 When the Ute and Arapahoe Indians roamed the land that now forms Eagle County, Colorado it was the natural resources—the great hunting and plentiful fishing—that drew them to this magnificent land. Little did they know that buried within these spectacular mountains were other resources that would eventually cause the Indians to flee. The reign of the American Indians ended after the “discovery” of the area in the mid-1850’s by Jim Bridger and Lord Gore. Today the mountains surrounding Vail, the Gore Range, bear the name of their founder.
Not far behind the American frontiersman and Irish American explorer came a large migration to the area of miners seeking to uncover the more lucrative natural resources located in the mountains. The deluge of the Gold Rush in 1874 forced the Ute from their native lands, but they did not leave quietly. Their revenge was to burn down thousands of acres of the lush forest that the intruders had stolen….today, their revenge has formed one of the biggest draws at Vail—the Back Bowls!
As the Gold Rush passed, fortunes made and lost, ghost towns were left were mining communities once thrived. With the great nations of the world at war, in 1943 the Vail area became an invaluable training ground for the young soldiers that would fight in the Alps during World War II. The true significance of the 10th Mountain Division was not realized until the end of the war when two of its members returned to the area with a dream of making a grand ski resort!
Returning soldier Pete Seibert teamed with Earl Eaton to search for the location for the perfect ski mountain. No Name Mountain, which sat to the west of Vail Pass, seemed like the place. After renaming the mountain for the man that designed Highway 6 that runs over the pass and through Vail Valley, construction of Vail Resort began. Just 6 months later on December 15,1962 a gondola from the base, chairlift from Mid-Vail and another accessing the back bowls beckoned skiers seeking the moderate slopes and dust-like powder that this new resort offered. For just $8 a day over 55,000 enthusiasts were able to enjoy in that first season what Skiing magazine would call a ‘super mountain of American skiing’!
With great foresight, a European style Tyrolean village was designed at the base of the mountain. The village helped propel Vail to its world-class status making a vacation to Vail more than just a ski trip but a complete mountain experience like those offered by the European resorts. The commitment to excellence forged by its founders has been the driving force behind the development of this massive resort that has grown to be one of the largest and most popular ski destinations in the World.
The master plan for Vail was a grand vision that has been realized. Today, Vail is over 5,200 acres with two large base villages—Vail Village and Lionshead—as well as a sprawling community in East and West Vail. The front side of the mountain stretches for miles along Interstate 70, the famed Back Bowls take a week to explore alone, and the third stage of the master plan that was completed in 2000, known as Blue Sky Basin, has once again transformed the resort by adding some of the most incredible intermediate and advanced terrain to the mountain. You may want to experience other ski resorts before planning a trip to Vail because once you go to Vail you will never want to ski anywhere else! |
