Cover

Advertisement
Superior Small Lodging
Hyatt Puerto Rico

Printable version Send this page to a friend... Share this page

Mountains Of Knowledge

Just in time for your Rocky Mountain ski vacation, Vail and Breckenridge locals reveal the best runs, restaurants and bars in town.
by ALEX MILLER - November 2009

Published in :: Features

On the hill

As experienced skiers know, a ski vacation is a different kind of animal than a sleep-late-and-relax-on-the-beach getaway. When it comes to hitting the slopes, the morning is the best time to be on the mountain.

One of the biggest mistakes beginners can make is waking up late and wasting the morning renting equipment, so get everything you need the day before.

"Get up early, stick a PowerBar in your pocket and ski like a madman for three or four hours," says Jeffery Bergeron, who's gone from busboy to town council member and spends more time on the hill than most people do at work. "Don't even eat lunch."

Breckenridge newcomer Leanne Wren, a 24-year-old snowboarder who works at the local skateboard/snowboard shop The Underground, echoes the "get out early" advice - except when it comes to the terrain park, an outdoor area set aside for experienced skiers and snowboarders to do tricks. "If it's not a powder day, I'm at the park around 11, when it starts to soften up," Wren says. "It's even better right around noon when everyone's at lunch."

Knowing what time to hit the slopes is only part of the equation. "What you want is the view from 30,000 feet. You want to know how traffic flows on the hill so you can avoid lift lines," says Bergeron, who suggests bringing a six-pack or a box of doughnuts to local ski shop to tempt the employees to reveal their secrets.

In Breckenridge, the recently installed Imperial Bowl lift - touted as the highest in North America - serves great terrain, but it draws the crowds. Bergeron advises using the old T-bar surface lift on busy days, and on powder days, skipping the packed Peak 7 and 8 areas up north and going to Peak 9 and 10 first. "Most people get filtered up to Peaks 7 or 8 by the Breck Connect. On a powder day, they don't open those higher runs because of possible avalanches until later, so you can get the goods on Peak 9 and 10."

In Vail, it's best to get into the famed Back Bowls in the morning and save the front side for the afternoon. "Everyone's taking warm-up runs on the front side in the morning," says Kristin Kenney Williams, who works in community affairs for Vail Resorts.

But on powder days, Joe Steiner - a six-year Vail local who skis 100-plus days a year - says to save the Back Bowls for later. "I like to do the front side first," says Steiner, who by day works as the director of revenue management and guest services at Peak Properties. "There's plenty of steeps and the lines are shorter."

As for cruisers, Steiner points to the Avanti Express lift. "There are four really nice runs up there that are groomed everyday," he says. "My favorites are Lodgepole and Berries."

Après ski

Rather than settling for the same base-area après ski place every day, test the local watering holes. M. John Fayhee, the editor of Mountain Gazette magazine, is somewhat legendary in the Rockies as a take-no-prisoners journalist always quick to extol the mountains he loves. He's also a connoisseur of (and regular at) local bars.

"What you're looking for is the community living room," says Fayhee, who lists Moose Jaw (970-668-3931) in Frisco, just minutes from Breckenridge, as a favorite spot. Known for its great burgers (thick and savory, not too greasy), the Jaw's rough-hewn, funky interior is as comfortable as an old shoe. In nearby Dillon, another off-the-hill saloon is Pug Ryan's (www.pugryans.com), which also makes its own brews, including the award-winning Morningwood Wheat, a light, unfiltered beer. "It's intimate, and the bartenders are very friendly and welcoming - they seem happy that you came in," Fayhee says.

The younger crowd in Breckenridge hits Park Avenue Pub (970-453-5139) for dollar drinks at happy hour. "It's awesome, cheap and fun with lots of friends," Wren says. If your après ski festivities continue into the wee hours, she suggests Cecilia's (www.cecilias.tv), where the crowd is a mix of locals and visitors. There's occasional live music, but mostly it's a different theme for the DJ every night - 80s, punk, techno - along with plenty of drink specials, like two-for-one martinis or $2 cosmos.

