New at Vail: The High Noon Express

Vail Mountain’s legendary Chair 5, also known as the High Noon Lift and dating back to 1979, was removed following the 2009-2010 season to make way for a long-awaited high-speed quad chairlift. The High Noon Express, being installed this summer, will cut ride time nearly in half from 11 to 6 minutes and will nearly double the capacity from 1,400 people per hour to 2,400. The new lift will significantly enhance the guest experience by improving skier circulation on the mountain, particularly in the Sun Up and Sun Down Bowl areas. Opening of the new lift is set to coincide with traditional openings of Vail’s Back Bowls in early December 2010.