I just found this, I was there that day, extremely lucky to ski here a lot! Worth the cost 😄

[@c-LAW]

Great video! Lift ticket now $280. They're trying to funnel you into the epic pass at $900 and up.

[@wizardculture]

So cool! My partner and I are taking a trip later this month and only have one day to ride, so will definitely be taking some of your advice! (she's a beginner so no backside for us!lol) I've grown up only riding the east so really excited to experience that terrain!

[@UTAH100]

Nice video but come on- Mountain Creek rules (not.) I timed it- something like 12 minutes to get to the top and

[@mikegregory7323]

Great traffic to get there!!

[@trindadr.2008]

Good videos-well thought out. One point of clarification from a Vail Valley guy: I think it would be better to say that you “skied at vail for a day” rather than you “skied vail in a day.” Your route was cool given your parking choice. However some of the best frontside areas which are huge are Northwoods, Highline, below the One such as mudslide, and the trees throughout the front (and back for that matter). Even riding one run in each of these areas adds about half a day. All great reasons to come back for more. Cheers!

[@rudyrivera5537]

Do you recommend any of the bowls for a less experienced skier? Im going to Vail in a few weeks. Mostly green and some blue run guy here.

[@streetsofragedude123]

Dope video

[@kerem7546]

lol I've sent vail pass multiple times in a Prius, wish I had my ridgeline back then...though I guess I didn't need it, ha! vail is fun! check out beaver creek next time

[@EveryotherKarl]

Beaver Creek is definitely on my list. Lol, good job with the Prius!

[@emilschultz8449]

ex prius drivers… exactly who i’d expect to buy a ridgeline 🤢

[@russellfrazee3413]

u rock broski

[@GKBarlahan]

Nice content broo.. im in vail right now.. hopefully i could try to ski...hahaha

[@EveryotherKarl]

Awesome, enjoy!

[@physicsburns]

that was pretty good

[@EveryotherKarl]

Thanks Bro :)

[@foyorama]

you need to go to Alaska... after 40 + years there I can tell you there is nothing like it...well, maybe Niseko (Japan)

[@krazykara1327]

❤

[@mattfrostii1114]

Subbed from the mountain creek video, stayed for the quality

[@EveryotherKarl]

Thanks man.. I'm trying to work on the quality.

[@greasyrails2571]

We are heading up to colorado from east coast to ski some epic pass mountains like breck vail keystone for thanksgiving. What should I be expecting in trail terms?

[@EveryotherKarl]

Breck, Vail and Keystone all have great groomed trail options similar to the East coast. However, you will be dealing with significantly higher altitude, so it's a good idea to acclimate for a day or two before skiing. You can also expect to bump up the difficulty levels of all trail types by about 15% in my estimation, meaning the greens, blues, and blacks are 15% harder than East coast greens, blues, and blacks. There is also a chance you'll be dealing with a lot more natural snow, possibly more loose-packed snow as well. There's so much more terrain on those Colorado mountains that they don't groom everything the way they do in the East. Having wider skis is helpful for this. You'll have a lot more options for completely ungroomed terrain as well. Oh, and the trails are way longer.

[@robbydooley9392]

I'll will be visiting this week. What shop had the hats? And best restaurant for good food at a almost decent price?

[@EveryotherKarl]

There's a bunch of shops near lion's-head parking garage that sell the hats. I popped into several of those shops before I found the hat I wanted - I don't remember the name of that particular shop. As for restaurants.. I didn't eat at Vail.. anyone else in the comments have a recommendation for restaurants?

[@mss4039]

can anyone help me please, i will visit vail on mid of FEB. Does it snowfall ?

[@snowfreak551]

How are the blue runs out here at vail? Are they kinda mellow, or are they pretty steep like some of the places in Utah (Park city for instance) it seems like the Utah resorts blue runs are steep like black runs just without mogals

[@EveryotherKarl]

They're definitely similar to Utah. Closer to black.

