Vail Mountain Cleanup 2014

It’s probably happened to all of us at some point: that moment when you watch your ski pole/glove/car keys/ski pass/cell phone/credit card drop headlong into a snow bank as you ride up the chairlift, never to be seen again.

…or will it? 

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#VailBen Ongoing Dispatch: The Best Food I’ve Eaten in Vail—So Far.

Benjamin showing off his Rocky Mountain Trout at Terra Bistro.
My summer in Vail hasn’t been all rivers, and mountains, and slackline lessons. Part of having America’s Best Summer Job means experiencing all Vail has to offer—and that includes the food. In fact, dining out in Vail might be one of the best perks of the job.

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#VailBen Dispatch 4: Vail Adventure Gear Essentials

Benjamin geared-out post-ATV adventure at Camp Hale.

I’m a month into America’s Best Summer Job and I’d like to think I’ve begun to understand a few things about summer life in Vail. And one of those things is gear. People love their gear in the mountains and—almost more than during winter—summertime means one can amass quite a lot of stuff.

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#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.

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#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.

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Vail opens for Summer Operations

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#VailBen Ongoing Dispatch: My Favorite Hiking in Vail

 

Spotted this little guy along the Pitkin Creek Trail.

If someone asked me what I thought was the one thing they should do in Vail during the summertime, I would have to answer “hiking.”

Don’t misunderstand me; the Vail Valley is home to some incredible summer activities, including mountain biking, whitewater rafting, fly fishing, award-winning dining, and A-list performances. But this is a mountain town. So the best way to understand Vail is to venture into those mountains on foot.

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