Mountain Review: Vail, Colorado

An in-depth video review of Vail, a ski area in Eagle County, Colorado about two hours west of Denver. Filmed across January-March 2022.
0:00 Intro
1:31 Mountain Review
12:22 Score Breakdown and Rank
Overall Mountain Score: 78/100 - #2 of 15 in Colorado
---
Snow: 8/10
Resiliency: 8/10
Size: 9/10
Terrain Diversity: 9/10
Challenge: 7/10
Lifts: 9/10
Crowd Flow: 7/10
Facilities: 7/10
Navigation: 5/10
Mountain Aesthetic: 9/10
See our full resort breakdown and written review for Vail here: www.peakrankings.com/content/...
See our full Colorado rankings: www.peakrankings.com/colorado...
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[@gritmtb6876]

This channel continues providing content that has the quality of a channel with 100,000 + subscribers. Keep up the awesome videos!

[@PeakRankings]

Thank you for your support!

[@nickhiggins5653]

Agreed. The content is top notch. The amount of detail in each video is pretty remarkable. You feel like you are getting a tour from of someone's home resort without the bias. The production is quality without being filled with over the top bs.

[@SkiingWithRyan]

I just found your channel/site. I consider myself a vail expert, and you literally nailed it. You're now my go to for any mountain I haven't been to. Seriously nice work dude!

[@PeakRankings]

Love to hear that! Thank you!

[@nickhiggins5653]

I recently watched the review of my go-to mountain (Sunday River). It was absolutely spot-on.

[@RealVision24]

Going for the first time for two days this year. Any recommended runs or places to hit up? Thanks

[@TheRyansLion]

Even though vail isn’t the steepest, the plentiful wide glades , occasional cliffs, and varying terrain make it tons of fun to explore. The grandness of the resort is definitely true

[@Puzzoozoo]

"grandness" 🤔, it is just 5,300 acres, Les 3 Vallées is 25,000 acres or 4.7 times bigger, and it has a lift system that is vastly superior to Vails.

[@colincaruso4851]

@@Puzzoozooyeah well not everyone can travel accross the world bud

[@Llb77hsj777]

@@colincaruso4851 shiit id rather go to france than support mf vail

[@largol33t12]

Vail's report card speaks clearly: it has shown up in the top 10 in multiple reviews other than PeakRankings' channel. Not an easy thing to achieve.

[@psalmsurfer1]

​@@colincaruso4851lol facts..Euros love to rub Americans noses in our overpriced western resorts yet thousands of them still show up here to clog our lift lines😅

[@rj521]

I’ve been skiing Vail off and on since the seventies. Was just there the week before last. Vail has huge variety of terrain and you can usually find runs to get away from the crowds. Vail has very good lifts and a lot of them. Blue Ox, Avanti, Riva Ridge, Gandy Dancer, Ouzo and Giant Steps are a few of my favorite runs on the front side. The back bowls are great if you have fresh snow. Nothing is better than the Back Bowls on a bluebird day with 6-12 inches of new snow. Just pick a line and go. I would say Blue Sky Basin is just fun skiing. A place to play. What I don’t like about Vail is you have to pole and skate quite a bit at the top of the lifts to get to some runs. There are also freeway like roads that are very long and that can be crowded to access some lifts to get out of the back bowls and Blue Sky Basin. Lunch and apres ski beers at Dos Amigos and the Red Lion in the Vail Village are a must for me whenever I go to Vail. There is an adequate area to put on and take off your ski boots in Vail Sports at the base of the gondola. Not as nice as River Run Lodge at Sun Valley or the lodge at the base of Snowbasin. Baskets for your stuff can also be rented for $10.00/day. Parking is $35.00 in the parking garage. It is convenient to the village but I don’t pay anything at all at the other resorts I go to. I live only 12 miles from our local hill and it has free parking too. I hope the other areas don’t follow Vail’s lead. Skied Keystone one day on the same trip and did not pay for parking there. Vail is great but if you want extreme skiing it is probably not the place for you. It is like playing golf at a very nice country club.

[@tkeo12]

Northstar (i.e. Vail) suxx. VailEpicFail

[@rickden8362]

''Extreme skiing'' in Vail isn't measured by cliffs or couloirs to strap fat skis on to jump into. I Vail it's about steep, big, long, bump runs..Prima, Highline, Log Chute, Rogers. And how many times do you stop till you get to the bottom! Except Prima, I've done all non stop, some on old ''straight skis''. I'm not saying Vail's the greatest(AltaBird is mine), just that lack of ''extremes'' is a false narrative.

