World Alpine to Vail?

Just read on First Tracks!! that Vail is making its bid this week for the 2013 FIS World Alpine Ski Championships. A decision is expected Thursday by the International Ski Federation Congress, which is meeting in my old stomping grounds, Cape Town. (Love that - ski folks meeting by the beach!)

It Vail gets the nod it will be 14 years since the FIS Alpine Ski World Championships have been held outside Central Europe or Scandinavia. Bring it on!

Now, let's get back to the discussion about "locals only" mountain bike trails...

weekend slopes or trails?

That's a shot from Loveland on Friday. Nice April skiing. It was tempting, but so were local trails. I stayed local - way local, as in Garden of the Gods. It was nice to get out in the sun.

Oh, and Amy Kemp from Vail Resorts sent more info about those RF scanners in the works for next year. She says they'll use handheld devices "that will still show your pass photo and pass info." Looks like there'll still be lifties AND pass/line wranglers. Nice to know we're keeping people in the equation.

Vail opening, with fingers crossed for snow

(The photo shows snowguns shooting away this morning, ahead of the predicted snowstorm.)

Vail is set to open its 45th season Wednesday with skiing and riding on Born Free, served by the Born Free Express Lift (Chair 8).

Lift tickets on opening day are $59, $49 for seniors and $39 for kids 12 and younger.

The goal is to have the upgraded Little Eagle Lift (Chair 15) open for beginners by this weekend, and then to expand as snow falls.

What else is new? The Highline Lift (Chair 10) and Sourdough Lift (Chair 14) were replaced this summer with new high speed quads. Both will cut time to Two Elk Restaurant, China Bowl and Blue Sky Basin.

Improvements and expansions to the Golden Peak Children’s Center and Small World Nursery and the Mountain Plaza should make registering kids, renting gear and getting lift tickets easier than ever.

All we need is snow.

Dumping on our playgrounds

Attention, fellow Front Rangers:

Folks at Vail sent these photos and word they woke up to 4 inches of snow in town - and more on the mountain.

(Vail Village at 9 this morning / Vail Resort)

(Beaver Creek at 8 this morning. / Beaver Creek Resort)

They're expecting more snow through Friday morning with another storm predicted to start Saturday night.

They're making snow at Keystone and Breckenridge, getting ready for a Nov. 9 opening. Vail kicks off Nov. 16 and Beaver Creek, Nov. 21.

Everyone's touting new equipment and terrain and lodging/skiing/boarding packages. We'll take a look in an upcoming Out There section of The Gazette, or you can poke around the resort Web sites for details.