Are you a gambler?
Here’s the wager: With all the pomp trumpeting the 2015 World Alpine Ski Championships at Beaver Creek, will most skiers avoid the Vail Valley for the next weeks?
If they do, that leaves lonely slopes and rowdy parties for intrepid travelers willing to roll the dice.
But check the odds: Even if unbridled hordes of cowbell-clanging race-watchers descend on Beaver Creek, the 5,000-plus acres of snow on Vail Mountain will likely be deserted, especially on the days of high-profile races that, truth be told, are easier to watch on television.
So, really, it’s not much of a gamble. The scene — with live music and village parties every night, and legendary slopeside soirées hosted by European ski teams — will certainly roil. The Vail Valley is swollen with lodging opportunities for every budget, including a bounty of local residences offered through websites like VRBO.com. The race course at Beaver Creek takes up about 3 percent of the mountain. It might be one of the best times ever to visit Vail.
“We would love to be booked solid, but what always happens during big games like this are that people are worried about crowds, and then they start staying away,” said Ceil Folz, president of the race-hosting Vail Valley Foundation. “We have room for everybody. The skiing is going to be great, and there’s going to all this free stuff going on. We’ve been saying to everyone: pay for your lodging and your beer and we pretty much will cover everything else. The races are free, the transportation is free, the music is free.”
Hard to believe, but not only could the next two weeks be one of the most festive moments in Vail Valley history, it might be one of the most affordable as well.
Skiing
With the increasing popularity of Vail’s Epic Pass, the notion of quiet weekdays on the hill is fading, especially on powder days. But with the world’s top skiers gathered mostly at Beaver Creek, maybe the crowds will be thicker at the Beav. The goal when skiing Vail is to land the free Frontage Road parking that starts once the $25 village and Lionshead parking garages fill. If Vail is busy, load up at Golden Peak or Lionshead. A favorite option on a busy Vail day is to end with a run down the Minturn Mile into the Saloon, avoiding the afternoon bustle of the village.
At the Beav, race spectators will be skiing to the racecourse or shuttling from the village, so avoid loading up in the hour before a race. The runs farthest from the race course are over on Arrowhead, Bachelor Gulch or in Rose Bowl. Load up at Bachelor Gulch’s Beaver Creek Landing and take the Lower Beaver Creek Mountain Express Lift to miss the race crowds in the Beaver Creek village.
Spectating
While the whole experience is best from the free bleachers at the 3,500-seat Red Tail Stadium, nothing really exposes the truly monster speeds of downhill racers like standing along the racecourse. Organizers advise that spectators riding the free shuttles from the village should plan for about an hour to get to Red Tail Stadium. There will be snowshoe access to the stadium as well, and with regular grooming, it’s likely you won’t really need snowshoes, just sturdy boots to reach the mid-mountain venue.
At the 1999 races, organizers carved out prime spots for skier viewing along the racecourse. Watch for maps, or maybe recon the best spectator positions along the course. Get close to the netting so you can both see and hear the rocketing skiers. For the slalom and giant slalom qualifying contests at Vail’s Golden Peak on Feb. 12 and Feb. 14, try loading up in Lionshead to avoid the crush.
Partying
It’s safe to say that après ski will be all-time during the World Championships. Avon is hosting daily (2-5:30 p.m.) concerts with food and drink at the Avon Main Street Mall. And the music is top-notch: The Travel-in’ McCourys on Feb. 4. Euforquestra on Feb. 6. Mother Hips on Feb. 7. The Motet on Feb. 10. And local firebrands Bonfire Dub close the Avon party on Feb. 14. Vail hosts the Sierra Nevada Beer Camp every day (4-8 p.m.).
Vail has developed a reputation for hosting lively winter concerts, and the Snow Daze scene grows during the World Championships with nightly concerts, including Michael Franti & Spearhead on Feb. 3; Andreas Gabalier on Feb. 4; Mix Master Mike on Feb. 5; American Authors on Feb. 6; O.A.R. on Feb. 7; Craig Wayne Boyd on Feb. 8; The Barenaked Ladies on Feb. 9; KC and the Sunshine Band on Feb. 10; Phillip Phillips on Feb. 12; and CeeLo Green closes the party on Feb. 14.
Samana Lounge hosts late-night dance parties every night as well. The Vilar Performing Arts Center in Beaver Creek (which is not free) has Russian soprano Anna Netrebko on Feb. 5 and the dancing spectacle Momix on Feb. 10.
Lodging
Organizers once touted accommodations as low as $155 a night, but those deals are long gone. Lodges close to the slopes are pricey, with nightly rates ranging from $275 to $2,000. If you don’t mind driving from Eagle, more affordable hotels downvalley can accommodate most budgets. It seems like more locals are listing their homes on vacation-rental sites like VRBO.com, so there might be some deals to find there, too.
Transportation
This is one of the nicest things about a Vail holiday. Park your rig and leave it. Free buses are consistent and reliable. Buses run every half-hour between Vail, Avon and Beaver Creek from 7 a.m. to midnight. Tip: Try to avoid that last bus of the night unless you find boisterous drunks entertaining.
Eating
Every day in Beaver Creek Village, the party will include food and drink options at the International Experience Pavilion, including breakfast for early arrivals. While the Vail Valley offers some top-tier dining options — Terra Bistro, Sweet Basil and The Left Bank, to name a few — the valley’s array of restaurants mirrors most urban locales. There are authentic Mexican joints like La Cantina in the Vail parking structure, and Fiesta Jalisco and No Se Hagan Bolas in Avon. The Avon Bakery and Deli has affordable breakfast and lunch and Loaded Joe’s is a bustling coffee cafe. Pazzo’s in both Vail and Avon will have lines out the door, but the pizza is worth the wait. The new Boxcar Restaurant in Avon next to Christy Sports is emerging as a locals’ favorite, rivaling Vail’s popular Mountain Standard beneath Sweet Basil.
Jason Blevins: 303-954-1374, jblevins@denverpost.com or twitter.com/jasonblevins
Schedules and more
Race schedules and spectators guides are available at vailbeavercreek2015.com