[@sgsmoof]

these reviews are so accurate. love this page.

[@noahr2710]

Love your content, keep it up!

[@PeakRankings]

Thanks for the support 🙏

[@jasono.1629]

Great review thanks!

[@c-LAW]

Great review! Thank you.

[@adams5414]

Great I wasn't looking for extreme terrain for snowboarding this is awesome. Drove past many resorts this summer that appear to have steep, narrow and extreme terrain

[@cm3462]

great stuff thank you

[@chitownsfinest1116]

I love vail and it always keeps me interested. I have a few issues with vail. #1. Gets skied out fairly quickly. #2. Going from one area to another at the top of the back bowls is exhausting. There needs to be more tow ropes as the top of the bowls are fairly flat.

[@mrrichards6007]

Great review of Vail. Love your content.

[@mushieslushie]

I have mixed options of Vail but in general I find it based on conditions. If there isn't good snow I much prefer Breck or Beaver Creek.

[@arjunski]

It's not perfect, but it's still such a fantastic mountain. Yet to catch it on a truly fantastic day though, hopefully soon! :)

[@GenoSalvati]

Good pro-tip about downloading at the end of the day. Conditions at the bottom can be slushy or crowded or both and the runs are not the great. Recommend downloading Golden Peak then getting off at Ruder's Run for a nice end-of-the-day kick. Easy crossover to Vail Village from there. Also recommend Golden Peak in general. Less crowded, no lift lines to start the day and fresh tracks that nobody seems to know about - because they are racing to the bowls.

[@ikal8178]

Vail resorts gets overshadowed because of the shirtiness Vail the corporation has done in the east.

[@mtadams2009]

True, they treat the earth like their redheaded step child.

[@therotornurse7563]

do all the washington ones next.

[@ethanhcomposer]

For beginners, you do have a lot, but if you're not an intermediate, you'll be able to expect some long, flat catwalks. These are definitely not enjoyable, but I do enjoy their other terrain like the great trails on the Front Side. Sadly haven't skied any terrain outside of the Front Side.

[@bertfarin8755]

Well done. I might have said some things differently, but I didn’t disagree with a single thing you said. Too bad the place has become so expensive. Over $200 for lift tickets keeps riff raff like me away. I’m sure they’ll miss my business.

[@psalmsurfer1]

Over 200 means closer to 300😅 just paid 260 for a day there next week..doing Abasin 4 days and Vail 1 just for the experience to say hey! l rode Vail😅

[@rahkinrah1963]

I lived and skied Vail from '72 - '92. It was big and could be very crowded way back then. I have never been back and will never return. My buddies who still live there say it is a nightmare now.

[@ozein312]

It is really wonderful IMO. Just lovely to ski Vail.

[@ijiijuplayz9756]

Great review! By any chance will you be doing Bear Valley anytime soon?

[@PeakRankings]

Thank you, we had been trying to get there this month but it seems that there is not enough terrain open to make for a full review :(

[@ijiijuplayz9756]

@@PeakRankings Yeah that sucks, what I know from this season is that they had the most snow from late-December to early-February. The snow up at Bear Valley can really vary, in December they had 10ft+ snow with 100% of terrain open now they have less than 4ft with a whole section of the resort closed. Well, hopefully you can get there next season🤞

[@SkiDaBird]

More just a curiosity, how do you handle it when you feel your score overrates or underrates a mountain? I’ll pick on Revelstoke here, it wouldn’t do super well on this score;the resiliency is bad, the lifts are trouble, and the mountain flow is awkward. But it’s still an all time favorite for me because the terrain quality is near perfect for good skiers, it’s big and super varied, and the view is out of this world basically anywhere on the mountain. Would you sneak a few points in anywhere, or would you just say something as an aside on the end?

[@PeakRankings]

@MPrime great callout, the scores are intended to provide an illustration of the overall experience at each resort, rather than strictly guide the rankings as a means to an end. We re-calibrate these scores at least once a year (sometimes twice) to adjust any potential fallacies with the resort order. We put out our last series of changes in April 2022: www.peakrankings.com/2022-peakrankings-mountain-score-and-rankings-adjustments-full-changes

[@britt7453]

Took me 2 trips (8 days) to ski every thing not a black diamond. Definitely worth it if you arnt seeking extreme terrain.

[@pyotrrossetti]

Went here last year around Christmas time. Found it quite limiting because the group we went with was mostly beginners and so we had to stick to the front side; missing out on the most beautiful parts of the mountain. Then the snow wasn't great and there was a lot of ice and even some rock on greens. Seems like a great resort, but not for neophytes like us.

