Vail Adds 520 Acres for Colorado Skiers

Vail in Colorado, which bills itself as the largest ski resort in North America, got even bigger last week when it opened the 520-acre Blue Sky Basin--its largest expansion since China Bowl in 1988. Vail Resorts’ total skiable area is now 5,164 acres.

Blue Sky Basin, south of Vail Mountain’s Back Bowls, features groomed trails that thread through forests, affording intermediate skiers and snowboarders the chance to navigate through trees on wide, smooth paths, spokeswoman Kristin Yantis said; forested areas are typically ungroomed in ski resorts and therefore more difficult to ski.

The basin area also has three high-speed quad chairlifts, a warming hut and restrooms. Although most of it is geared to intermediate skiers, about 25% is for advanced skiers. Eventually 365 more acres are to open in the basin, but the date hasn’t been set, Yantis added. Blue Sky Basin is included in Vail’s $59-per-day lift ticket price. Tel. (970) 845-2500.