Jan 6: First Day at Vail

Sunday evening we headed over to Vail to try the flagship resort. Driving through a snowstorm while listening to Pink Floyd's Meddle album was quite an experience. We were happy to arrive at the covered Vail garage and seek shelter there.

Got up for first chair and woke up to blue skies. As we ascended the Gondola, it was clear that the snowstorm from last night and previous cold days were going to make for an excellent bluebird powder day.



First run on the front side was less than ideal, as the snow was so cold it was sticky! So we headed to the back bowls for some exposed but awesome powder runs. Got in our first aspen tree skiing too! Then we headed to Blue Sky Basin where we found some fun powder stashes in wind protected areas. Check out the video below for the highlights.

Patrick headed in a little early to finish his OSU grad school apps. Wandering around Vail is like going to an adult's Disneyland. It is a themed village with expensive designer shops and fur outlets. Yuck! We hung around after dinner in the transit center using internet while staying warm. Once it was late enough, we retreated to our "hotel" room. A great day on the mountain!