What's the Big Deal with Vail?!

 Since the ski season began (and honestly for most of my life), I have doubted Vail Ski Area. I've done big mountains before, so what could make this one any better that it was world renowned? I get it now.
Vail. Is. Awesome!
 On Thursday, I had the pleasure of meeting the Putnam siblings (Laura, Emily, and Brian) at Vail. As a die-hard small ski area fan, I was expecting to be underwhelmed. I don't like crowds and I don't like terrain that's all been skied off. I was proven wrong within thirty minutes of arriving. First of all, I didn't have to pay the usual $111.50 to ski. Lo has been volunteering for Breckenridge, so she was able to get a few comp tickets. Score 1 for Vail.

Emily, Laura, and I!

At the base, specifically Vista Bahn Lift, it was packed. While it was a high-speed quad lift, there was still quite a large back up. I though, "Haha! You fail, Vail!" I ate my words at the top of that lift. On the way up a very fast and comfortable chairlift ride (score 2 for Vail), Laura and Brian explained that Vail has a front side and then they have the back bowls. The front side contains the easy runs, the easy lifts, and the easy skiers. This side is heavily trafficked. I was gloating the entire ride up, mentioning how at Sunlight it's like your own private mountain. However, as soon as I got to the top of the ridge, the back bowls spread out as far as the eye could see. This is where we were spending our day.
The faint of heart do not venture into the back bowls. Therefore, the lift lines are short and the skiers are tough. Bowl skiing is glorious. Score 3 for Vail. At many places, the Vail bowls are above treeline. Therefore, you can go anywhere and pick any line. There are always opportunities for powder, as the bowls are so big, they can't really be groomed or skied off. Once you get down into treeline, it's a free for all. Most of the glades are well spaced and offer some great powder. The moguls that have been formed in between the trees makes it even more interesting.

Brian skiing Sun Up Bowl

I believe we hit around 13 runs on Thursday. Every single run either included glades or moguls. Many of the runs required jumping off lips or bumps. All of them had powder flying into my face. I have been hard pressed to think of another ski day where I giggled the entire way down. Score 4 for Vail.
We hit Sun Up Bowl, China Bowl, Siberia Bowl, Tea Cup Bowl, and Blue Sky Basin. Every single one was great. After skiing bowls, there's no going back. The open space, the lack of crowds, and the feet of powder can cause an addiction.

Laura, Brian, and Emily hitting the moguls

The only down point to the day was in the form of a fantastic fall. Even then, I'm so impressed with this fall, that I actually quite approve of it. It was our second to last run of the day and we were working our way back down on the Front Side of Vail. Laura had us duck into Hairbag Alley, where the trees are tight and the bumps are plentiful. I was doing surprisingly well, until I went off one bump a little faster than planned and rammed straight into the next bump. I did a complete somersault in the air and landed hard on the back of my right shoulder. After sliding ten feet down the hill, I popped back up and kept going. I almost wish that I had gotten it on camera, because the way my neck was feeling the next day, it must have been good! Score 5 for Vail.

After an epic day of skiing at, what I now concede, one of the best ski areas in the world, I was a little worried to return to my little Sunlight. There was no need for the concern, however. The Putnams and I spent some time yesterday running the glades here at Sunlight. Even on one of the busiest weekends of the year, we had the place to ourselves and found some beautiful pockets of powder within the aspen groves. Plus, after a day of skiing here, we relaxed in the Hot Springs and had a fantastic dinner out without paying the exorbitant fees of Vail. Score 100 for Sunlight! (I can't help but be a little biased)

Struggling in the powder at Sunlight!

12 DAYS UNTIL THE IDITAROD!