#VailBen Dispatch 9: Learning About The Mountain—and Myself—at Adventure Ridge

Benjamin (left) at the top of the China Bowl.

Adventure Ridge isn’t kids stuff.

I learned this the hard way last Saturday when I made my way up to Eagle’s Nest for a day of activities at the top of the mountain.

Adventure Ridge at Vail

Ziplining, ropes courses, biking, hiking, horseback riding, great food, unbelievable views…there are so many reasons to ride up Vail’s Eagle Bahn Gondola to visit Adventure Ridge at Vail.

#VailBen Dispatch 6: Mountain Biking Down Vail

An intro to mountain biking with on of Vail’s expert guides.

Benjamin (right) with friend Carrie Wilbanks and guide Steve Hill.

You can’t fight Vail mountain.

I learned this back in college, when several friends, who were into downhill mountain biking, told me that speed was your friend.

#VailBen Dispatch 5: Learning to Love Fly Fishing

Benjamin and his fly fishing guide Alex

I am not the first person to compare fly fishing to golf. But after spending a day angling near Vail, Colorado, the parallels became clear.

#VailBen Dispatch 3: The Perfect Time for Whitewater Rafting is Now

Benjamin (right) after conquering the Class Four Rapids of the Upper Eagle River.

All anyone could talk about was how high the water was. Huge winter snowfalls combined with a fast-arriving Spring meant that river runoff in the Vail Valley had pushed local rivers to their peaks. I had seen the raging Gore Creek during the GoPro Mountain Games but I had no idea how good the whitewater was until I found myself in the middle of some Class Four rapids.

#VailBen Dispatch 2: GoPro Mountain Games, Vail’s Best Kept Secret

Benjamin interviewing pro skier and avid stand up paddler, Steven Nyman, during the GoPro Mountain Games. Credit: Michael Brown. Courtesy: Adventure Film School.

I’m convinced. The GoPro Mountain Games has got to be Vail’s best kept secret. I’m not exactly sure how or why I didn’t know about this epic weekend of emerging sports, gear giveaways, and rock and roll, but I’m sure glad I know about it now.

Vail opens for Summer Operations