VAIL Like nothing on earth.™

“Like Nothing On Earth”?!! Really?

By: Janet Lawrence

One of my co-workers, Jess Platt, tells the story of her introduction to our mountain. She landed in Vail in the early season of 2013.  She had only skied the front side to begin with, already was wow’d and  thought she might have landed in skier heaven. The north face of our dear mountain had so much to offer this East coast ski racer and she had been carving up every trail on the front of the map. Vail was already the most skiable acreage, softest snow and greatest ski area she’d ever seen.

One day a new work friend let her know, “Hey, the Back Bowls just opened up, wanna go?” Jess said she didn’t really know what that even meant, but, “Hey, sure I’m in”.

She followed her pal, skied over the ridge to the back, jumped right in teetering in the deep on her shorty eastern slalom skis, and couldn’t believe her eyes. The massive area, the pure expansiveness and freedom of space was all overwhelming.  The snow was light, deep, and ridiculously fluffy.  Today, she laughs when she tells of this first time in the bowls and says she had to stop skiing and put up her goggles. They were all fogged up, because she, this adult, experienced, hard core ski racer, was literally crying with amazement and joy!   It’s true ! There really is nothing else on Earth like our Vail!!

Author: Janet Lawrence, of the Vail Ski and Snowboard School. Janet grew up skiing in Upstate New York and came to Vail in 1997. She has been working in the Vail Ski and Snowboard School since, first as an instructor then a Trainer and a  Supervisor in the Golden Peak Children’s School. In the off- season she sails and bikes and works with children at an outdoor day camp