Vail closes Blue Sky Basin, China Bowl as ski season ramps down | VailDaily.com
YOUR AD HERE »

Vail closes Blue Sky Basin, China Bowl as ski season ramps down

Sun Up, Sun Down bowls still open

Eagle Valley Eagle-valley |

John LaConte
  

Vail Mountain presented a pared down offering to guests on Monday, April 5. The Mountain closes for the season on April 19.
John LaConte photo.

Vail Mountain ramped down its terrain offering to 67%, or about 3,562 acres, on Monday, closing Blue Sky Basin, China Bowl, Teacup Bowl and Game Creek Bowl for the season.

Extreme conditions exist in some low-elevation areas, and Vail Mountain recommended guests consider ending their ski days at Mid-Vail riding Gondola One down the mountain.

Nevertheless, for the many skiers and snowboarders who took to the spring snow on Monday, there was a lot of fun to be had.

Agustin Caruso, 26, found good conditions on Ruder's Run on Monday afternoon. Caruso said will be snowboarding at Vail for another two weeks before heading back to South America.
John LaConte

Agustin Caruso snowboarded shirtless in his gym shorts. He also wore a helmet and backpack.

Caruso is enjoying his first season in Vail, and said he’s trying to soak in as much sun and time on the slopes as he can before heading back to his home town of Buenos Aires at the end of the season.

Support Local Journalism


“I’m loving this weather,” he said.

While there are many muddy patches at the bottom of the mountain, snow currently covers all aspects of the high elevation runs on Vail Mountain. Sun Up and Sun Down bowls, serviced by Chairs 5 and 9, remained open as of Monday.

Areas of low snow present challenging conditions on lower elevation areas of Vail Mountain on Monday.
John LaConte

All four base areas – Cascade, Lionshead, Vail Village and Golden Peak – are open as well, allowing guests who opt not to download to ski to the base areas. Skiers can download to those base areas via Chair 20 (for Cascade), Chair 8 and Gondola 19 (for Lionshead), Gondola One (for Vail Village), or Chair 6 (for Golden Peak).

Vail Mountain has recorded 229 inches of snow this season, well below its average of 350. But the snow came late, and in early March, Vail Resorts announced that Vail Mountain and Beaver Creek Resort would remain open an additional week.

While the slope in the background is perfectly white, challenging spots in other areas of the mountain have officials asking guests to consider ending their ski day at Mid Vail.
John LaConte

Beaver Creek began winding down its operations this week, as well, closing the Bachelor Gulch, Arrowhead and Strawberry Park areas of the mountain. Vail Mountain began its ramp down last week, closing lift Nos. 10, 22, and 38.

Vail Mountain is scheduled to close for the season on April 19; Beaver Creek will close April 11.

Support Local Journalism