New Restaurant at Mid-Vail
On the heels of last season’s debut of the new high-speed quad, the High Noon Express Lift (#5) and “Vail’s Renaissance” in the base areas – including the recent opening of The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Vail, Four Seasons Vail and Solaris, to name a few – Vail’s “on-mountain renaissance” continues with the highly-anticipated new table-service restaurant, scheduled to open to the public for the 2011-2012 winter season. Amid Vail founder Pete Seibert’s vision for Vail was a love for the European fashion of the sport of skiing and with it, time to embrace the ambiance of the mountains over a long lunch with friends and family. The vision for Vail has certainly been achieved and continues to be elevated with developments like the new restaurant, placing Vail on the forefront of delivering a premier guest experience in luxury travel.
Designed by Zehren & Associates, the more than 13,000 square-foot restaurant will seat approximately 160 people in the main dining area with seating for an additional 80 between the bar and terrace. Centrally located in the Mid-Vail area, guests in the main dining room will be greeted with spectacular views of the Gore Range. Ground broke in August 2010 for foundation work prior to the 2010-2011 season and construction on the building resumed just after the close of the season. The restaurant will open to the public for the 2011-2012 season and additional details on the interior design concept and cuisine will be available in the coming months.
Elway’s and Matsuhisa Join the Culinary Scene in Town
After a day of skiing or snowboarding on Vail Mountain and dining at the new mid-mountain restaurant, continue the culinary experience in town at the new Elway’s or Matsuhisa. The restaurants join longtime favorites like Larkspur, Sweet Basil and Terra Bistro and recent additions like Tavern on the Square, Flame and Block 16.
Named for former Denver Bronco quarterback and NFL Hall of Fame Inductee John Elway, Elway’s will be the company’s first location outside of Denver and will open for the ski season in a fully-renovated space in the heart of Vail Village Elway’s at The Lodge at Vail, a RockResort. Elway’s will combine one of the most popular restaurant concepts in Colorado, established by one of the most successful figures in the history of Colorado sports, with one of the most popular ski resorts in the world. With its wide array of steaks and seafood as well as its terrific atmosphere and nightlife, Elway’s is sure to become a dining and nightlife destination experience for our Vail guests for many years to come.
Nobuyuki Matsuhisa, one of the premier chefs of Japanese cuisine, opened his 29th restaurant, Matsuhisa, located in the lobby space of The Solaris Residences in Vail Village in August 2011. Matsuhisa Vail joins dozens of the celebrity chef’s restaurants under the Nobu brand around the world, and only three that carry the Matsuhisa name – Aspen, Beverly Hills and Mykonos, Greece. Matsuhisa has taken traditional Japanese cuisine and infused bold South American and Western flavors to create a style that captivates audiences worldwide. located in the lobby space of The Solaris Residences.
The BEAST – Taking Vail’s Grooming to an Even Higher Level
Always on the cutting edge of the ski industry, Vail continues to seek out and implement new technologies like the Prinoth BEAST, a bigger, faster and more powerful snowcat than conventional snowcats. Its tiller alone is nearly four feet wider than traditional snowcats! The BEAST can also handle steeper terrain, allowing the drivers to do away with winch operations in some areas. Two of these bigger, better, faster machines have been added to Vail’s snowcat fleet, creating increased operational efficiencies in grooming approximately 1,200 acres of top-notch corduroy per day.
