Life in a Ski Town

Vail was opened as a ski resort in 1962, and incorporated as a town in 1966.  Vail is one of the leading mountain resort communities in North America.  Here are a few stats on the town you'll be visiting:

Elevation: 8,150 feet

Size:  4.6 square miles, 8.5 miles in length

Location: 100 miles west of Denver on Interstate 70 in Eagle County and easily accessible via the Eagle County Regional Airport, 35 miles to the west. Vail is surrounded by 350,000 acres of White River National Forest land.

Climate:
- Average snowfall: 335 inches+
- Average summer temperature: 75 degrees
- Average winter temperature:  30 degrees

History: Named for Charlie Vail, a state highway engineer who directed construction of the first highway to enter the area in the late 1930s, our town was once a sheep-raising and lettuce-growing region at the eastern edge of the Gore Range mountains.  Fulfilling the vision of a pair of ski enthusiasts who met at nearby Camp Hale, a training facility for wartime ski troopers used during World War II, the resort was created in 1966.  Currently Vail attracts 1,000,000+ snow riders every winter.  Visitors are drawn to Vail’s charming European-style pedestrian village, which provides a variety of shopping and dining opportunities and a vibrant nightlife. As a year-round resort, Vail offers a wide array of summer activities including golf, cycling (mountain and road), fishing, rafting, cultural arts performances, and world-class dining, spas and shopping.

Residents: Nearly 5,000 full-time residents and an estimated 5,000 part-time residents.

Amenities:
• Largest free transit system in the nation.
• First modern roundabout interchange in the nation.
• More open space (30 percent of its lands) than any other resort community in the U.S.
• Home to Gore Creek, one of only 11 Gold Medal fishing streams in the state.
• 4 percent ski lift tax is the first of its kind in the country and represents the highest contribution level by a ski resort to its municipal partner in the state and perhaps the nation. The funds assist in the operation of Vail’s free transit system.
• First to host two World Alpine Ski Championships in the U.S. (1989, 1999).  Next Up:  2015 World Alpine Ski Championships in conjunction with Beaver Creek Resort.
• First venue for New York Philharmonic summer residency outside the state of New York with the Bravo! Vail Valley Music Festival.

Get more information about the Town of Vail and life in a resort town by visiting their website, www.vailgov.com.