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Vail, Beaver Creek skiers, snowboarders enjoy snowy Christmas conditions

Vail reported 11 inches of new snow on Wednesday, while Beaver Creek reported 8 inches new.
Daniel Milchev | Vail Resorts |

Mountain Conditions:

Vail:

26 inches of new snow in past week

41-inch mid-mountain base

122 total inches of snowfall this season

85 percent of terrain open (4,518 acres)

Beaver Creek

20 inches of new snow in past week

34-inch mid-mountain base

119 total inches of snowfall this season

80 percent of terrain open (1,467 acres)

*Conditions reported as of Christmas Eve, Thursday.

VAIL — Skiers and snowboarders at Vail and Beaver Creek are getting a gift that keeps giving this Christmas.

As of Christmas Eve, Vail Mountain had reported 26 inches of new snow in the past week, and Beaver Creek Mountain reported 20 inches. Joel Gratz and OpenSnow.com are forecasting more snow to fall Christmas morning and during the day today.

Dan Smitley has been living in the valley for 11 years. He was out on Thursday with his friend Mike George, from Columbus, Ohio.



“It’s probably the best this week that I’ve skied this year,” Smitley said.

Fresh snowfall throughout the week have created prime conditions for skiers and snowboarders, but Wednesday was one of the biggest powder days of the season, with Vail reporting 11 inches of new snow overnight and the Beav’ reporting 7 inches.

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“I’ve been out every day,” said Dee Wisor, who has been skiing in Vail since 1977. “(Wednesday) with the 11 inches of new, it was one of the best days, really ever. It was a great day.”

Vail and Beaver Creek are looking like winter wonderlands with all of the recent snowfall, and for some, it’s finally beginning to look like Christmas.

Carla Pato is in town from Miami with the rest of her family, and for the little ones, this is their first look at the fluffy white stuff.

“It’s the first time for the kids to see snow,” Pato said. “This is a lot of snow. He’s starting to understand what snow is. He started crying this morning because he wanted to come to the mountains with us, so we’ll do a little snow playtime later.”

Josh Kerin, 18, of Melbourne, Australia, is staying up at Beaver Creek this week with his parents and brother.

“We heard it was really nice skiing and decided to spend Christmas here,” Kerin said.

What’s in store for Christmas morning? For some, presents and family time; and for others, Friday is just another great day on the mountain.

Wisor said he plans to ski down the Christmas trail at Vail Friday, while Smitley hopes to make a few turns before cooking Christmas dinner with his wife. Pato is looking forward to some family time Friday and plans to get back on the mountain before heading back to warmer weather next week. Kerin will be out at Beaver Creek before meeting up with his family for dinner.

“It’s Christmas on the mountain,” Wisor said.

Reporter Ross Leonhart can be reached at 970-748-2915 and rleonhart@vaildaily.com. Follow him on Instagram at colorado_livin_on_the_hill.


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