Kids Adventure Zones – Two New Zones, Upgrades to Existing Zones
Last season, some of Vail’s youngest guests – and kids at heart – likely found themselves winding through one or even all of the Kids Adventure Zones, marked at the entrances with dramatic new wooden corbels or archways designating their namesakes: Chaos Canyon, Magic Forest, Sherwood Forest, Porcupine Alley, Coyote’s Escape and Buckskin Glade. Carved animals greet passerby around banked corners and behind trees and ski-through features like Coyote’s Den, a 50-foot long tee-pee-like structure located within Coyotes’ Escape ensure smiles and squeals for all ages. Following suit with the theme of elevating the experience at Vail, the upgrades and facelifts on the Kids Adventure Zones are not over yet. Two new zones will be added to the eastern side of the mountain and more upgrades on the existing family-friendly attractions are underway this summer with additional wooden “greeters” to keep an eye out for and a more cohesive animal-themed look and feel throughout that fits right in with Vail’s natural surroundings…not to mention, many of the features are made with reclaimed pine beetle kill wood, an imaginative and appealing use of the material.
Last season, some of Vail’s youngest guests – and kids at heart – likely found themselves winding through one or even all of the Kids Adventure Zones, marked at the entrances with dramatic new wooden corbels or archways designating their namesakes: Chaos Canyon, Magic Forest, Sherwood Forest, Porcupine Alley, Coyote’s Escape and Buckskin Glade. Carved animals greet passerby around banked corners and behind trees and ski-through features like Coyote’s Den, a 50-foot long tee-pee-like structure located within Coyotes’ Escape ensure smiles and squeals for all ages. Following suit with the theme of elevating the experience at Vail, the upgrades and facelifts on the Kids Adventure Zones are not over yet. Two new zones will be added to the eastern side of the mountain and more upgrades on the existing family-friendly attractions are underway this summer with additional wooden “greeters” to keep an eye out for and a more cohesive animal-themed look and feel throughout that fits right in with Vail’s natural surroundings…not to mention, many of the features are made with reclaimed pine beetle kill wood, an imaginative and appealing use of the material.
Continued Mountain Pine Beetle Mitigation Efforts
Beginning in June 2011 and throughout the summer, hazard trees will be removed from the Kids Adventure Zones on Vail Mountain as part of the resort’s efforts to treat the long-term effects of the mountain pine beetle infestation. One outcome of this particular hazard tree removal will be a more open feel amongst the Kids Adventure Zones. Vail Resorts is continuing to collaborate with the U.S. Forest Service on a roadmap for long-term mountain pine beetle mitigation and is awaiting the completion of an environmental assessment later this summer.
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Right Here, Right Now – Vail Steps Up Service with Real-Time and Mobile Technologies
How much snow was reported this morning? What’s been groomed? Is the sun shining on Blue Sky Basin today? How’s the line at Chair 5? What’s the status of the Vista Bahn Express Lift? Which parking lot should I park at? How are the roads? Age old questions are being answered in real time and through a variety of digital channels for easy guest access. Plan your route and see if you’ve beat the crowds with real-time visual images from PHQ of the lift mazes of the Mountaintop Express Lift (#4) and High Noon Express Lift (#5). Visit http://m.vail.com for the latest mountain conditions, grooming reports, mountain cam images, directions, traffic updates, lodging info, activities and events in a mobile-friendly format. Be the first out on a powder day with mobile alerts sent directly to your phone when Vail Mountain receives new snow according to your preference of either three-inch or six-inch-plus thresholds. Follow @vailmtn on Twitter for lift status updates or weather-related closures and “like” Vail Mountain on Facebook where you can find videos, photos, information and join in conversations with like-minded Vail enthusiasts. |
Vail’s Commitment to Skier and Rider Safety
Vail Mountain sets the industry standard when it comes to skier and snowboarder safety. In April 2011 the National Ski Areas Association awarded the resort for “Best Safety Week Program.” This marks the 12th consecutive year that Vail Mountain has been recognized for its commitment to raising awareness and educating employees and guests about slope safety. During the 2009-2010 season, Vail Resorts’ took its commitment to skier and snowboarder safety to the next level, requiring all employees to wear a helmet when skiing or riding on the job, as well as kids ages 12 and under who participate in a lesson. Last season, employees were asked to put the safety bar down when riding the chairlift, again, setting the example for safety and skier and snowboarder responsibility, regardless of age or ability. Also last season, the Yellow Jacket program went through a major overhaul: positions were added and responsibilities were re-evaluated, giving the individuals more ownership over their department and the empowerment to make changes as they see fit to encourage safer behavior. Vail also implemented a safety violator class, required for guests who are caught disobeying “Your Responsibility Code” or the Ski Safety Act. Safety remains at the forefront of every department’s operations and Vail is determined to continue advancing its safety efforts wherever and whenever possible.
