Tickets $97 (2010 prices) a day too steep? Want to save some money? Well there ARE a couple of ways, but they are not easy:
The SkE Card - This used to be called the Colorado Card. Basically it is targeted at Colorado residents, but as far as I know residency is not a requirement. Rather they just make this available in October and early November at local Denver sporting goods stores (REI for example). You have to be present to get it. But it does get you some nice discounts on lift tickets (try $55 in 2005).
Colorado Pass - The Colorado Pass provides unlimited slope access at Breckenridge, Keystone and A-Basin, as well as 10 days' access to the lifts at Vail or Beaver Creek. The Colorado Pass costs $449 (2008). It is blocked out on certain dates. Available at the same times/places as the Ske Card.
Ebay - Friends swear by this. Typically for $10 you can buy a 2 for 1 coupon that was issued somewhere in the country. There have been counterfeits so your mileage may vary.
Peaks card - You should sign up for Vail's "frequent skier" program called Peaks. Just go to a ticket office before you do your first day of skiing to get one. You can attach a credit card, then you don't have to wait in line, just scan the card and voila your credit card is debited for a ticket. The points do add up if you have a family and you might get a day or two of free skiing out of it. A recent change where you get the points after a several month delay means that you won't be able to use them until your next trip.
Grocery Stores - Discounted tickets for Vail are no longer available at grocery stores on Denver as they once were.
Locals - If you have friends in Vail, and they have a season pass, they get 5 "Buddy Passes" that allow you to ski for 35$ a day, so make some friends, and ski for less.
Avoid the Lines
If you can get on the mountain a little earlier (before 9:30 am) than everyone else you can stay ahead of the crowds and never wait in a line more than 5 minutes. Here are some suggested starting routes:
Favorite: Start at golden peak, and take the lift past the first drop off to the top. Get off and take lift 11 (Northwoods) to the very top of the Mt. From there drop into China Bowl or go off to Blue Sky basin. Come back to the front after noon and you'll see a lot of the mountain.
Staring at Vail Village. If the Vista-Bahn is really full, take the little two seater chair up. * They do not run the two seater chair, except for races.* Ski over to Golden Peak and follow along above.
Lionshead - Don't wait for the gondola, take the quad chair. Ski over to the far side (the far side can be LOTS shorter) of lift 2 and up.
Avoid: Chair 4 from mid-vail. Always crowded. Chair 11 can get crowded. Check the status boards for the back bowl lift and game creek bowl lifts before going into each as they can fill up and there is only one chair in each bowl.
Ski & Snowboard Equipment Rental
Vail resort has a huge range of ski and snowboard rental options. Vail's village is spread over a huge area from Lionshead, Vail Village and Golden Peak, so it is best to source your ski or snowboard rental close to your hotel or even better close to the lifts.
Located at the base of the ski slopes, Pirate Ship Park has delighted generations of children in Vail.
Here are just a few of the many ski rental stores found in Vail.
Aalta Sports
Breeze Ski Rentals (Lionshead Vail)
Black Tie Ski Rentals
Christy Sports
Double Diamond Ski Shop (Lionshead)
Gravity Jones Ski Werks
Pepi Sports
Ski Base Inc
Troy's Ski Shop
Vail Mountain Adventure Center
Vail Sports
Rentskis
Burton - Arrabelle (snowboards)
One Track Mind (snowboards)
You can also book your Vail ski or snowboard rental online before you leave possibly saving you time in the rental store and even some money as most offer discounts for pre-booking. Here are the main ski rentals stores that offer online booking service;
Black Tie - Which also offer full delivery service to your accommodation
Breeze Rentals
Christy Sports
Double Diamond Ski Shop
Rentskis
Child Care
Vail has an excellent child-care center for all ages of kids. For babies to toddlers, the nursery provides great, on mountain, care. As young as 3 years old the Ski School can really teach your kids to ski and give them a fun day too (and free you up to ski with your spouse). All this does not come cheap, but you get a good quality product and don't have to worry about your kids.
One note: book early (like a month before you get there) for the nursery. They do fill up.
Ride the Gondola
The Gondola is free for foot traffic after 2pm. Before 2pm the ticket price is $24 for adults (2009). It is a good way to get the non-skiers and the kids up to the top.
Adventure Ridge
A fun place to bring kids or friends who don't like to ski! Activities include: ski-biking, kid's snowmobile track and tubing.
Vail Snowmobiling Tours & Rentals Take a guided snowmobiling tour in Vail's Backcountry or set out atop Vail Pass on an unguided snowmobile rental.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Vail
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Vail - updated May 2024
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Vail Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.
