With an emphasis on the fundamentals, we strive to create an environment that is fun, supportive and conducive to learning. SSCV believes the mountain is one of our best teachers, so our progressions include freeskiing to build natural feel, to learn athletic skiing and to nurture a love of the sport. Our coaches utilize SSCV’s Technical Statement to complement freeskiing and fundamentals training. Video is another tool used to aid in learning. It is uploaded so athletes can view it at home or with their coach in the classroom setting.

Vail’s Golden Peak is the primary training venue for Ski & Snowboard Club Vail’s Alpine programs. Thanks to the generosity and support of Vail Resorts, SSCV is able to operate one of the best training venues in the world. Located at the easternmost point on Vail Mountain, Golden Peak is served by the Riva Bahn Express, a high-speed quad chairlift. By using SSCV’s state-of-the-art snowmaking system, training is often able to begin on Golden Peak in early November.

Years of hard work and dedication were celebrated at SSCV as Alpine ski racers closed out 2019 with expanded terrain on Golden Peak. Supporters of the project, athletes and staff, along with key partners from Vail Resorts and the U.S. Forest Service, gathered on December 30, 2019, to commemorate the event with an official ribbon cutting and inaugural ski-down on the Golden Peak Expansion, which has doubled the Alpine training and racing space for SSCV. The Expansion provides approximately 30 acres of additional alpine trail space, a brand-new surface lift and improved snowmaking infrastructure. With these enhancements, 600 vertical feet have been added to the Alpine venue, providing more than 1,700 vertical feet of total racing terrain, enough to accommodate full-length speed courses. The project creates two new Alpine trails, plus a connector that feeds into the pre-existing giant slalom start. All told, the new terrain has the capacity to accommodate as many as 18 slalom lanes or nine GS lanes per session. The new Golden Peak T-Bar features a four-minute turnaround, which will optimize training sessions and increase productivity. The expanded terrain alone can host slalom racing and training with up to 60 gates per course.

Since 2009, SSCV has made Golden Peak available to guest teams from around the world for exceptional early season training. Every November, you can find some of the best World Cup ski racers taking advantage of our world-class training venue in preparation for the World Cup season.

Every November, thanks to our state-of-the-art snowmaking system, SSCV athletes train alongside the best teams in the world who travel to Colorado to prepare for their World Cup season. Complementing our on-hill training, we are proud to have an elite strength and conditioning human performance program for our full-time athletes starting at age appropriate times for U12 and older athletes. This program offers periodic USSS SkillsQuest Fitness assessments (including functional movement screening and strength, power and cardiovascular testing), as well as customized, individual performance programs, such as strength and conditioning, movement skills and sports psychology. Our state-of-the-art program utilizes the latest, modern equipment and top-tier staffing to help our athletes achieve their goals and strive for excellence.