At Vail, Williams recommends hanging out at Pepi's (www.pepis.com) inside the very Austrian, chalet-style Hotel Gasthof Gramshammer. If you're looking for old-school ski village vibe, this is the place. "Pepi's is a classic, with a great deck right in the heart of Vail Village and one of the best acoustic guitar players," she says.

Steiner says that many people gravitate to Garfinkel's (www.garfsvail.com) in Lionshead. "It has a huge patio and is always packed on sunny days," he says.

Dinnertime

In a resort area, it's easy to spend a lot for an average meal - but take it from the locals: Whether you want something casual or high end, there are many top-notch options. Wren Wertin, an avid cross-country skier and the food and dining writer for the Vail Daily, recommends Moe's Original Bar B Que (www.moesoriginalbbq.com) in Vail (with other locations in Denver and Eagle). "It's a diverse menu of Alabama-style soul food," she says. "You can go in and live large for $9. They smoke their meats fresh every day."

For a higher end meal, Wertin recommends Vail's famous La Tour (www.latour-vail.com; 970-476-4403). "It's not actually as pricy as people think," she says. "They've really adapted to the climate right now, offering the same kind of fine cuisine but with a little more accessibility, price-wise."

Steiner points to Kelly Liken (www.kellyliken.com; 970-479-0175), a seasonal American restaurant where the chef (Kelly Liken herself) uses only fresh, regional meats and produce. "From the moment you walk in to the minute you leave, everything is topnotch - the service, the wine, the food. It has the best menu in Vail," he says.

Vendetta's (www.vendettasvail.com), a legendary Italian restaurant in Vail Village, tops Williams' list if you want to mingle with locals. "It's a great place, especially if you're a Vail Ski Patrol fan - it's been their hangout for years," she says.

In Breckenridge, a visit to the funky Downstairs at Eric's (www.downstairsaterics.com) is a must. Although it's usually packed, Wren says the pizzas and burgers are worth the wait.

And in Frisco, don't miss Food Hedz World Café (www.foodhedz.com; 970-668-2000), a gourmand's kind of eatery in an unlikely retail mall location. Chef David Welch, who came from the famous Keystone Ranch restaurant, changes the items on his Continental American menu daily, and dishes like a breast of Muscovy duck with a lingonberry glaze are prepared in an open kitchen just the way you like it.

As you dine on a made-to-order meal, sip a martini in a lively après ski bar or schuss down a crowdfree powdery slope, you can relish the fact that you're experiencing these mountains in the best way possible - just like a local.

Let's Make a Deal

A ski getaway doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg. You can save big with these offers at Vail and Breckenridge.

VAIL
Stay in the heart of Vail Village and save 30% when you book your ski vacation accommodations by Dec. 1. Rates start at $172 per night for stays anytime Nov. 20 through Dec. 17. Different rates are available throughout the season and for other properties (including $133 for a one-bedroom condo). Minimum night and other restrictions apply, and rates are subject to availability and based on standard occupancy.

Save 55% - yes, more than half off your lodging - at Vail this season. This offer is valid Nov. 20 through April 17 for everything from hotel rooms to four-bedroom condos. Featured rates are subject to availability and based on standard occupancy. Visit www.vail.com for more info.

BRECKENRIDGE
Book a seven-night stay and get free, unlimited skiing all season long. You must book your stay by Nov. 15 to receive a free Summit Pass valid for unrestricted skiing at Breckenridge, Keystone and Arapahoe Basin. Featured rates are subject to availability and based on standard occupancy. Visit www.vail.com for more info.

THE EPIC PASS
Available through mid-November, this pass is almost too good to be true. For $599 (or $299 for children), you receive a full season of skiing at six Denver-area resorts (Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone, Heavenly and Arapahoe Basin). There are no blackout dates and no restrictions. Six discounted tickets come with a purchase, so friends and family can save, too. Visit www.epicpass.com for more info.

Published in :: Features

Related features

Recent features


Browse Go Features: