There is also a place named Vail in Arizona.

Vail is a town located in Eagle County, Colorado. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 4,531. It is famous for its world class skiing and accommodations. It is the location of the largest ski area in the United States.

Geography

Vail is located at 39°38'9" North, 106°21'47" West (39.635757, -106.362984). It has an average elevation of 8150 feet.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 11.8 km² (4.5 mi²), with no lakes.

Mount of the Holy Cross is visible from the top of Vail mountain.

Vail is surrounded by the White River National Forest .

History

The first inhabitants were the Ute Indians who used the fertile valley land as their summer hunting and fishing grounds until the mid-19th Century.

Then from 1854-56, American frontiersmen Jim Bridger and Irish-American Lord Gore ventured into this beautiful mountainous Rockies area and revealed its existence. Today you can still see reminders of their explorations in the names of the mountains and valleys that Bridger named in honor of Gore.

In 1874, miners looking to get-rich-quick came to the Vail area after the news spread that there were gold and silver "in them thar hills". This discovery brought many people to this mountain area and eventually drove out the Ute Indians. The Back Bowls are evidence of the Ute's revenge. They burned thousands of acres of forest that never grew again.

Vail, as we know it today, started in the 1940s after a group of buddies from the famous 10th Mountain Division ski troop returned from World War II to their training grounds in Gore Valley. The brave veterans were Pete Seibert, Bill "Sarge" Brown and Bob Parker. They fulfilled their dreams in 1965 and turned a tranquil sheep pasture into the now internationally famous Vail ski resort that encompasses 6 square miles of snowy ski trails.

Today, this once small mountain area dependent on mining and agriculture has grown to over 32,000 residents. The varying mountain lands and climate draw fishermen to the temperate river valleys, skiers to the snow-capped peaks, and would be cowboys to the open ranch lands. The magnificent Colorado Rockies of Eagle County have become an international vacation destination centered around Vail, Beaver Creek, Arrowhead and Aspen resorts.

Demographics

As of the census² of 2000, there are 4,531 people, 2,165 households, and 762 families residing in the town. The population density is 385.3/km² (999.0/mi²). There are 5,389 housing units at an average density of 458.3/km² (1,188.1/mi²). The racial makeup of the town is 94.13% White, 0.29% African American, 0.49% Native American, 1.66% Asian, 0.09% Pacific Islander, 1.43% from other races, and 1.92% from two or more races. 6.20% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There are 2,165 households out of which 11.8% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 30.0% are married couples living together, 3.0% have a female householder with no husband present, and 64.8% are non-families. 33.2% of all households are made up of individuals and 2.7% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.09 and the average family size is 2.62.

In the town the population is spread out with 9.9% under the age of 18, 14.8% from 18 to 24, 47.9% from 25 to 44, 22.6% from 45 to 64, and 4.7% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 32 years. For every 100 females there are 140.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 143.0 males.

The median income for a household in the town is $56,680, and the median income for a family is $66,389. Males have a median income of $33,534 versus $32,065 for females. The per capita income for the town is $42,390. 6.6% of the population and 1.8% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 0.9% of those under the age of 18 and 7.2% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.

The Vail valley is currently in the midst of a population boom. It is predicted that by 2020, the valley, including Vail and its environs will be home to 80,000 people. This is primarily because Vail, being a ski resort, makes most of its money off of real estate, thus ensuring that the people who buy houses in the Valley will patronize the resort for years to come, even if they only use their vacation homes once a year.

Transportation

Vail is served by Eagle County Airport, which is near Gypsum. Vail is modeled after European ski towns, many of which are car-free. Vail is only partially car-free, but it is practical to vacation in Vail without a car. Parking is expensive and hard to find (some hotels have none). Instead, Vail hosts the largest free shuttle bus system in the USA (For schedules see Vail Transit, for estimated arrival times visit NextBus).

Interstate 70 runs east-west through the middle of Vail. It is the only road to Vail.

Points of interest

• Betty Ford Alpine Gardens

External links