The Big 4

Vail, Beaver Creek,

Breckenridge, Keystone

 

Vail Overview

w    Vail sets the "gold standard" for the alpine ski resort industry with North America's best terrain, world-class accommodations, shopping and five-star dining.

w    The legendary Back Bowls boast 2,734 acres of deep powder, wide-open terrain and panoramic mountain range vistas.

w    Adventure Ridge, Vail's mountaintop activity center, offers a variety of activities including tubing, ice skating, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, ski-biking, laser challenge and other adventures for skiers and non-skiers alike.  There also are five different dining options available at Adventure Ridge.

w    Consistently rated the top ski resort in North America by publications such as SKI, Skiing and Snow Country magazines.

What's New

      Illustrating its commitment to improving the overall guest experience as well as to remaining the leader in the industry, Vail Resorts has invested more than $130 million in resort improvements during the last two seasons.  Many of the improvements at Vail and Beaver Creek are focused on the 1999 World Alpine Ski Championships, when the world spotlight once again will shine of the Vail Valley. 

      More than $13.6 million in improvements will occur on Vail Mountain this summer.  They include:

w    Enhancing the attractions at Adventure Ridge, the popular mountaintop activity center for skiers and non-skiers alike.

w    A new tubing attraction will be added to the array of high-energy activities at Adventure Ridge. This new ride features a series of bank turns, rolls and jumps along a maintained track.

w    Expanding grooming capabilities and improving the snowmaking system.

w    Last season, Vail increased the amount of grooming on Vail Mountain by 30 percent.  Vail will up the ante this season with the addition of two snowcats.

w    Nearly $1 million will be spent on upgrading restaurant facilities around Vail Mountain.

w    Vail plans to begin initial construction of Category III, the ski area expansion of primarily intermediate, north-facing bowls and glades adjacent to the existing Back Bowls, with preliminary work on lift lines and roads.

w    Chaos Canyon, a new, mid-mountain "kid zone," will provide an innovative and exciting children's experience.

Beaver Creek Overview

w    Black Family Ice Rink (open year round) and the 530-seat Vilar Center for the Arts.

w    More than 75 clothing, sports and home furnishing boutiques, jewelers, art galleries and restaurants.

w    More than 30 lodging properties, ranging from small inns to hotels to condominium complexes.

      Birds of Prey Downhill:  Touted by World Cup racers and coaches alike as one of the steepest and more technically difficult downhill courses in the world, the new Birds of Prey course will host the men's downhill, super G and combined races during the 1999 World Alpine Ski Championships.

      Escalators:  Critics may laugh, but the four sets of escalators leading from the base of the village at the day skier shuttle drop-off to the base of the Centennial Express lift (chair 6) lead to increased guest satisfaction.  The escalators are the only ones of their kind at a ski resort in North America.

      McCoy Park:  It's a little-known fact that Beaver Creek is one of the few ski resorts in North America to sport a cross country ski and snowshoe park atop the mountain (accessed by chairlift).

w    37 kilometers of tracked and backcountry-type trails

w    9,840 feet above sea level

w    Views of both the nearby Gore and Sawatch mountain ranges.

What's New

      This year's $9 million in capital improvements comes on the heels of more the $68 million in enhancements made during the past two years and will focus on refining the quality of guest experiences.

w    A 4,791-square-foot expansion of the children's ski center creates more space for indoor programs, check-in and kids' ski rentals.

w    A new electronic guest information system will make it easier for skiers and boarders to find their way around the base area.

w    At Beaver Creek, mountain personnel groom the runs 20 out of 24 hours daily to provide optimum skiing conditions.  Additional improvements to the snowmaking system and two new snowcats will continue to enhance the skiing experience.

w    Red Tail Camp, the indoor/outdoor patio barbecue rebuilt last summer, will double its outdoor deck seating.  It will serve as the finish-area spectator venue for three races during the 1999 World Alpine Ski Championships.

Breckenridge Overview

      Snowboarders' Delight:

Professional snowboarders consistently rave about Breckenridge's terrain garden on Peak 9.  Rated "Best Snowboarding Terrain" by Westword magazine's "Best of Denver" editors, the park is known for its air, hits and slides, not to mention the largest half-pipe in Breckenridge's history.  The resort will essentially double its snowboarding offerings this season by adding a terrain park and half-pipe on Peak 8; advances in snowmaking allowed the resort to open its Peak 9 half-pipe by Thanksgiving last season.

      Nightlife Abounds:  Breckenridge is consistently rated among the best ski resorts for nightlife by skiing magazines.  With more than 80 bars and restaurants to choose from, there is something for everyone.  From quiet bistros to hopping dance clubs, whatever your mood, the night will be one to remember.

      Steeped in History:  At 139 years old, Breckenridge is the oldest existing mining town on Colorado's Western Slope.

