Vail

Year after year, Vail logs more than a million "skier days" (the ski industry's measure of ticket sales), perpetuating its ranking as one of the top two or three most popular resorts in North America. From the top of China Bowl to the base of the Lionshead Gondola, the resort is more than 7 mi across. The vast acreage is roughly divided into three sections: the Front Side, the Back Bowls, and Blue Sky Basin. Snowboarders will find plenty of steeps on the Front Side, and technical challenges at the Golden Peak Terrain Park, but they should avoid the Back Bowls, where long catwalks can get slow in the afternoon sun.

Vail is perhaps best known for its legendary Back Bowls, more than 3,000 acres of wide-open spaces that are sensational on sunny days. Standing in any one of them, it's difficult to get a visual perspective, as skiers on the far side resemble Lilliputians. These bowls stretch from the original Sun Up and Sun Down to Game Creek on one side and Teacup, China, Siberia, and Outer Mongolia bowls on the far side. The terrain ranges from wide, groomed swatches for intermediate skiers to seemingly endless bump fields to glades so tight that only an expert boarder can slither between the trees. When there's fresh powder, these bowls beckon to skiers intermediate and above. But after the fresh snow has been tracked up by skiers and pummeled by wind and sun, it may be wise for less-than-expert skiers to stay in the groomed sections of the bowls.

The Front Side of Vail Mountain delivers a markedly different experience. Here there's lots of wide-trail skiing, heavily skewed toward groomed intermediate runs, especially off the Northwood Express, Mountaintop Express, and Avanti Express lifts, as well as the slopes reachable via the Eagle Bahn Gondola. Pockets of advanced and expert terrain are tucked in and around the blue-marked slopes. The upper parts of Riva Ridge (the Glade) and the top of Prima (the Cornice) are just a few of the places you'll find skilled skiers. The best show in town is on Highline (you can see it while riding Chair 10), where the experts groove through the moguls and those with a bit less experience careen around the bumps. The other two extremely difficult double-black-diamond trails off this slow lift are the best cruisers on the mountain for skilled skiers.

It takes time (as long as 45 minutes) to reach Blue Sky Basin, made up of three more bowls, but it's worth the effort. Tucked away in a secluded corner of Vail, this 645-acre area has been left in a wilder state, and the majority of the terrain is never groomed. Intermediate skiers will find a few open trails with spectacular views of rugged mountain peaks. For advanced and expert skiers, the real fun is playing in glades and terrain with names such as Heavy Metal, Skree Field, the Divide, and Champagne Glade. 800/404-3535. www.vail.com. Mid-Nov.-mid-Apr., daily 9-4.

Facilities

3,450-foot vertical drop; 5,289 skiable acres; 18% beginner, 29% intermediate, 53% expert (the majority of this terrain is in the Back Bowls); 1 gondola, 16 high-speed quads, 1 regular quad, 2 triples, 3 doubles, 9 surface lifts.

Lessons & Programs

The Vail and Beaver Creek Ski and Snowboard School (970/479-4330) runs classes for skiers of all levels. The school at Vail has almost 1,000 instructors who teach in 30 languages. Afternoon-only group lessons are $80 to $90, depending on the season. All-day lessons are $120. Special workshops and clinics are offered throughout the year. Beginners take three-day courses that include equipment rental and lift passes. Workshops for women, teen sessions, and telemark courses are among the programs targeting specific groups.

Lift Tickets

Few skiers pay the walk-up rate of $92 for a one-day lift ticket. Colorado's Front Range skiers purchase a variety of season passes. Most vacationers purchase lift-and-lodging packages, or go online to buy multiday lift passes at discounted rates. A lift ticket purchased at either Vail or Beaver Creek may also be used at Breckenridge, Keystone, and Arapahoe Basin.

