Vail, Colorado
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- There are also Vail, Arizona and Vail, Iowa.
Vail is a town located in Eagle County, Colorado, USA. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 4,531. It is famous for its skiing and other winter sports in addition to being a year round destination for outdoor activities. The ski area is currently maintained by Vail Resorts Inc. With 5,289 acres of terrain, Vail is the largest single ski mountain in North America, featuring seven bowls and intermediate gladed terrain in Blue Sky Basin. Vail sees a yearly average of 346 inches of snowfall and 300 days of sunshine. It first opened in 1962. Vail Village is modeled after a Bavarian Village with pedestrian streets and rugged mountain backdrops.
On October 19, 1998, the Earth Liberation Front set fire to the Two Elks Restaurant on Vail Mountain, causing $12 million in damage.
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Geography
Vail is located at 39°38'9" North, 106°21'47" West (39.635757, -106.362984)Template:GR. It has an average elevation of 8150 feet.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 11.8 km² (4.5 mi²), with no lakes. There is, however, at least one pond in Vail. Gore Creek flows from east to west through the center of the town.
Mount of the Holy Cross is visible from the top of Vail mountain.
Vail is surrounded by the White River National Forest.
Vail Mountain is comprised of three sections: The Front-Side, Blue Sky Basin, and the Back Bowls. The Back Bowls has the most amount of expert/difficult terrain on the mountain. Blue Sky Basin, on the other hand, is perfect for most skiers, as 47% of the terrain is classified as intermediate/more difficult. For those newer to the sport the Front-Side is the place to learn as 28% of the terrain is considered beginner/easiest.
Demographics
As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there were 4,531 people, 2,165 households, and 762 families residing in the town. The population density was 385.3/km² (999.0/mi²). There were 5,389 housing units at an average density of 458.3/km² (1,188.1/mi²). The racial makeup of the town was 94.13% White, 0.29% African American, 0.49% Native American, 1.66% Asian, 0.09% Pacific Islander, 1.43% from other races, and 1.92% from two or more races. 6.20% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 2,165 households out of which 11.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 30.0% were married couples living together, 3.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 64.8% were non-families. 33.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 2.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.09 and the average family size was 2.62.
In the town the population was spread out with 9.9% under the age of 18, 14.8% from 18 to 24, 47.9% from 25 to 44, 22.6% from 45 to 64, and 4.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 140.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 143.0 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $56,680, and the median income for a family was $66,389. Males had a median income of $33,534 versus $32,065 for females. The per capita income for the town was $42,390. 6.6% of the population and 1.8% of families were below the poverty line. 0.9% of those under the age of 18 and 7.2% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.
The Vail valley is currently in the midst of a population boom. It is predicted that by 2020, the valley, including Vail and its environs will be home to 80,000 people. This is primarily because Vail, being a ski resort, makes most of its money off of real estate, thus ensuring that the people who buy houses in the Valley will patronize the resort for years to come, even if they only use their vacation homes once a year.
Transportation
Vail is served by Eagle County Airport, which is near Gypsum. Vail is modeled after European ski towns, many of which are car-free. Vail is only partially car-free, but it is practical to vacation in Vail without a car. Parking is expensive and hard to find (some hotels have none). Instead, Vail hosts the largest free shuttle bus system in the USA (For schedules see Vail Transit, for estimated arrival times visit NextBus).
Interstate 70 runs east-west through the middle of Vail. It is the only road to Vail. East of Vail along the highway is Vail Pass; west is Eagle-Vail.
Resort statistics
Elevation
- Base: 8,120 ft / 2,475 m
- Summit: 11,570 ft / 3,527 m
- Vertical Rise: 3,450 ft / 1,052 m
Trails
- Skiable Area: 5,289 acres
- Trails: 193 total (18% beginner, 29% intermediate, 53% advanced/expert)
- Longest Run: Riva Ridge - 4 miles / 6.4 km
- Average Annual Snowfall: 346 inches / 881 cm
- Terrain Parks: 2
Lifts
- 34 total
- 1 Gondola (12 person)
- 14 Hi-Speed Quads
- 1 Fixed Grip Quad
- 3 Triple Chairs
- 5 Double Chairs
- 10 Surface Lifts
Points of interest
External links
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