      Big with Brits:  Breckenridge is the No. 1 destination for skiers from the United Kingdom.  In fact, visitors from all over the globe have flocked to Breckenridge since its inception in 1859.

      No. 2 but Trying Harder:  Today's visitors come seeking not fortunes but fun, and in the process have helped make Breckenridge the second most popular ski area in North America.

      Big on Bowls:  Breckenridge boasts more than 800 acres of above-timberline bowls for European-style skiing and snowboarding.

What's New

      More improvements for the 1998-99 ski season should help Breckenridge sustain its momentum from $18 million in capital improvements last season, the most spent in a single season in the resort's 37-year history.

      Another $14 million is slated for making the on-snow experience better than ever this coming season:

w    A new $5.5 million full-service restaurant—TenMile Station.  The 364-seat restaurant's name is derived from the Ten Mile Range, named by miners to reference the 10 peaks that comprise the range (Breckenridge Ski Resort's 2,043 acres are spread across Peaks 7, 8, 9 and 10).  TenMile Station is the first new mid-mountain restaurant at Breckenridge in more than a decade and will be located between Peak 9's Beaver Run high-speed SuperChair and Peak 10's Falcon high-speed SuperChair.

w    A new trail, Briar Rose, will improve access to TenMile Station.  The 12-acre intermediate trail is located between the Cashier and Lehman trails.

w    Five new snowcats will help Breckenridge groom a quarter of its terrain (more than 500 acres) each night.  One of the new cats is a state-of-the-art winch cat, which allows groomers to push snow back up steeper slopes.

w    Breckenridge adds to its already formidable snowboard offerings by replicating its successful Peak 9 combo of terrain garden (rated among the top in the nation in several publications) and Olympic-specifications half-pipe by dedicating Peak 8's trail Freeway to the same features.  Honing the dual pipes to near perfection is a new Pipe Dragon grooming implement.

w    Not only has Breckenridge seen more than $32 million invested on-mountain since being merged with Vail and Beaver Creek, another $46 million has gone into the acquisition of two pivotal properties at the base of Peak 9, the busiest portal to the resort's on-mountain skiing and amenities.

w    Vail Resorts purchased The Great Divide Lodge (formerly The Breckenridge Hilton) in September 1997 for $18 million.  The 208-room facility is being refurbished with $4 million in improvements to its guest rooms, meeting facilities, restaurants, recreation amenities and public areas for the coming ski season.

      In July 1998, Vail Resorts purchased The Village at Breckenridge Resort for $24 million.  The Village purchase included the 60-room Village Hotel, the 71-room Breckenridge Mountain Lodge, two management companies renting roughly 360 condominiums, nine restaurants, nearly 30,000 square feet of retail space (leased to third parties) and another 30,000-plus square feet of convention and meeting space.  The property's significance lies in the fact that it's the only property in Breckenridge linking the town's Main Street with the resort's skiing.

      Breckenridge, with its 1961 opening, has been in operation longer than Vail Resorts' other three ski areas.  In protecting Breckenridge's status as the country's second-most popular ski area, Vail Resorts has invested more than $78 million in the form of on-mountain improvements and property acquisitions.

Snowboarding at Breckenridge

      Snowboarding was initially vilified within ski circles, but Breckenridge bucked the trend and became Colorado's first major ski area to allow the sport back in 1985.

      Breckenridge flouted convention and embraced the future with ardor by hosting the first-ever 1985 World Snowboard Championships, where an unsuspecting public was introduced to the likes of snowboarding pioneers Shaun Palmer, Craig Kelly, Tom Sims and Jake Burton Carpenter and terms such as "gnarly," "rad" (since rendered passé) and, of course, today's preferred term of endearment for the under-30 set—"dude."

      Those early days are captured in a special display case in the Vista Haus restaurant on Peak 8, where one can witness the evolution of snowboarding from Sherman Poppen's Snurfer and Dmitri Milovich's Swallowtail designs to the present.

      Today Breckenridge's links with snowboarding remain as strong as ever.  Modern-day snowboarding heroes Morgan LaFonte and Todd Richards call Breckenridge home.

      The resort's terrain park on Peak 9 is considered one of the best in the country.  Breckenridge's high elevation, snowmak-ing and new Pipe Dragon grooming implement will help the resort open at least one of its Olympic-specifications half-pipes by Thanksgiving.

      Breckenridge will improve upon its already-considerable snowboard offerings.  A new Pipe Dragon grooming implement will not only build and maintain the resort's Olympic-specifications half-pipe on Peak 9, but will help create a similar half-pipe on Peak 8's Freeway run.  Two half-pipes and more than 25 acres of terrain garden attractions across Peaks 8 and 9 mean more options for snowboarders this season.

