Bowled over by Vail's slopes

AS Australia's ski fields total less than 500ha, coming face to face with more than 2000ha of terrain to play in is like diving straight from a kiddy pool into the ocean.

Alpine action ... high-speed cruising on Vail's sweeping downhill runs attracts all grades of skiers. Picture: Ken Redding / Vail Resorts

AS Australia's ski fields total no more than 480ha, coming face to face with more than 2000ha of terrain to play in is like diving straight from a kiddy pool into the ocean.

And that's exactly what Australian skiers do when they alight from their first chairlift ride at Vail, a skiers' paradise in Colorado with seven bowls, 2140ha of terrain and 33 lifts to get you there.

Vail is the most well-oiled of the US ski-resort machines. The biggest in North America after Canada's Whistler Blackcomb, it sits in the middle of I-70, America's main east-west freeway, and offers so much choice it's hard to cover them all in a week-long ski trip.

We had only four days, but managed to hit the highlights and feel as though we'd still had a good overview.

Visitors to Vail have not just one resort to conquer but four, as your lift ticket also covers Beaver Creek, Breckenridge and Keystone, all of which are close by and linked by free shuttles. All have completely distinct characters and different drawcards.

Vail is the supersize resort of the US. Everything is huge, from the wide trails to the longest bump runs in the country and the cavernous on-mountain restaurants.

Vail's status at the top of the resort hierarchy means it also attracts a slew of celebrities, such as former Australian freestyle team skier and television personality Justin Melvey, who visits every year.

On the front side of the mountain are 127 trails and four terrain parks; on the back are seven bowls and Blue Sky Basin.

The town of Vail is a pretty, Tyrolean-style village that also offers some of the most luxurious hotels in Colorado.

Beaver Creek is even more elite. Reached by a road lined with fairy light-covered fir trees, it's more intimate than Vail and is home to some of the most expensive real estate in Colorado.

But don't be fooled. Beaver Creek's slopes are steeper than Vail's – it has hosted men's downhill races – and the snow quality tends to hold up better here than at the other resorts.

A must is catching the open-air sleigh from the Arrowhead base area up to the fine dining at Zach's Cabin.

The two other resorts, Breckenridge and Keystone, cater for more intermediate skiers and families, although there are still challenges on both.

Keystone offers three mountains, the biggest night-skiing operation in the US, and oodles of tree skiing.

This is the place to get away from it all, drop down a mountainside into the trees and feel like you're skiing in the wild yet still ski back to a lift.

There's also amazing value at the Alpenglow Stube, the highest fine-dining restaurant in the US, where the expansive a la carte buffet lunch is just $25.

Set a day aside, too, for Keystone's cat skiing, which can access three bowls and a day of fresh tracks if you want.

Last but not least, Breckenridge is not one but four mountains, best suited for families and intermediates who will gain plenty of confidence on the gentle slopes.

Beginners have a huge dedicated area to themselves around the Independence Super Chair; advanced terrain can be found off the new Imperial Express Super Chair.

Installed for last season, it is now the highest lift in the US, rising to to 3960m.

The Sunday Telegraph