Eitan’s Winter Guide to Vail

Parking is free at Vail Village and Lionshead Village for UP TO 2 HOURS. It can get very expensive after that. This is a great option if you'd like to go into the Village for dinner.

The Town of Vail (TOV) shuttle is the best way to get to and from the slopes. All shuttles in Vail are FREE. There are two shuttles stops near the unit: One is on N Frontage Rd, in front of the construction site. The second is on the corner of Chamonix Lane and Buffehr Creek Rd. I advise using Google Maps to decide which shuttle stop to wait at because it tracks the shuttle arrival times and is very accurate.

There are TWO ski villages in Vail: Vail Village and Lionshead Village. When going to the slopes, I recommend going to Lionshead. The walk from the bus station to the lift is a lot shorter at Lionshead. This is especially important if you're wearing heavy ski boots! There is also a TOV shuttle that takes you between Vail Village and Lionshead.

Try not to ski all the way to the base of Vail Mt. Usually the gondola lines at the bottom are the longest because this is where people arrive. This can eat up a lot of time.

An Epic Pass gets you 20% off at all the restaurants on the mountain. If you don't have a pass, make friends and ask to borrow it! They scan it at the register. Lunch on the mountain can eat (haha) into your budget -- pack sandwiches or buy premade meals at Safeway or City Market beforehand to save.

Base layer: Needs to be warm and form-fitting. Costco has a great option from a company called 32 Degrees. Intermediate layers: All clothing should be wicking. Everything should be made of synthetic material or wool. Do NOT wear cotton, as this absorbs moisture and can be very uncomfortable. Outer layer: Everything needs to be waterproof. You need a waterproof jacket and snow pants. Your snow pants should have a bib/overalls, or your jacket should have a powder skirt. Dress in layers. Temperatures can vary throughout the day and at the top vs bottom of mountain.

1. Sunscreen!! Despite the cold, you can totally get sunburned. The snow reflects the sun. 2. Contact lenses. I highly recommend contacts instead of glasses, as glasses can fog up and it is hard to deal with. If you are wearing glasses, I recommend a product called Cat Crap to prevent fogging. 3. Walkie-talkies. Super useful when traveling with a group.

Get your passes before you go. Lift passes are crazy expensive at the ticket window. It is cost-effective to buy the Epic Pass if you are skiing for 5+ days during a season. If you are picking up your passes at the ticket window, arrive super early on your first day of skiing because the lines can get very long. Alternatively, pick up your passes after 4pm on the day before skiing when the ticket line is likely short.

Souvenirs in the Village can be crazy expensive. All the local supermarkets -- Safeway, City Market, and Walmart -- sell the exact same Vail souvenirs such as clothing, shot glasses, postcards, keychains, etc. -- at a fraction of the price.