Rentals

Vail Sports (600 Lionshead Pl. 970/479-0600. www.vailsports.com) is within steps of the lifts. The shop rents a wide range of ski gear, including high-end equipment. Prices for skis range from $35 to $55 a day. Book online and save up to 10% on daily rentals and up to 20% for rentals of five days or more. At Lionshead, at One Track Mind Snowboard Shop (492 E. Lionshead Circle. 970/476-1397) you can rent everything you need for snowboarding.

Beaver Creek

Beaver Creek is a piece of nirvana, partly because of its system of trails and partly because of its enviable location two hours from Denver. Although only a third the size of Vail, Beaver Creek is seldom crowded. The skiable terrain extends from the runs down Beaver Creek to the slopes around Bachelor Gulch to the network of trails at Arrowhead. You can easily ski from one village to another.

Beaver Creek has a little of everything, from smoother slopes for beginners to difficult trails used for international competitions. Grouse Mountain, in particular, is famed for its thigh-burning bump runs. Beginners have an entire peak, at the summit of Beaver Creek Mountain, where they can learn to ski or practice on novice trails. (And newcomers can return to the village on one of the lifts if they are too tired to take the long trail all the way to the bottom.) Intermediate-level skiers have several long cruising trails on the lower half of Beaver Creek Mountain and in Larkspur Bowl. Both locations also have black-diamond trails, so groups of skiers and snowboarders of varying abilities can ride uphill together. The Birds of Prey runs, like Peregrine and Redtail, are aptly named, because the steepness of the trails can be a surprise for skiers who mistakenly think they are skilled enough to take on this challenging terrain. The days of snowboarders getting snubbed in Beaver Creek are long gone, and shredders can tackle a series of terrain parks with increasing difficulty from Park 101 to the Zoom Room and on to the Moonshine half-pipe.

The slopes of neighboring Bachelor Gulch are a mix of beginner and intermediate trails. Here you can often find fresh powder hours after it's gone elsewhere. Many of the open slopes weave past multimillion-dollar homes where the cost of real estate is even higher than in Beaver Creek. The Ritz-Carlton Bachelor Gulch, which sits at the base of the lift, is one of the region's most beautiful hotels. A stop here is a must for any architecture buff. Many skiers plan to arrive in time for a hearty lunch at Remington's or an après-ski cocktail in the Buffalo Bar or the Fly Fishing Library. There are shuttles handy to take you back to Beaver Creek.

The third village in the area, Arrowhead, has the best and usually the least crowded intermediate terrain. Locals take advantage of sunny days by sitting on the spacious deck at the Broken Arrow Café. It's not much more than a shack, but the burgers can't be beat. The European concept of skiing from village to village was introduced here in 1996 when the new owners, Vail Associates, decided to connect Arrowhead, Beaver Creek, and Bachelor Gulch via lifts and ski trails. 800/404-3535. www.beavercreek.com. Late Nov.-mid-Apr., daily 9-4.

Facilities

4,040-foot vertical drop; 1,805 skiable acres; 19% beginner, 43% intermediate, 38% advanced; 2 gondolas, 10 high-speed quads, 2 triples, 2 doubles, 1 surface lift.

Lessons & Programs

The Vail and Beaver Creek Ski and Snowboard School (970/476-3239) runs classes at both resorts. At Beaver Creek there are about 600 instructors; lessons are offered in more than 20 languages. Afternoon-only group lessons are $80 to $90, depending upon the season. All-day lessons are $120. Special workshops and clinics are offered throughout the year. Beginners take three-day courses that include equipment rental and lift passes. Workshops for women, teen sessions, and telemark courses are among the programs targeting specific groups of skiers.

Lift Tickets

Few skiers pay the walk-up rate of approximately $92 for a one-day lift ticket. Most vacationers purchase lift-and-lodging packages for Beaver Creek, or go online to www.snow.com and purchase multiday lift passes at discounted rates. A lift ticket purchased at Beaver Creek may also be used at Vail, Breckenridge, Keystone, and Arapahoe Basin.

Rentals

Beaver Creek Sports (Beaver Creek Village. 970/754-5418) rents ski equipment for $45 to $60, depending upon whether you choose regular or high-performance gear.