[@rj521]

Going to any resort over Christmas is tough. It is always going to be crowded. I try to avoid all holidays when going to big ski resorts. I ski the holidays at my local hill here in the Northwest, but I am happier once the crowds are gone. Sometimes on a non-holiday weekday we feel like we own a private resort there are so few skiers. I would think the runs off Vail's Eagle Bahn Gondola would be the best runs for beginners. They are fairly flat and wide open. If your group has a hard time with these runs, I definitely recommend lessons. I think lessons are great. I think lessons improve your skiing. I watch a lot of instructional videos on KZbin and I seek advice from instructors I know all the time.

[@rds990]

As a former resident of Teton Village (Jackson Hole) and one of the real ski bums of the late 60's and early 70's I will tell you I have skied 98% of the major US western areas . I LOVE Jackson Hole....but for my money, VAIL has the best overall mountain terrain in America. The sheer variety is amazing. It's simply a FUN mountain. I will tell you tho.......The management company of Vail Inc is a bit , well...."slippery". One of their properties in the midwest, took an idea I pitched to them and completely cut me out....then implemented it themselves. It was one of the most unethical things I have experienced in my career. Everytime I tried to follow up with them on the idea, they ignored my calls. Then one day I'm over there and I see them implementing the idea I introduced to them. I guess they needed the money !!!

[@joshbooth6116]

What was it

[@rebecahanrahan5556]

They are sneaky

[@markefatdad]

Jerry loves Vail.

[@TheRyansLion]

They love breck

[@rabnnif2665]

Please review mount Shasta California after the add there new chairlift

[@PeakRankings]

We will try to get there! Last season, the resort closed a bit too early for us to practically make it.

[@brighamcook3853]

4:10 for a ski wreck

[@jakethecake6952]

what days were you at vail? i was there on tuesday and my favorite run was genghi’s kahn

[@PeakRankings]

Most of this content was from late January, but we stopped by for a few hours two weeks ago to get the remaining footage.

[@GenoSalvati]

My boarder friends do seem to hate Vail due to the long traverses, disappointing TPs, etc.

[@susposter4174]

Oh if your going to Montana your have to do Whitefish

[@PeakRankings]

Whitefish is hopefully in the cards for next winter!

[@coleman318]

Props for having spy planes supporting your journey.

[@TheLewistownTrainspotter8102]

7:39 With Vail having plans to build two new lifts from Leitner-Poma next season: a high speed six pack to replace the Game Creek Express, and a high speed quad running from the base of the High Noon Express up to Wildwood to provide direct lift service to the Sundown Bowl.

[@epic1355]

Just curious, I'm going to Snowbird on Saturday, do you have any run recommendations for me?

[@PeakRankings]

What is your ability level?

[@epic1355]

@@PeakRankings Ill ski anything on the mountain no problem.

[@PeakRankings]

@@epic1355 You won't have trouble finding expert lines across the full mountain. Be sure to hit the cirque and baldy traverse if conditions are good.

[@epic1355]

@@PeakRankings alright sou dad good. Thanks for the help

[@chasekelly1621]

Are you guys going to Swietzer Idaho

[@PeakRankings]

Couldn't make it there this season but aiming to review it next year!

[@specag31]

Great "big picture" of resort. Doesn't get into the weeds like others. Levels and dangers, pluses, minuses, lifts, costs. Did I miss warnings about I-70 on weekends and holidays?

[@jameshuggins7320]

Should have watched this before I went

[@christopherb5840]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/gKqTc3aJrNGKa5o Here is a time lapse of just behind mid-Vail. Definitely shows how busy it can get there. This was taken Jan. 02 2023 right after lunch time.

[@SeriousCat5000]

RE: "...it's impossible to cover the whole resort in one day, let alone in an entire week." Umm... that is backwards use of the "let alone" expression, defined as: "Let Alone: used to indicate that something is far less likely, possible, or suitable than something else already mentioned."

[@amysosne9323]

What about lovers leap steep & deep mongolea bowl & the chair 4 cliffs I think it's an 8 to me and I have seen your criteria Snowmass & Jackson hole & snowbird not in front of vail.

[@PeakRankings]

Hey Amy, good point. Ultimately, the difficulty of those runs tends to vary throughout the season, and we landed on a 7 as the best fit for Vail given typical core winter conditions.

[@steven7650]

You didn't cover the minturn mile.