Vail Mountain sets the industry standard when it comes to skier and snowboarder safety. In April 2011 the National Ski Areas Association awarded the resort for “Best Safety Week Program.” This marks the 12th consecutive year that Vail Mountain has been recognized for its commitment to raising awareness and educating employees and guests about slope safety. During the 2009-2010 season, Vail Resorts’ took its commitment to skier and snowboarder safety to the next level, requiring all employees to wear a helmet when skiing or riding on the job, as well as kids ages 12 and under who participate in a lesson. Last season, employees were asked to put the safety bar down when riding the chairlift, again, setting the example for safety and skier and snowboarder responsibility, regardless of age or ability. Also last season, the Yellow Jacket program went through a major overhaul: positions were added and responsibilities were re-evaluated, giving the individuals more ownership over their department and the empowerment to make changes as they see fit to encourage safer behavior. Vail also implemented a safety violator class, required for guests who are caught disobeying “Your Responsibility Code” or the Ski Safety Act. Safety remains at the forefront of every department’s operations and Vail is determined to continue advancing its safety efforts wherever and whenever possible.
The Completion of Vail’s Renaissance and What’s on the Horizon
Since 2004, Vail has welcomed an approximately $2 billion renaissance, including the completion of three major projects – The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Vail, Four Seasons Resort and Residences Vail and Solaris Vail – in 2010, dramatically improving the base areas while maintaining much of Vail’s cozy European village charm. The redevelopment has
given Vail a competitive edge in providing value to its loyal guests and attracting new guests in a fickle economy.
Always looking forward, Vail Resorts continues to pursue Ever Vail, a proposed mixed-use project that will redevelop a nearly 13-acre site just west of Lionshead, providing a much-needed in-fill development to create a connection between Lionshead and Cascade Village. It will bring together mountain operations, affordable and free-market housing, and community benefits. Vail Resorts believes that it’s important for the Company and the community to plan now to stay competitive in the future. When the economy stabilizes, Vail will be one of few – if not the only – resort communities to have new product, a new hotel, new programming and new mountain gondola access coming on line. It is estimated that Ever Vail will bring about 2,400 new destination guests to Vail per day, nearly 1,000 of which will be new skiers. www.evervail.com
Play Into the Night at Adventure Ridge and Refuel at Bistro Fourteen
Bike on the snow, catch big air off a trampoline, ride the Adventure Skyway – new last season – to tubing paradise, hear the roar of the kids’ snowmobiles circling the track or take a free guided nature snowshoe tour with an expert naturalist from Walking Mountains. When you’re through, feed that mountain of an appetite at Bistro Fourteen, where kids dine from their own multi-course menu for just $10 and adults can enjoy eclectic cuisine, a full bar of wine, cocktails and seasonal microbrews, and extraordinary desserts that should not be missed.
Bike on the snow, catch big air off a trampoline, ride the Adventure Skyway – new last season – to tubing paradise, hear the roar of the kids’ snowmobiles circling the track or take a free guided nature snowshoe tour with an expert naturalist from Walking Mountains. When you’re through, feed that mountain of an appetite at Bistro Fourteen, where kids dine from their own multi-course menu for just $10 and adults can enjoy eclectic cuisine, a full bar of wine, cocktails and seasonal microbrews, and extraordinary desserts that should not be missed.
Signature Events
When you’re not skiing or snowboarding, rest assured that there are plenty of events – many of them complimentary – for guests of all ages looking to pack an extra punch into their winter vacation. Signature winter events begin in early December and can be found all season long alongside a variety of lodging offers to create an unbeatable Vail vacation value.
