town and ski resort, Eagle county, west-central Colorado, U.S. It is located 100 miles (160 km) west of Denver. The town extends about 7 miles (11 km) through the Gore Creek valley in the Gore and Sawatch mountain ranges. Vail was founded by Peter Seibert and Earl Eaton, who, together with other investors, purchased the land and built the resort town in 1962 in the style of a quaint Alpine village. The skiable terrain around Vail Mountain extends for 15 square miles (39 square km), making Vail the largest ski resort in North America. It was host to the World Alpine Ski Championships in 1999. The Colorado Ski Museum/Ski Hall of Fame contains artifacts and documents relating to the sport. Inc. 1966. Pop. (1990) 3,659; (2000) 4,531.