Industry News
Vail Resorts will not have paper trail maps this season. Many resorts around the country will likely follow as Vail often sets the industry standard. We are in a technological era, and it is easy to access trail maps with a Google search, on apps, and even on Google Maps.
Paper trail maps are timeless. They help us find our way around unfamiliar resorts and are a fun souvenir for many. Collecting trail maps is fun—it keeps track of the places you have skied and you can make wall collages with them.
Cutting trail maps helps save on printing costs, environmental impacts, and helps prevent the spread of COVID-19. Cutting out paper maps will help Vail Resorts reach its Epic Promise Commitment to Zero goal.
Does this mean no more trail map wall collages? Will paper trail maps return next season? Let us know what you think!
Our first trip coming out to ski Vail in2 weeks. I was flabbergasted that you couldn’t even buy a trail map for the ski trails! What terrible service! I have issues with taking my gloves frequently as I have Reynauds. Can’t even imagine how to navigate on my tiny phone with a downloaded map! Found 1 used map on eBay and bought it for $40! Just crazy!
More love for paper – I can pull it out in a drizzle without damaging my phone. It’s big enough I can point out a location to a friend. I can see the whole mountain in a size big enough to read without having to remove my gloves and pinch and scroll around my screen. Paper never runs out of battery. In many mountain lighting conditions and with many lens tints I can’t even see my phone. If my kid loses her map, oh well. If she loses her phone it ruins my day.
Add it to the list of ways Vail is ruining skiing. Hopefully it doesn’t catch on.
and the EpicMix app is a mess, now they force you to download huge files for each resort, whereas the old app could display them ALL while downloading NONE
Agree, the app is now horrible. Lifts don’t show, runs without names. Its garbage
I find it very useful to take a highlighter and plan out my day on a new resort. Without a paper trailmap, that is impossible. I cannot pass the map to my buddy. Phone screens are too small. I sure hope this is a temporary thing. They already studied transmission by objects and that is not very common.
The batteries on my paper trail map never go dead ! And it always has good reception! Save the paper trail maps
Vail is Crazy to end paper ski maps. I use paper all the time with children. You can sit with kids & show them Trails on a paper map. You can plan your day, quickly & easily.
It’s just a way for Vail to Save a few pennies. Greedy & BAD for We the People, who pay for Expensive passes. Don
paper maps are a necessity…countless times i’ve been in a new resort and needed to find a trail or lift and a paper map is the only way to orientate oneself. it’s a safety and security product…please don’t get rid of the paper map!
Not all phones work in mountainous regions !
Have you ever dropped a phone from the lift in powder – say good by phone !!!
cell phone batteries hate the cold and don’t function properly.
How is covid spread on a piece of paper that spends 99% of its time in your pocket .
It’s all ludicrous and all about big brother tying to have CONTROL.
They are just cutting costs. A 10 cent piece of folded paper will no longer be included in your $150 plus day ticket.!!!
How are the going to legally warn us of skiing hazards if they don;’t the lawyers will be on top of ever scenario one can imagine