What's Going On

The Vail Trail published its final issue yesterday after a 43-year run. The primary cause for the venerable weekly magazine's end was, as it has been for so many failing print publications of late, the struggling economy. The Vail Trail was founded in 1965 by George Knox and was then a daily publication (The Trail switched to a weekly format in 2001). It was Vail's original and only newspaper until The Vail Daily was born in 1981. The two publications maintained a vigorous rivalry until 2004 when Swift Communications, The Vail Daily's parent company, purchased The Vail Trail. Don Rogers, editor and associate publisher of The Vail Daily and The Vail Trail, had the following to say in the magazine's final issue.

A triumvirate of Vail powerhouses are joining forces in defense of the environment. Vail Resorts, Vail Sports and the Town of Vail are partnering with SnowSports Industries America for a three day “Keep Winter Cool: Snow Sports Recycling Solution” event, where locals can drop off old ski and snowboard equipment for recycling.

In addition to waking up to a bright new chapter for the United States of America, Vail awoke to about 4 inches of snow on Wednesday morning.

Vail's newest sculpture carries extra weight on Nov. 5, 2008, after at least four inches of snow fell in Vail Village.

Yes, the mild days of fall feel like they could be a thing of the past (at least until April or so), and according to the forecast, we should get snow through Thursday evening.

This will bode well for anyone drooling with anticipation all over their Vail Resorts ski pass, because Keystone and Breckenridge open this Friday, Nov. 7.

The snow guns can also be seen and heard adding their magic to Mother Nature's contribution on Vail Mountain, which is scheduled to open Nov. 21, followed by Beaver Creek Nov. 26.

Cold as we may be today, we are proud to be American and finally ready to think about skiing. Don't leave the warmth of your home or office without hats and mittens!

You'll barely be off the airplane before you catch your first glimpse of Vail Resorts.

Vail Resorts, which owns and operates Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge and Keystone ski resorts in Colorado as well as Heavenly in California, closed on its latest investment on Monday, Nov. 3, 2008, Colorado Mountain Express (CME).

Colorado Mountain Express is the year-round ground transportation service (vans and luxury SUVs) that offers service from Denver International Airport and Eagle County Airport to destinations in Eagle County, Summit County and Aspen.

The company's fleet of 250 vehicles transports more than 420,000 people each year and Vail Resorts chief executive Rob Katz said the transportation service fits nicely into VR's aim of easy, fuel-efficient access to the mountains.

Colorado Mountain Express came at the sum of $38.3 million.

It's not unusual for local celebrities to stir up national attention, but in the course of about a week, two very recognizable faces were beaming from very prominent platforms.

Meet Local Kayak Pro Brad Ludden

The valley's very own Brad Ludden was recently named Colorado's Sexiest Bachelor in Cosmopolitan. The strapping 27-year-old pro kayaker founded local nonprofit First Descents, an organization geared toward helping cancer survivors. Replete with six-pack (of the flesh) gleaming through his opened button-down, Ludden looks completely natural among the other scantily clad "hottest bachelor" candidates. Check them out.

Also, Eagle County's own Muhammad Ali Hasan was featured on the front page of cnn.com earlier this week. The local 28-year-old candidate for the Colorado State Senate was mentioned in an article on Muslim-Americans' involvement in politics and the upcoming presidential election.

See what Hasan had to say on Plum a few months ago.