Vail seems to be sticking to Closing Day script
Mountain cops say they’ll start clearing out crowds at 4 p.m.
Ross Leonhart / rleonhart@vaildaily.com
VAIL — There have been no press releases from Vail Mountain regarding Closing Day this season, and that’s probably a good thing.
A spokesperson from Vail Resorts said the regular Closing Day “five-gallon container” rule for backpacks (all packs must fit inside of one), will be in effect, and closing time is set for 4 p.m.
“As is standard on Vail Mountain closing day, one daypack per person will be permitted,” said Vail and Beaver Creek Senior Communications Manager John Plack. “This has been a very safe and successful season, and we appreciate everyone focusing on safety up until closing time at 4 p.m. MST.”
At Beaver Creek’s Closing Day on April 11, a group of seven members of the sheriff’s office and local police departments patrolled the slopes, making contacts with skiers.
Ross Leonhart / rleonhart@vaildaily
The officers on skis said they were there to talk to people rather than make arrests, and as the day came to a close, Officer Jeff Mattson of the Vail Police Department said there was no major issues or arrests to report.
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Mattson said there will likely to be more police on skis at Vail on Sunday than there were at Beaver Creek on April 11. The officers volunteer to work large days like Closing Day, Mattson said, using the opportunity as a chance to get out on the slopes. Officers said as far as they know, the plan from Vail is to clear people out of gathering areas from 4 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
A detonation of the season’s leftover avalanche explosives is customary on Vail’s Closing Day; Vail has not said if its plans for this year include explosives. The officers working Beaver Creek on Sunday said the tradition is helpful in clearing out crowds, but said they were not sure if there will be an end-of-season explosion on tap for Vail this year.
As large flakes were falling in Vail on Thursday and Friday, Vail had more than 3,000 acres available for skiers and snowboarders, with much of the upper front side of the mountain open and Chairs 5 and 9 operating on the back side of the mountain.
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