Vail was hard at work over the summer with a snowmaking expansion project – the largest in the mountain’s history – that will enhance the skiing experience beginning with the 2019-20 winter season by allowing for more diverse terrain to be open earlier.
As a result, this year's opening date has been targeted for November 15, the earliest in recent memory.
The snowmaking expansion was undertaken in an effort to create more reliable early and late-season conditions and improving existing snowmaking technology to be more energy and water-efficient.
Vail’s extensive snowmaking upgrades and expansion taking place this summer will help to ensure a pre-Thanksgiving opening day each year. Nearly 200 acres of new and enhanced snowmaking terrain this season (in addition to the current 431 acres of snowmaking terrain) will provide guests with earlier access to higher elevation terrain, a broader variety of trails, access from three base areas, and improved early season ski school terrain.
Also new for the 2019-20 season, Vail Resorts will launch an Epic Day Pass allowing guests to ski for up to 50 percent off of lift ticket window prices. Starting at as little as $106 for one day of skiing or riding at any of Vail Resorts’ North American resorts, the Epic Day Pass is perfect for those skiers and riders who may not need the unlimited skiing offered by traditional season passes. For guests looking to ski more days in a season, the Epic Pass and Epic Local Pass continue to offer the best value and variety for unlimited skiing and riding. All passes are still on sale at epicpass.com.