Sun Down Bowl
This is a large bowl that has several small gullies running downward through it. This brings lots of variation in the terrain and you will need to take several runs if you want to explore the entire bowl.
Vail opened the Sun Down Express in January 2023 in order to improve traffic flow in this part of the Back Bowls. This lift (Lift #17) now runs directly up the center of the bowl. Most of the photos on this page were taken prior to this chairlift being installed.
Terrain Info
Mostly open-bowl skiing with patches of pine trees and aspen trees, several gullies as the bowl funnels down into the lower portion. Small cliffs on skier’s right.
Mongolia Bowl Stats
- Opened: 1962
- Vertical Drop: Approx 1,850'
Getting to the Sun Down Bowl – There are multiple lifts that will get you into this bowl from the front and back sides of Vail. Use any of the following chairlifts to access the Sun Down Bowl: #3, #4, #5, #7, #11, #17.
Above: Patches of pine trees at the center of the Sun Down Bowl. The Wildwood Lodge is barely seen at the top of the bowl near the middle of the photo.
Below: Several photos show the western side of the bowl (skier’s right) with the small cliffs on Seldom, as well as the trails: Widge’s and Ricky’s Ridge. You’ll need to take the Ptarmigan Ridge catwalk to get over to this area.
As you get into the lower part of the bowl, the ridges and gullies begin to converge and you’ll find some cool terrain variations that you can see in the photos below.
The three skiers in the center of photo above can barely be seen. This gives you some perspective as to the enormous size of Vail’s Back Bowls.