      In addition to being attracted to the resort's six-month season, snowboarding events and abundant backcountry access, the sport's subculture thrives in the town's assortment of snowboard specialty shops, coffee houses, and live entertainment options.

Keystone Overview

w    Historically, Keystone is the first resort in Colorado, if not the nation, to open in late-October, thanks to its extensive snowmaking system.  The resort has the largest automated snowmaking system in North America, which provides some of the best early-season conditions for both skiers and snowboarders.

w    Family-oriented, self-contained, year round resort with more than 1,100 condominium, 255 hotel rooms, and private homes.  Two villages offering dining and entertainment—River Run and Keystone Village.

w    Keystone is home to some of the best tree skiing in Colorado, found on The Outback at Keystone, where skiers and snowboarders can enjoy acres and acres of gladed terrain.

w    Keystone also is home to the area's only two AAA Four Diamond-rated restaurants:  The Keystone Ranch and Alpenglow Stube (North America's highest on-mountain gourmet restaurant at 11,444 feet).

      Keystone offers the largest night skiing and riding experience in Colorado with 17 trails and a 20-acre terrain park lighted until 9 p.m.

      River Run, the resort's newest base area, is part of a $1 billion real estate development project currently underway at Keystone.

What's New

      Last year, Vail Resorts invested $17 million in capital improvements at Keystone.  Building on that momentum, the resort company committed $17.6 million in projects this year to add improvements and refinements to the unique character of North America's third-most popular mountain resort.

On-Mountain Enhancements:

w    New high-speed quad chairlift to replace the fixed-grip Santiago triple chair, providing quicker access for the bumps on North Peak.

w    A mountaintop recreation area, Adventure Point, includes tubing and easy access to cross country skiing, complementing Keystone's night-skiing operation.

w    Two new "Magic Carpets" dedicated to children's teaching areas.

w    A new trail to provide beginner skier and snowboarder access to the base of River Run.

w    Three new kids' theme areas patterned after the resort's popular Fort Sawwhiskers.  Located off of the Spring Dipper, Upper Paymaster and Silver Spoon trails, these on-mountain attractions offer a fun stop for both children and their parents.

      A second terrain park has been created on a portion of the Jackwhacker trail on the front side of Keystone Mountain.  The new park includes tabletops, hips, spines and other features.

      More than 60 acres of new advanced/expert gladed terrain in the "Windows" area on the back side of Keystone Mountain.

Snowboarding At Keystone

      Powder.  Pipes.  Parks.  These words are indicative of what snowboarders find when they ride at Keystone Resort.  Whether riding Keystone Mountain, North Peak or The Outback, there's terrain designed to entice every type of snowboarder.  Seeking powder? Visit The Outback for an out-of-bounds experience in in-bounds bowls, or search through the gladed terrain for hidden powder stashes.  Tree skiing and bumps are found on North Peak.  For great groomers, beginner terrain, parks and the pipe it's Keystone Mountain.

      Words like "rad," "gnarly" and "righteous" no longer are the norm in snowboarding circles. With snowboard-ing's growth rate at 10 to 15 percent annually, it's attracting a broader audience, from younger children to Baby Boomers.  It's no longer just a General X alternative sport.  Today, resorts like Keystone are offering a variety of on-mountain attractions, coupled with a varied menu of Snowboarding School options, allow guests to experience all there is on one board at Keystone.

Snowboarding Highlights:

w    Historically, Keystone is the first resort in Colorado to open (mid-October).  This gives "jonesing" riders a chance to get out on the slopes and sample early season snowboarding at its best.

w    Area 51—Keystone's 20-acre terrain garden and two half-pipes in Packsaddle Bowl.  One half-pipe is designed for beginners and the other surpasses Olympic specifications for those riders interested in catching big air.

w    In addition to the half-pipes, Area 51 features table tops, hips, spines, gaps and rails of all sizes for the beginner or advanced rider.

w    Keystone offers the largest night-riding experience in Colorado with Area 51 and 18 trails lighted for snowboarding and skiing until 9 p.m.

w    Both half-pipes are groomed with a state-of-the-art Pipe Dragon machine throughout the week.  In addition to the half-pipes, the resort's terrain garden is maintained and upgraded to guest specifications almost nightly.

w    Keystone's three interconnected mountains are designed to be snowboarder-friendly.  Long, flat catwalks and runs are deterrents for snowboarders.  At Keystone, the vertical rise and design of the mountain eliminate the number of slow, flat areas that riders need to go through.

New For This Year:

w    Jackwhacker, an intermediate-advanced run on the front side of Keystone Mountain has been transformed into Keystone's second terrain park.  The run has been regraded to offer riders more challenging vertical drop.  The park trail will feature tabletops, hips, spines and other jumps of varied sizes.  Snowmaking also has been added on the trail to allow for early-season riding.

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