Guide to the Front Side of Vail Mountain
The front side of the Vail Ski Resort is where you will find the easiest terrain, but there are still plenty of steeps, cliffs, and gladed tree areas for expert skiers and snowboarders here. There are two gondolas on the front side: Gondola One which ascends from the Vail Village side, and the Eagle Bahn Gondola which ascends from the Lionshead Village side.
We have broken the front of Vail down into the key sections below where you can see photos and information for each part of the mountain. You can also see our Guide to Vail’s Back Bowls.
See updated trail map of Vail’s website here.
Northwoods, North Rim, Prima Cornice Area
This is some of the gnarliest terrain on the front side. The cliffs that make up the South Rim and North Rim are a popular first stop on powder days. This area is accessed by the Northwoods Express Lift and the Mountaintop Express Lift on the front side, as well as by taking the High Noon Express Lift (Chair #5) on the backside.
Prima Cornice
The Prima Cornice can be seen above and below, and this area is generally even steeper than the North and South Rim terrain. This is extreme terrain, and you should never ski here alone.
Never traverse into closed terrain – The photo below shows the top of the Prima Cornice. Do not traverse across the top of this terrain if it is all roped off from above. This area has had deadly avalanches, and you may accidentally traverse into closed territory that is unsafe.
Sourdough
Sourdough is an easy beginner’s trail, and the Sourdough Express Lift gives skiers and snowboarders access to even more easy terrain in the surrounding area.
Wildwood Express, Mountaintop Express, Mid-Vail
Lifts #3 and #4 ascend from the Mid-Vail area. This gives skiers and riders access to lots of intermediate terrain that has more difficult areas interspersed throughout. You can expect this area to be busy sometimes, because this is where Gondola One brings everyone throughout the day.
The Chair 4 Cliffs
The cliffs below are located directly below the Mountaintop Express Lift. The inrun and outrun are not too steep, but it’s not the steep pitch that gets everyone… it’s usually the giant cliff across the whole trail that causes the carnage.
The Kangaroo cornice
The Kangaroo Cornice is mild compared to the Prima Cornice. You won’t find any cliffs or avalanche danger here. This is a wide-open trail at the top of the frontside that you can expect to be ungroomed.
The Lionshead & Eagle Bahn Gondola Side
The Eagle Bahn Gondola brings skiers and snowboarders from the base area to the Eagle’s Nest area on this side. The top of the Eagle Bahn is where you will find one of the designated beginner learning areas on the mountain. Aside from the learning areas, there are a few green circles here, but there are mostly intermediate ski trails on this side of the resort.
Which base area to start your day at Vail? Traversing around this mountain can take a long time if the lift lines are long, so we suggest that you choose where you start your day carefully. If you want to get to the Eagle’s Nest or the Game Creek Bowl, start on the Lionshead side. If you want to travel back to Blue Sky Basin and the Back Bowls, start in Vail Village.
You’ll see lots of rolling beginner/intermediate terrain in the area below the Eagle Bahn Gondola. You can expect most of this terrain to be groomed. See photos below.
Vail Village, Mountain Plaza, Golden Peak
Golden Peak is where you will find the main terrain park, ski school and racecourse. This is as far to the looker’s left as the mountain goes. If you start your day in Vail Village, you will likely begin closer to the Mountain Plaza base area where Gondola One is located. The Golden Peak lifts are only a short hike from there.
