Vail Mountain debuts new Forest Flyer alpine coaster

The Forest Flyer at Vail Mountain is now open. This gravity-based alpine coaster allows guests on individual sleds to descend on a raised track through the forest while giving riders full control of their speed. The coaster is part of Epic Discovery at Vail Mountain, which will debut in full later this month.

Epic Discovery is the first-of-its-kind comprehensive on-mountain summer adventure which will feature components such as zip lines, canopy tours, alpine coasters, wildlife trail exploration, and interactive, “learn-through-play” activities.

The Forest Flyer winds its way 3,400 feet down the mountain, following the natural contours of the landscape through the forest. The alpine coaster is located at Eagle’s Nest and can be accessed from the Eagle Bahn Gondola in Lionshead Village.

Gondola Hours

Daily – June 10 – September 5

9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Forest Flyer Operating Hours

Daily – 11:00 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Full details on all the Epic Discovery activities at Vail Mountain can be found online at www.vail.com.

About Epic Discovery: A Summer Mountain Adventure

Do you want to soar like an eagle? Travel through the forest canopy like a squirrel? Find out if you’re as strong as a bear? See the world through the eyes of a trout? This summer, Vail Resorts will embark on a new adventure as Epic Discovery debuts at Vail Mountain in Colorado in late June. Epic Discovery provides a unique, connected, on-mountain summer experience, immersing guests in activities which provide big-time thrills, allow them to challenge themselves physically, guide them to explore and better understand their natural surroundings, and ultimately create lifelong memories. This first-of-its-kind comprehensive on-mountain summer adventure will feature components such as zip lines, an aerial adventure, alpine coaster, wildlife trail exploration, and interactive, “learn-through-play” activities. Vail Mountain’s Epic Discovery proposal received final approval from the U.S. Forest Service in October 2014, and the resort began construction the following summer. Vail’s existing Adventure Ridge has already undergone enhancements with the addition of two rope challenge courses, summer tubing, a four-line Zip Flyer, as well as a kids’ challenge course and kids’ zip line. Through a partnership with The Nature Conservancy – the leading conservation non-profit organization – Epic Discovery will complement the eco-discovery experiences across the mountain with scientific content. Subsequently, Vail Resorts will utilize its new “1% For The Forest” program as a means to contribute one percent of all summer lift ticket and activity revenue to The Nature Conservancy for forest restoration projects on national forest lands. To learn more about Epic Discovery at Vail, visit www.vail.com/epicdiscovery.