[@snowfreak551]

@@EveryotherKarl ok nice, thank you

[@ewelinaa.7700]

Is Thanksgiving a good idea to go there for skiing?

[@EveryotherKarl]

No, that's too early. They might be open by then but the best snow is definitely February/March

[@mrepix8287]

Almost certainly not but by late December conditions should be good

[@juligomez485]

Do I need car? or can i move between hotels in vail to the mountains?

[@EveryotherKarl]

If you're staying in Vail you can probably do without a car.

[@rickden8362]

Great video...bad choice in caps.😊

[@EveryotherKarl]

Lol

[@rickden8362]

@@EveryotherKarl The light blue hat to the left was the correct pick.😉

[@EveryotherKarl]

@@rickden8362 maybe I'll get that one next time lol

[@rickden8362]

@@EveryotherKarl 👍

[@oolong2]

I'm pretty sure you can drop into the backside right from the back of Game Creek bowl. Which can be a quick way of getting to the back bowls from Lionshead without traversing the frontside.

[@tomvansoelen6557]

Unless something changed, if u dropped off Game Creek that trail takes u to the little town of Minturn and out of bounds unpatrolled terrain.

[@oolong2]

@@tomvansoelen6557 Directly behind the top of Game Creek express lift. Sun Down Bowl.

[@mattym2233]

if i can ski all blues, and 90% of blacks do you think i can ski the back bowls, i just want to know how difficult those back bowls are

[@EveryotherKarl]

There are easier ways down several of the back bowls. They typically groom a path top to bottom. I'd say someone who's comfortable on blues would be fine.

[@dstnhrt]

What store did you find the hat at ?

[@EveryotherKarl]

I think it was Vail Sports Ski and Snowboard rental shop in Vail Square

[@young_rich]

Do all the backbowls have moguls?

[@EveryotherKarl]

They all have moguls, but there are groomed sections basically through the center line of each bowl as well.. so you don't have to take the moguls.

[@young_rich]

@@EveryotherKarl thanks for the reply! I can’t mogul at all, so I was worried that I have to miss out of all the back-bowls/ black diamond slopes. Just to make sure, all the black slopes still have non-mogul skiable areas correct?

[@EveryotherKarl]

@@young_rich I'm not sure that all of them do. But most do

[@lilRanchDressin]

You hit maybe 5% of the mountain…

[@hollyburnspsychic1523]

SEVEN MILES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HOW did you get over there and back on the other end of the back bowls all in one day?

[@bryanwoods4192]

Sounds like someone who only skis in the states. I've done much longer loops in the Alps. The Run of Fame in the Arlberg is 52 miles.

[@hollyburnspsychic1523]

@@bryanwoods4192 holy Hannah! What are these people thinking? I mean come on!

[@foyorama]

not even close to Three Valleys in France.... the largest in the world by far

[@aleksander8752]

Lol, you forgot the most important tip, which is to go anywhere else, if you actually enjoy skiing. If you don't, then vail is perfect - just pick your favorite lift and wait in line all day 🤣🤣🤣

[@tomvansoelen6557]

Oh the poor fools who ski weekends.

[@aarontheabolt5801]

Pretty funny. As long as Karl keeps skiing these routes and vusitors follow his lines ... none of you will get in our way. So funny. Really? You came all the way from the east coast to finish on Capoaciono? LOL. I bet you went for an apres beer at the Red Lion with every other Ricky and Joey in town. Thanks for the laughs, and congrats on getting to the Lionshead parking structure in time to pay $25 for a space. I'll give you credit for being an early riser.

[@indygon]

You sound like the type of dude who challenges the new guy in town to a race to the bottom of the mountain, only for him to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat, as well as your girlfriend and the respect of the townsfolk

[@cringecrew101asmr8]

There’s actually 7 back bowls….not 4🤣

[@jamesdunn2214]

Why would anyone spend their hard earned money to slide at a Vail owned resort? I wouldn't.

[@tomvansoelen6557]

U are just pissed u can't afford Vail