Snow-Packed: What to Bring on Your Ski Vacation to the Vail Valley

Vail, Colorado has been a favorite ski and winter destination in the country and worldwide. The valley’s top feature, Vail Mountain, offers a variety of challenging ski spots and scenic, snow-coveredlandscapes. It is home to the finest snow sports schools in the world, with resorts, ski and snowboard shops, amenities and events to complete a delightful alpinevacation.

As a family business, we want visitors to have a memorable and comfortable winter experiencein the Vail Village. When visitors walk into our stores, we do our best to address their needs. As locals, we understand the discomfort of not having the necessary clothing, equipment and supplies to survive through climatic conditions and high altitudes in the Vail.

Though we provide a wide variety of supplies and equipment, we encourage our customers to carefully plan ahead and make the right packing decisions before heading out to the Vail.

What to Bring to Ski

Ski and Mountain Clothing and Gear

• Thick, waterproof ski jacket
• Thermal vest, light fleece, heavy jumper
• Waterproof ski pants
• Long, thick socks
• Long thermal underwear
• Neck warmer or balaclava
• Thick, waterproof gloves
• Beanie for ear protection
• Fog-free ski goggles

Street Clothes for Other Activities

• Heavy sweater, hooded sweatshirt, snow boots
• Scarves, neck gators, hats, fleece headbands, earmuffs and wool-blend, waterproof socks
• Comfortable clothes for the hotel, pajamas for sleeping
• Mountain clothes
• Sunglasses

Ski and Snowboarding Essentials and Equipment

• Skis or snowboard
• Skiing or snowboarding boots
• Lambswool padding for toes of ski boots
• Poles

Toiletries and Medical Supplies

• Sunscreen (the sun is more intense in higher altitudes)
• Lip balm with sunscreen
• Water (Drinking plenty of water helps in coping with high altitudes)
• Any or all of the following (Saline nasal spray, petroleum jelly, super-strength hand lotion, spray-on body oil, Ibuprofen, Diamox or other high-alt prescription, menthol cough drops, Melatonin to help with sleep disturbances due to high altitude, hand wipes, hand sanitizers, anti-blister Band-Aids)

Miscellaneous

• Toys or books to keep kids occupied during downtime
• Swimsuit (if your accommodation has a pool)
• Extra blankets

Daytime conditions in the Vail Valley vary from sun-filled to snowy days, and nights can be bitterly cold, which is why it is important to plan the trip around the weather forecast. Other than skiing and snowboarding, there are other fun things to do in the Vail, such as snow tubing, Nordic activities, mountain dining, and many more. We recommend visitors to bring appropriate clothing and equipment for all the activities they intend to participate in.

If you don’t have ski equipment and gear to bring, contact us today for information on our ski rentals and deliveries.