Every February one of the world’s biggest snowboarding competitions graces the slopes of Golden Peak at Vail Mountain. The hype slowly builds throughout the season until the week finally arrives and the town comes alive with the buzz of eager fans from all over the world.
Hundreds of snowboarders and skiers alike flock to the mountain to watch the best of the best duke it out. This week long, high- flying, nerve-wracking event is full of excitement and fun, offering all day and into the night treats for both athletes and spectators.
The week commences with the Junior Jam halfpipe competition. Watch as the next generation of up-and-coming snowboard stars show off their skills and compete for their first U.S. Open title. Followed by two days of semi-finals for both the halfpipe and slopestyle competitions. Join in on the thrill of who will make it and who just won’t make the cut. Perhaps the most exciting, the last two days are filled with intense runs and insane tricks while the best of them battle it out in the men’s and women’s finals. Climb up to the top of the halfpipe and stare in amazement as athletes soar overhead spinning enough times to make us all dizzy.
Biding your time between athletes taking their runs or even different events is the furthest thing from boring. There’s tons going on everywhere you look from an entire field of vendor booths giving away every sort of swag you can think of to a massive Burton pop-up shop, Larkspur patio bar, and so much more can keep you and the young ones entertained for hours. Not to mention taking your own runs alongside the pros on Chair 6. If you’re lucky enough you might even get to ride the chair up with some pretty big names.
As if that wasn’t already enough going on, there’s nightly entertainment to top off the day. Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday there’s special live music at local bars and a fundraising party, but for the latter half of the week, there is three days of free concerts featuring well known artists. Finally to wrap up the crazy week, there’s a
closing party at the Dobson Ice Arena in Vail. Top artists perform to an area slammed with all of your closest Vail friends and the VIP section watches over from the balcony above the performer.
With various events taking place in Vail throughout the season, and even the year, none is more enthralling than the Burton U.S. Open. An action packed week that is sure to leave you wanting to return year after year, there’s nothing quite like it. Even if you can only make it up for a couple day, one day, the weekend, a half day, whenever you can come, do it. If you’re a fan of mountain sports, this is one event you don’t want to miss.
