Vail Eagle Bahn Gondola... Getting To The Top For Skiing

When you visit Vail Colorado you will experience there, why this resort is frequently ranked as one of Ski Magazine's Top 10 ski areas. In front of Vail there are hundreds of trails, as well as more high-speed quads than any area in the country. Professional skiers love the back bowls and mostly excited about the opening of the new Blue Sky Basin. The best areas for beginners are Golden Peak and the top of the gondola. There are also short green runs under the Sourdough Lift. Transitional cruisers will enjoy the runs under the Eagle Bahn Gondola and any run under the Avanti express chair.

Regular visitors to Vail will know exactly what I mean by the word "Eagle". But for those who haven't been there, let alone read about the place, you might want to read on.

Let's go straight to the object of this text: The Eagle Bahn Gondola. This gondola is the only one of its kind in Vail, Colorado; the rest are single, high speed double, and high speed quad lifts. Perhaps a short orientation on the jargon should be in place here. Single, double and quad refer to the capacities of these lifts; single for one, double for two, and quad for four. For comparison, typical gondolas have capacities between 2 to 16.

Since the gondola can hold more passengers than the lifts it is understandable that many groups would like to catch a ride on it. Another reason is the fact that lifts are open, in fact much like a bench dangling from a long horizontal cable. This can be a major issue for those who are not so comfortable with heights. Gondolas, being closed, give the riders a certain degree of reassurance.

The gondola starts its trip from Lionshead, a bustling neighborhood of pedestrian activity, to Eagles Nest, the geographical apex of this majestic ski mountain resort. As your ride ascends to the top, you will see Vail in its entire immaculate-white splendor sprawling underneath. Upon reaching the top for the first time, with all the mountaintops at eye-level, you'll get an overwhelming rush of euphoria. It's as if you've conquered the mountain itself.

Once you've finally shaken yourself back to reality, you can linger around for awhile at the top before dashing down the slopes for your first dose of the coolest, well literally speaking, adrenaline rush. Just be sure you've correctly chosen the run appropriate for your level of expertise. Whatever you do, if you're a beginner, don't go to the back side of the mountain. Virtually all of the runs there are strictly for the experts.

One last thing, now that you know what eagle you'll be riding, you may want to choose a lodging that's as close to the base of the gondola as possible. You wouldn't want to ruin your first trip here by catching yourself at the end of a long waiting line. There are numerous hotels and condominiums nearby, so its just a matter of picking one that suits you the most.