Is Vail good for snowboarding?
Yes, Vail is good for snowboarding, but it comes with a significant challenge: catwalks. Vail is a notoriously difficult mountain to navigate on a snowboard due to its many long, flat traverse trails. These “catwalks” connect the resort’s vast terrain, especially the areas between the Front Side and the Back Bowls. For intermediate and advanced riders, the world-class powder and parks are worth the hassle. For beginners, these flat sections can be frustrating and exhausting. Success on a snowboard at Vail depends entirely on your ability to plan your route and maintain your speed.
The Snowboarder’s Challenge: Vail’s Catwalks
Skiers can “skate” across flat sections using their poles. Snowboarders cannot. When a snowboarder loses momentum on a flat trail, the only option is to unstrap one foot and “skate” with the board, or unstrap entirely and walk. This can turn a beautiful powder day into an “awful” experience. Vail is famous for these traverses. The catwalk to get from the top of the mountain to the Back Bowls is a well-known example. The traverse from the Back Bowls to Blue Sky Basin is another long, flat journey. One of the most infamous is the three-mile-long catwalk required to get from the west side of the Back Bowls back to the Front Side. For a snowboarder caught off guard, this can mean a 30-minute ordeal of walking and pushing. It is the single biggest complaint snowboarders have about the resort.
Why Flat Sections are a Problem
The issue is not just inconvenience; it is energy. Walking in snowboard boots while carrying a board at 10,000 feet is physically draining. For a beginner or low-intermediate rider, a wrong turn onto a catwalk can sap their confidence and leg strength for the rest of the day. Even advanced riders find it frustrating, as it breaks the “flow” of riding. A fresh wax can help, but it cannot defy physics. The trail map at Vail does mark these trails, but understanding the true flatness of a green “catwalk” trail is difficult until you are already stuck on it. This navigation challenge is a critical part of the Vail snowboard experience that every rider must be aware of before they get on the lift.
How to Navigate Vail on a Snowboard
The first rule is to check the trail map and plan your day. Know which trails are catwalks and avoid them if possible. The second, more important rule is to *always* maintain your speed. When you see a flat section approaching, point your board straight and ride as fast as you safely can. Do not try to make turns or slow down until you are on a downward slope again. For beginners, it is wise to stay in one area. The Eagle Bahn Gondola (Gondola 19) in Lionshead leads to a self-contained learning area with Chair 15. This is a great place to practice without worrying about traverses. Do not attempt to cross the entire mountain until you are confident in your ability to hold speed and read terrain. With a little planning, you can avoid the flats and enjoy Vail’s legendary terrain.
