Vail Adding Third Lift to Access Back Bowls

Vail, CO, Aug. 28–The nation’s largest ski resort, Vail Mountain, will increase its grandeur this season by adding 125 acres of trail skiing accessed by a new high-speed quad chair-lift in Pete’s Bowl. This new terrain accesses approximately 80 percent of the total 885 acres of Blue Sky Basin’s terrain, home to Pete’s Bowl.

“This new area will balance out the ski experience with additional intermediate terrain, broadening the appeal to out guests,” said Bill Jensen, chief operating officer for Vail Mountain. Approximately 47 percent of the total terrain in Blue Sky Basin will be intermediate with the remaining 53 percent rated as advanced or expert.

Not everyone’s enthusiastic about the project, however, with complaints stemming from environmental groups enraged over the destruction of habitat for the endangered Canada lynx. In October 1998, arsonists set fires that caused $12 million in damage to protest the project.

But Vail’s counting on the additional terrain, which is scheduled to open before Christmas, to help the resort climb back to the top and regain its title as the nation’s busiest resort.