Howard: Happy holidays from Vail Mountain
The holidays are here and so is an energetic and festive atmosphere across our community. Vail is dressed up and ready to welcome community members and guests alike, and the mountain is ready to welcome skiers and riders with more than 3,400 acres of terrain. The snowfall and temperatures have lined up perfectly for an incredible early season, setting us up for a wonderful holiday period.
The resort is already skiing nearly the entire front side of the mountain, and with Game Creek Bowl, Sun Up Bowl, Sun Down Bowl, China Bowl and Blue Sky Basin open, we have plenty of room for guests to spread out and explore. We are also excited to have our dining facilities open with new menu items and experiences. I have immense gratitude for the Vail Mountain team, and this will surely be a holiday to remember thanks to their hard work.
Vail’s winter season has already started with a bang. With the collaboration of partners like the town of Vail and Vail Valley Foundation, as well as business across the destination, Vail is now the world’s premier Alpine music venue. On Vail Mountain, we already hosted our first pop-up music performance featuring Eli & Fur. This new series was a free, first-come, first-served experience on Eagle’s Nest rooftop, and it accompanied a major performance by Tiesto at Ford Park and live DJs across our villages. This kicks off a winter full of music here at Vail, and the energy can be felt everywhere.
Many of you have also experienced the subtle, but impactful improvement to Mid-Vail at Powerline Pub. Mid-Vail has never been livelier thanks to an upgraded bar and seating area. Powerline Pub is just one of many subtle improvements to our dining experience.
Thanks to a major investment in our back-of-house at Two Elk, we now have updated durable dishware, which elevates the dining experience at our largest restaurant and helps us achieve our commitment to zero sustainability goals. We also installed new technology at the Terrace Level of Mid-Vail that allows us to offer a create-your-own plate option that will give guests a customizable lunch experience. And if you haven’t experienced it yet, Express Lift Bar invested in high-end sound equipment and seating to elevate the après experience. We are planning more than 20 live DJ performances at Express Lift Bar throughout the après season.

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I want to thank everyone across our entire destination for your commitment to creating a festive and welcoming atmosphere. There is no better place in the world to celebrate the holiday season and that is entirely a result of our partnership and hard work. I hope you all get to experience an amazing terrain and dining offering with friends and family here at Vail Mountain, and I hope you find some time to enjoy our wonderful villages.
Wishing you a happy holiday and a healthy new year.
Beth Howard is vice president and chief operating officer of Vail Mountain.
