Vail Ski Resort became a major western Colorado ski destination after opening on December 15, 1962, in a then-uninhabited valley near the town of Vail. Founded by Earl Eaton, John Tweedy, Pete Seibert, Harley Higbie, and others, it grew around terrain Seibert and Eaton had come to know while connected to Camp Hale and the U.S. Army’s Tenth Mountain Division during World War II. Known for its Front Side, Back Bowls, and Blue Sky Basin, Vail expanded rapidly with lifts, highway access, and national attention. Despite a deadly 1976 gondola accident and a 1998 arson attack, it remained an important ski resort and international racing venue.