Vail opens Sun Up, Sun Down Bowls

Vail on Thursday opened Sun Up and Sun Down Bowls for the 2023-24 ski season. Here’s a statement from a Vail spokesman:

“Today, Vail Mountain opened its original Back Bowls: Sun Down Bowl & Sun Up Bowl. Known for their vast and inspiring terrain, the first of Vail Mountain’s Seven Legendary Back Bowls whisk guests into an unparalleled natural environment. Legendary for a reason, Vail Mountain’s Seven Legendary Back Bowls have been exciting guests for more than 60 years. Sun Up Express (9) and High Noon Express (5) are also now open. Early season conditions with marked and unmarked obstacles exist.”

Vail now has 20 of 33 lifts running, 169 of 278 trails and 60% of its terrain now open.

Recent storms have boosted Vail to a settled 41-inch base, but new snow is not in the forecast for a week or so.

“The southern storm delivered with 7-12+ inches of snow in the southern mountains with most of it falling on Wednesday night,” Opensnow.com meteorologist Joel Gratz reported on Thursday. “Southern snow showers will linger through Thursday, then all mountains will see dry weather for about one week. The next chance for snow will occur around December 22-25 and will again favor the southern mountains.”