“While it has changed, grown, evolved over the years, I do think it’s stayed true to its inception,” said avid skier Jonathan Reap, Four Seasons Resort and Residences Vail director of sales and marketing. Amazingly, early investors paid only $10,000 for a condo plus a lifetime season pass. Forest Service, and searched for investors to purchase the million-dollar permit needed from the USFS to start the ski area. Seibert and Eaton climbed Vail Mountain in 1957, then the property of the U.S. He dreamed of finding a ski area to develop with a European ski culture vibe a la Bavaria, just as he had experienced during the war. See privacy policy.Īfter returning home, many of the 10th Mountain veterans entered the burgeoning ski industry, including Seibert. The Points Guy will not share or sell your email. I would like to subscribe to The Points Guy newsletters and special email promotions. In other words, there was no Vail until Vail Mountain. For comparison, Breckenridge was founded in 1859, Telluride in 1878 and Aspen in 1879. Though it has an old-world - some say Disney-ish - feel, it’s decidedly not old. This significant inflation is perhaps unsurprising, but it begs the question: After 60 years and a pandemic, has Vail retained its roots as a western mountain paradise for snow-seekers in search of the best powder, or has it become an après-ski playground for the elite? A surprising origin storyĪs Colorado ski towns go, Vail’s history is short. Now, that walk-up price is as high as $275, though you can pay significantly less by planning ahead with an Epic Pass, which also has single-day passes available for less than half that rate. 15, 1962, it cost just $5 to enjoy a day on the snow with the resort's one gondola, two chairlifts, nine runs and eight instructors, plus condos and base facilities. This year, Vail celebrates its 60-year anniversary with a lineup of special events and vintage tributes that take inspiration from six decades of evolution.įrom its roots as a frontier outpost, Vail has become one of the most illustrious ski destinations in North America, regularly drawing skiers and travelers from places like Mexico, Argentina and Australia, not to mention Hollywood. Vail Ski Resort opens for business today - but it’s no ordinary season for one of the world’s largest and most iconic snow sports destinations.
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