Vail Resorts was founded in 1962 by Pete Seibert - a World War II veteran of the 10th Mountain Division - and Earl Eaton, who had identified an undeveloped mountain in Colorado in 1957. Vail Mountain opened in December of that year with two chairlifts and a gondola. The company has since grown into one of the largest mountain resort operators in the world, running more than 40 resorts across three continents, with properties including Whistler Blackcomb in Canada, Park City in Utah, and Perisher in Australia.
The core business spans ski resort operations, lift infrastructure, and hospitality and tourism services. In 2008, Vail Resorts introduced the Epic Pass, a multi-resort season pass giving holders access to properties across its portfolio. The company also operates EpicMix, a digital platform that captures and surfaces guests' on-mountain experiences. These products reflect a broader investment in guest-facing technology alongside traditional resort operations.
The company operates across several domains relevant to workers in diverse fields:
- Resort and lift infrastructure operations
- Hospitality and tourism services
- Digital guest experience technology
- Season pass and ticketing product management
- Sustainability and mountain stewardship practices
Vail Resorts states its mission as creating an "Experience of a Lifetime" for both employees and guests. The company emphasises commitments to sustainability and mountain stewardship alongside its commercial operations.