2009-2010 Our Second Season Skiing Vail, CO and Our Tenth Entire Season Skiing Somewhere in the World

The 2009-2010 Vail Valley Ski Season started off slowly. There just wasn't enough snow to make the skiing interesting. There were some lovely powder days but compared to the 2008-2009 ski season, neither the amount nor the quality of the snow was memorable. 


The occasional snow falls were just enough for some of Audre's occasional powder skiing

Every Monday at 9:15 a.m. Dimitri and Audre showed up at Bailey's Cafe at the top of the Eagle Bahn Gondola to ski with 50+ Ski With Us (a free guided day of skiing sponsored by Vail Mountain). And every Monday we had a fabulous time skiing with the group. Sometimes we would ski with Paul Bigsby, sometimes with Tom Edwards and sometimes with Bob; each of these Guest Services Volunteers were great guides and personable to be with. It was extraordinary that often the new snow would arrive on Sundays during the 2009-2010 season and Monday 50+ Ski With US would be a "pow pow day".

The Red Coat Guest Services Volunteer in this snap is Tom Edwards with a Monday 50+ Ski With Us group

Sometimes we skied Beaver Creek too. And, once we gave a tour of Beaver Creek to the Extended Richmond Clan.

Dimitri gave the Richmonds a tour of Beaver Creek and also took this photo


Even though on February 1, 2010, Vail Mountain only had a 36" base and had had 138" total snow to that date (about 70% of normal), the season wasn't over yet. It started snowing and the conditions got better and better. Although our season ski day totals were not impressive (just over 40 days--about the same as our second season in Val d'Isere, France), the late season newly-fallen snow quality was awesome (some days).



Generally during the season, we skied one day a week at Beaver Creek (and Audre skied the Birds of Prey top to bottom with some grace and style). It seemed to get boring, however, because we repeated runs too often there. Seeing the Crystal Grotto one day was really fun though.

The impressive handmade ice instruments and ice cave at the Crystal Grotto at Beaver Creek

One of the coolest events of the season at Vail was the Epic Passholder Appreciation Day on March 12th. If you had bought an Epic Pass for the season and you got to Look Ma Restaurant at Mid Vail before noon, you got a $15 lunch. Audre got an Epic Burger and fries, Dimitri got a huge wrap and fries and we felt very appreciated. Not only did we only pay $599 for our Epic Pass but we got lunch thrown in as well. That afternoon was an apres party at the Arrabelle Club's Great Room. We wanted to see the Great Room and so we went for our free drinks and nibbles. Unfortunately, there wasn't enough beer for free so we felt under-appreciated (until we found the manager who solved our problem). The nibbles were okay and the Great Room was not great enough to justify the expense of joining the Arrabelle Club!

The Taste of Vail Mountaintop Picnic is a blast, with fantastic views, food and wine

3 comments:

  1. I was awed by the instruments made in ice. Its a work of art that can be played.

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  2. So many people really visit the ski valleys every year just to unwind, see the white colored mountains surroundings and of course ski down the slopes.

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  3. Hope you had a great time. There's a lot of things to do there I guess.

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