[@a-line2636]

If I were to choose a Colorado resort. Vail would not be it. For a beginner or intermediate its great but for experts its not to great. A basin would be my go to option.

[@psalmsurfer1]

Abasin 4 days and Vail 1 next week actually..coughed up the loot at gunpoint by VR to see what all the hypes about😅

[@hikingcloud]

Realized you guys never made a video on steamboat springs. Am I missing anything or you ignored one of the great ski mountain?

[@PeakRankings]

Steamboat video review is coming soon! In the mean time, here's our written review: www.peakrankings.com/content/steamboat

[@ezski4688]

Steamboat Telluride Crested Butte are the best places in colroado

[@rickden8362]

I agree with To-Hell-U-Ride, but Steamboat(where I've lived) and the Butte are no match for Vail. IMHO.

[@jasono.1629]

Crested Butte is a nice resort, isolated, great ski town. Some scary extreme terrain there if you’re into that. Can’t say if it’s the best CO ski resort though, it’s kinda small.

[@IlIlIlIlIllIllII]

$299 1 day lift ticket this year

[@Caysonator007]

Copper mountain looks a lot more fun to me. Vail is just big.

[@averagejojofan8649]

As a person who has skied both, vail is definitely more fun, even more so on a powder day

[@voltrexxx]

Awesome mountain, terrible company

[@justapilot9573]

Great company, everyone I saw was super nice.

[@lol-em6bj]

@@justapilot9573the staff is 1 facet, vail i dont like for their money grabbing techniques but i put up with them

[@No-gnar]

This company is the epitome of corporate greed They have ruined many mountain towns

[@psalmsurfer1]

​@@justapilot9573the corporation or the resort?😅

[@justapilot9573]

corporation and resort@@psalmsurfer1

[@freeskierdude_]

good review but you forgot the part where it's boring and uninspiring

[@ST19859]

Nailed it, one of the most soulless boring ski areas I can think of

[@Caysonator007]

I think the 9 for the terrain doesn’t make since because their park is so mediocre.

[@1slowens]

Drive a few more miles,,,Beaver Creek smokes Vail...

[@averagejojofan8649]

If you are a beginner

[@williamtell5365]

Vail is just overrated. I've skied all over the US and the world. Vail is fine but it's not close to being in my top 10.

[@brianoconnor3407]

Completely agree. I call it the freeway resort next to a strip mall concrete village. Back bowls completely overrated. Its a huge intermediate mountain with terrible parking and access to the lifts. No thank you very much.

[@rickden8362]

It's definitely not for the poor in pocket or sprit.😉

[@ST19859]

@@rickden8362 You got the first part right, but it has no spirit, just a boring soulless money grab on a boring snowy hill

[@rickden8362]

@@ST19859 The envy Vail elicits is always amusing.😆

[@ST19859]

@@rickden8362 I dont envy any of the poor saps wasting their money on that flat set of hills. Good snows about the only strong point but anywhere in the Rockies can provide that

[@rickden8362]

The idea that Snowmass can be rated above Vail makes this rating system VERY suspect.

[@jameszeng2666]

Free parking is non-existence ... will that is 50% the reason why people like Aspen more than Vail

[@anthonysharwood1962]

Hello. I'm an Aussie skier and I really enjoy your reviews. Small thing, but can you PLEASE pronounce couloir correctly? You should say it "Coolwahr" not "Coolahr" as you and many other Americans do. I skied Vail once btw. Front side only as back bowls were out of play for a reason I can't remember. Much preferred the terrain at Copper

[@PeakRankings]

Appreciate the callout- we will fix the pronunciation in future videos!

[@Ericxnugz]

vail sucks

[@No-gnar]

I haven't skiid vail since 2010 They have ruined so many mountain towns Down with corporate greed!

[@jackbarnhart7394]

Vail is hella lame overrated... should've gone to breck every day (I had an epic pass)

[@mrrichards6007]

Vail Resorts group (a corporation) has gobbled up a number of our premier resorts out here in California, and I will tell you they’ve never beer run more poorly. Ever since Covid, they’ve decided to only hire back 75% of the original work force, and it shows. Takes them forever to get the mountain/s open.

[@averagejojofan8649]

This is on the ski area not the corporation?

[@mrrichards6007]

“Paid parking” Vail Resorts favorite thing to now impose onto skiers, because the outrageous lift fees aren’t quite enough. When you have shareholders, profit is #1, the skiers are #2. Pun intended..

[@tkeo12]

VAIL EPIC FAIL