- Vail Snow Daze – early Dec. 5-11, 2011
Not long after the annual start of the ski and snowboard season at Vail, early-season visitors can enjoy a week of live entertainment from headliners like Weezer, O.A.R., Dwight Yoakam and Mix Master Mike, contests, parties and giveaways throughout town as part of Vail Snow Daze. The wackiest event of the week is the annual Dummy Demolition Derby under the lights at Golden Peak, a sport of sorts, where teams of one to three people construct snow-riding dummies attached to a pair of skis or a snowboard and launch the handmade contraptions off a giant on?snow jump and over a massive flamethrower in hopes of winning a cash purse! www.vail.com/snowdaze
- Vail Family Holidaze – Dec. 17-23, 2011
After a successful debut in December 2010, Vail Family Holidaze returns in December 2011 with activities and free events tailored towards both children and the young at heart. Last year’s events and activities included snowman decorating, après ski holiday treat and candy cane handouts at the base areas, kids after dark parties with music, games, giveaways and glow sticks, free performances from kids bands Milkshake and Brady Rymer and the Little Band That Could and “Winter Solstice on Ice,” two free performances on ice with world-class ice skaters like two-time and current World Silver Medalist Patrick Chan in the heart of Vail Village. www.vail.com/holidaze
- Winter Teva Mountain Games – Feb. 9-12, 2012
The country's largest summer celebration of adventure sports, music and the mountain lifestyle, the Teva Mountain Games, introduces the Winter Teva Mountain Games, presented by Eddie Bauer. Events will include ice climbing, on-snow biking, telemark skiing, Nordic competitions, running, dog events and an Ultimate Mountain Man/Woman combination event. As with the summer edition, the Winter Teva Mountain Games, will include art and music components, with snow and ice sculpture contests, concerts, films and parties. www.tevamountaingames.com
- CarniVail – Feb. 19-21, 2012
Bourbon Street meets Bridge Street in Vail each year with a tribute to traditional Mardi Gras events with a Rocky Mountain twist. Free concerts from bands like Buckwheat Zydeco mix with the annual Fat Tuesday parade, world’s highest low-country crawfish boil at Eagle’s Nest and much more. www.vail.com/carnivail
- Spring Back to Vail – April 9-15, 2012
The “yang’ to the early-season “yin” of Vail Snow Daze, Spring Back to Vail, closes out the ski and snowboard season with concerts from top acts like Train, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, Stephen Marley and more. Closing day brings the annual World Pond Skimming Championships, a spectacle entailing floatable (and sometimes sinkable) athletes launching themselves off an on-snow jump onto an icy pond in attempt to successfully exit the pond on both feet. www.vail.com/springback
Easy Access to Eagle Airport = More Mountain Time!
Located just 35 miles west of Vail, Eagle Airport (EGE) is a convenient alternative to driving from Denver or beyond, especially with growing non-stop service to major markets and quick connections to and from Denver International Airport. EGE is serviced in the winter by three major airlines – American, Delta and United (Continental) – offering non-stop flights to and from ten major airports, including Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York/Kennedy, New York/LaGuardia and Newark. The majority of service begins Dec. 15, 2011 and continues through April 1, 2012. For more information and the latest schedules and available flights, visit www.FlyVail.com.
Located just 35 miles west of Vail, Eagle Airport (EGE) is a convenient alternative to driving from Denver or beyond, especially with growing non-stop service to major markets and quick connections to and from Denver International Airport. EGE is serviced in the winter by three major airlines – American, Delta and United (Continental) – offering non-stop flights to and from ten major airports, including Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York/Kennedy, New York/LaGuardia and Newark. The majority of service begins Dec. 15, 2011 and continues through April 1, 2012. For more information and the latest schedules and available flights, visit www.FlyVail.com.