Vail Pass Snowmobiling Review

Adventure Information

Type of Snow Adventure: Snowmobile
Location of Adventure: Colorado,
Describe your equipment: Polaris 550 Trail Touring HP
Guide/Outfitter: Summit Snowmobiles
Lodging:
Would you recommend it?

I would recommend this experience

Adventure Video

Adventure Review

I was looking for a snowmobile adventure this winter.  My wife and I scoured the Internet looking for a place to go and who we could rent sleds from.  We wanted to do more than just go on a snowmobile tour.  We were afraid that like so many ATV adventures in the past, that if we chose a snowmobile tour that we would be in a single file line like kindergartners.  So we were looking for a non-guided rental option at a reasonable price.
We looked at 4-5 different companies all offering snowmobile adventures in the Vail Pass Winter Recreation Area.  We chose Summit Snowmobiles because they offered a non-guided half day rental option.  Our cost was $195 for the rental on this adventure plus you must pay $6 per person for a US Forest Service fee to ride in the Vail Pass Rec. Area.  Summit Snowmobiles does take credit cards, but the US Forest Service fee has to be cash and you deposit it at the unmanned Forest Service booth at the parking area for the Vail Pass Rec. Area.
Our trip was an afternoon ride from 1pm-4pm.  When we made our reservation with Summit Snowmobiles we were instructed to arrive at their shop in Frisco, Colorado at Noon to get our paperwork done and the safety briefing.  While at their shop we also selected our helmets and were given trail maps.  Chuck, Mike and the rest of their staff were friendly, honest, fair, and committed to our group having a good time.  This was all before they knew we were writing a review about them!!!  Once we were all done with everything at the shop we had to drive a few miles west on I-70 to Exit 190 to meet Chuck & Mike who trailered the snowmobiles to the Vail Pass Rec. Area.
Mike got all the snowmobiles off the trailer and started them, then all we had to do was get on and go.  Chuck instructed us to be sure and stay on groomed and packed trails.  We got on our touring sled and headed down the trail.  Our Polaris sleds worked well and were easy to drive and restart.

When we started out it was cold, windy, and cloudy, but within an hour it was sunny and warming up a bit.
Once the sun came out we were able to see some pretty views of the surrounding area.  At one point we were able to see Copper Mountain Ski Resort.  The trails were not crowded and were easy to follow.  The signage was good as well.    Chuck recommended the following trails:  Shrine Pass Road, Shrine Bowl, Lime Creek Road, and Turkey Creek Road.  We took the Shrine Pass Road, Lime Creek Road, and Shrine Bowl recommendations.  We enjoyed them all.  As you can see we would recommend this snowmobile eXpereince and gave it 4 Stars out of 5.

Here are the links to Summit Snowmobiles and information from on the Vail Pass Winter Recreation Area:
http://summitsnowmobiles.com/?page_id=42
http://www.dillonrangerdistrict.com/vail_pass_win_rec_area.pdf