Reviewed 8 Sep 2015
This Colorado ski town is big on ski terrain as well as luxury – in fact it packs in the second largest ski area in the U.S. My pick of the toughest pistes are the double black Prima for its sheer speeds or the secluded Blue Ox, where you can tackle high-level corduroy away from the crowds. Better than both of these, though, are the backbowls. These beauties are accessed by pistes above and below, meaning zero hiking, and are devoid of rocks, crevasses, avalanche risk and all usual manner of backcountry concerns. The only thing left to do is lap them over and over again for the most hassle free powder day you’re likely to find anywhere. Nearly every single piste is forest-lined, so you’ll end up finding untouched routes under the canopy for days after a snowfall. I'd highly recommend the area skier’s right from the Eagles Nest for tree-ski aficionados. While Vail might not have the freestyle rep of Breckenridge, there’s no shortage of parks here – The Golden Peak is the largest, featuring both a 22ft high superpipe as well as a 13footer for skiers making their first pipe runs.
Reviewed 3 Sep 2015
The second largest ski area in the US deserves a mention for its beautifully approachable powder terrain. You won’t find the kind of jaw-dropping steeps as you might on Verbier’s Bec Des Rosses, but instead pristine pillow-cloud fields of champagne powder. For me best place to start is over at the ever-popular Back Bowls – after a big fall you’ll need to be quick on your feet to snag those first ribbon tracks, but it’s well worth the early wake up call. Avalanche protected and lacking any huge cliff drops or jutting rocks, these sections can be easily lapped all day thanks to their connecting pistes and accompanying lifts. To up the ante, make your way to Vail’s newest area, the Blue Sky Basin. Opened in 2000, this zone expands on the backcountry bowls within the resorts boundaries. Terrain here’s varied – you’ll find more cliff drops for those who like to blend freestyle in to their powder skiing, as well as trees for tight turns and the same rolling deeps.