Our View: Vail Mountain doesn’t open early very often, so let’s enjoy the gift (editorial)

The good news came first from the sky and then from the Vail Resorts corporate office in Broomfield.

Thanks to generous early-season snowfall — a total of 52 inches so far — Vail Mountain is set to open early this season on Wednesday, Nov. 14. Beaver Creek is set to open Saturday, Nov. 17.

In the case of Vail, the difference is only a couple of days, but savor those days, friends. It’s not often that Vail opens earlier than scheduled.

---

---

According to Vail and Beaver Creek Senior Manager of Communications Sally Gunter, it’s been since 2002 that Vail Mountain opened early — on Nov. 16 instead of Nov. 22. The earliest-ever opening at Vail came in 1989, when the resort opened on Nov. 4.

In an email, Gunter wrote that records for Beaver Creek aren’t as accurate as those for Vail, but this is the first time since at least 2005 that resort has enjoyed an early opening.

---

---

The early opening at Vail gives skiers and boarders a relatively rare opportunity to enjoy free parking at the town’s parking structures for two days. Paid parking at Beaver Creek’s lots begins on opening day, Saturday, Nov. 17.

More important, though, is the sense of optimism an early opening can bring. Yes, it’s only a couple of days. But given that the resort had to delay its opening last year, this is an encouraging sign.

We don’t know what the rest of the season will bring, of course, but good snow is good snow. We’ll take it, both for the season to come and our water year that starts in the spring of 2019.

No forecaster likes to make predictions more than about 10 days into the future, but The Weather Channel’s website gives Vail a good shot at precipitation — 40 percent — six times in the next 10 days. Keep a good thought for that.

For now, though, get ready for a powder party — Vail is opening this week with about 500 acres of terrain.

Good snow is good fun — and good business. Let’s all enjoy it.

The Vail Daily Editorial Board is Publisher Mark Wurzer, Editor Krista Driscoll, Assistant Editor Ross Leonhart and Business Editor Scott Miller.