Recent public ski discussions show a mix of views about Vail-owned resorts, including comments on crowds, Vermont mountains, local identity, customer experience and the new Epic Ascent offering.

Some longtime skiers and residents say individual mountains can feel less local and more standardized after joining a larger resort network. Vermont reporting has documented that debate and the term some locals use for it: 'McVailing.'

A regional roundup covering Park City, Okemo, Crested Butte, Keystone, and other Vail mountain updates.

One of the most persistent complaints about Vail Resorts' expansion is not simply price or crowds. It is the feeling among some longtime skiers and residents that individual mountains lose part of their local identity after joining a much larger corporate network. Vermont: locals describe a 'McVailing' of skiing Vermont Public examined this question in depth in December 2024 after Vail acquired Stowe, Okemo and Mount Snow. The report described a term some locals use — 'McVail