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Colorado
Situated at 6,800 feet above sea level, the rocky mountain state of Colorado is where adventure comes to life. Whether your chasing the thrill of skiing down a black diamond in the winter, or hiking the gorgeous trails in the summer, joyful memories are a guarantee.
A Skiers Perfect Day in Vail
Breakfast at the Lodge
To get out the door quick and ahead of the lift lines, I recommend eating a hardy breakfast at your accommodation. It's crucial to start your ski day with a protein-filled breakfast so you have fuel to explore the mountain during prime weather hours. And as a typical non-breakfast person, I understand the lack of desire to eat first thing in the morning, however trust me when I say even a little bowl of oatmeal or a couple of eggs goes a long way!
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As far as lodging goes, my past couple of visits to Vail, I have stayed in the condos at Antlers at Vail. It is very convenient to get to the mountain, located only 150 yards from the Eagle Bahn Gondola, which makes it especially nice if you're carry ski's to & from the lodge. The condo option is also a great way to save money and time in the realm of food when utilizing the route of groceries to meal prep breakfast in the morning, quick lunches, and in-house dinners to stay cozy.
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Start the Fun
After you've gotten you're fuel, put your gear on, located lift tickets, maybe packed a lunch, you're ready to hit the slopes. I recommend starting out on the gondolas rather than the lifts to initially get up the mountain so you have more leeway on which direction you want to take down. Depending on where you're staying, if you're coming from Vail Village, you will want to take Gondola 1, and if you're coming from Lions Head, take Gondola 19 (Eagle Bahn). After you've made it up to the top, it's your journey from there! Though as you continue reading, I have made a guide on my personal favorite runs you're welcome to follow!
Run Guides
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Front Side
Across the Mountain: Medium - Easy
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Gondola 19 > Born free > Cubs Way > Avanti Express Lift > The Meadows > Mountaintop Express Lift > Christmas > Upper Lions Way > Avanti > Gitalong Road ​
Back Side - Blue Sky Basin
Pete's Bowl: Medium - Hard
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Cloud 9 all the way
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Cloud 9 > Bick Rock Park
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Resolution > Cloud 9
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Grand Review > Cloud 9
Across the Mountain: Medium - Hard
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Gondola 19 > Born free > Cubs Way > Avanti Express Lift > The Meadows > Look Ma > Mountain Express Lift > River Ridge​
Quick Runs: Medium
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Gondola 19 > Cubs Way > Simba > Safari
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Gondola 19 > Cubs Way > Pride > Bwana
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Gondola 19 > Born Free > The Preserve
Quick Runs: Medium - Hard
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Gondola 1 > Ben's Face > Gitalong Road > Lindsey's > Pepi's Face
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Gondola 1 > Upper Lions Way > Avanti > Gitalong Road > Giant Steps
Lunch at Two Elk Lodge
Grab lunch at 11,000 feet for a mid-day break at Two Elk Lodge while enjoying your meal with an impeccable view of the mountains. Even if you've packed a lunch, taking a stop at this unique spot is a must! ​
Located at the top of the mountain near the back bowls, you can reach Two Elk from a couple of directions whether you're coming from the front side, blue sky basin, or back bowls as lifts #14, 36, and 9 all get you there.
Though it may be a hike to get there if you're not planning to ride Vail's back side, it is still worth the 10/10 experience to ride towards you're lunch destination. There's nothing like taking a rest amongst a great atmosphere of skiers with lingering smiles from a great morning on the slopes.
Dinner in Vail Village & Lions Head
After a long day riding of up and down the mountain, it's time to unwind for dinner. As you may know, there are two main "villages" that lie at the foot of the mountain: Vail Village & Lions Head, where you can find restaurants, shops, outdoor ice-skating, and more.
Depending on where you're staying or coming from, there is an ongoing shuttle system between the two. If per say you are staying in Lions Head and want to head to Vail Village for dinner, you will find bus stops all around and a quick 5 minute ride will get there!
Here are a few of my favorite restaurants I recommend:
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Pazzo's Pizzeria - Vail Village
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Vail Chophouse - Lions Head
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Garfinkel's - Lions Head
Post - Dinner Activities
By this time you're either so worn out that all you want to do is go to bed, or you're still running on adrenaline from Vail's never-ending fun.
If you're feeling energized after dinner, I've got some suggestions:
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Snow Tubing
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Ice Skating at Vail Village or Lions Head
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Shopping
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Hot chocolate & coffee to reheat