As the great Warren Miller said, ” The best place to ski in the world is where you are skiing that day.” I can appreciate his in-the-moment perspective on life; perhaps that is what brought me here.

A local’s view

To fully enjoy your experience, first and foremost you must be sure your equipment is in tune. Waxed, sharpened, tightened and ready to ride! This is seriously important if you want to make it to the Back Bowls without frustration, (catwalks!) get a good tune. Call my guys at Charter Sports they know exactly how to take care of my gear. Pick up your equipment the night before your first day of skiing! It helps expedite the morning process and you can avoid the time when the rental shops are busiest.

Ski Day Morning (a.k.a. my day off) I’m quick out the door on a pow day with a smoothie or banana. I prefer to be on the hill early. Fewer people and (typically) better conditions whether you ski groomers or fresh pow. It takes a true enthusiast to get up early on vacation, but I promise it’s worth it!

Next comes the task of planning your way around the mountain. If you want to get to the back bowls quickly, the in-town bus to Golden Peak or Vail Village is quite useful. However, if you’re staying at Vail Spa, from Lionshead you can easily drop into the back bowls off of Game Creek Express #7, which is what I would do. Conditions can be variable, but it is the quickest way back. Take Chair 5 to Sundown Bowl, then Sleepytime catwalk to GNarnia (FYI, Gnar is a word for super awesome snow, which is what we are after!).

After a lovely day on the slopes you may be in need of some refreshment and entertainment. The best Après around is going to be at the Red Lion in Vail Village or the Chophouse in Lionshead. Great drink specials and live music create a fun atmosphere for all .

Last but not least be sure to do your Snow Dance and praise the snow gods to bring us more snow!