Our Favorite Month of the Year!

It’s the time of year when the aspen groves turn color and bathe the White River National Forest in seas of gold which stand out breathtakingly against the deep green lodgepole pine trees.

And golden is the color and flavor of the beer filling those Oktoberfest mugs over the first few weekends in September.

Kids are all about to be back in school and football season is upon us - two timeless signals that fall is here (along with that pumpkin spice thing and the mix of Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas decorations starting to show up in stores!).

There may also be a faint whispering in your garage that will get louder over the next couple of months - in case you can’t make out the message, it’s your skis and snowboards telling you that “it’s almost time”!

Dana Gumber & Mike Connolly

September

Vail Symposium – thought provoking presentations and discussions - upcoming sessions include a deep dive (pun intended) into the critical role oceans play in multiple facets of our modern world (9/10), a behind the scenes look at how Team USA is getting ready for the 2026 Winter Olympics (9/16), and channeling animal communications (9/30)

Hot Summer Nights free concerts at the Ford Amphitheater in Vail wind down with Andy Frasco & the UN on 9/9 and Clay Street Unit on 9/16.

And the amphitheater keeps the summer outdoor music scene going with a variety of other great music events including the Black Crowes (9/13), and Big Wild on 9/26.

As the weather changes we start to move indoors for music at The Vilar – the Love for the Locals fall music series kicks off with Devon Allman’s Blues Summit on 9/10, followed by Keller Williams’ Grateful Grass on 9/18. Love for the Locals continues through October and November and interspersed between those shows is the release of Teton Gravity Research’s 30th annual ski and ride film, “When the Pressure Builds, Legends Drop In”, another sure sign that snow riding season is almost here!

Open Air Markets – The Minturn market wrapped its season on 9/6. The Edwards market season concludes on 9/20. The Vail Farmer’s Market and Art Show carries on Sundays through 10/5.

The Vail Concours car show hits Vail from 9/12-9/14. If you are a fan of automobiles of all types from a variety of eras, this is your chance to see some very cool machines lovingly kept and cared for by their owners.

The seemingly official end of summer in the valley in terms of events is Vail Oktoberfest taking up two weekends - 9/5-9/7 in Lionshead Village and 9/12-9/14 in Vail Village. Nothing says it’s fall here quite like sitting at a picnic table with your friends, enjoying being outside while drinking beer and sampling a variety of Bavarian-inspired food!

Juniper Restaurant - A Local Gem

The juniper plant is known for its resilience and ability to survive harsh climates. But it also symbolizes hope, warmth, renewal, and rejuvenation. These qualities are taken to heart at Juniper Restaurant in the Edwards Riverwalk.

As with so many places in the valley, the vibe is casual - but don’t let that fool you. This is a fine dining experience. It doesn’t try to be pretentious about it because, after years of experience, it simply doesn’t need to!

From the quality of the menu choices to the knowledge and attentiveness of the staff, every visit to Juniper is an experience. Service for two at the bar is always fun and it has never failed to produce engaging conversation with other locals, visitors from out of town, or sometimes only with the witty, but friendly, bar staff.

Sharing a table with friends and family is an equally wonderful experience, whether in the heart of the restaurant, at a table overlooking the Eagle River, or on the beautifully set front patio.

Choices from the menu are difficult because everything is sooooo good. It’s hard not to become a creature of habit and order the same thing every time - some of our favorites include the Grilled Spanish Octopus, Colorado Corn Bisque, Veal Scallopini, Bacon Wrapped Agave Glazed Pork Chop (yeah, read that a couple more times!), and the Alaskan Halibut.

Save room for dessert because you are going to want one of everything on that list!

Reservations are required and you can make them via Open Table, or by calling the restaurant on 970.926.7001.

It’s always a bit sad to realize summer is coming to an end, but the upside is that it means that snow-sliding season is just around the corner.

When the pics of snow gun maintenance start to appear, the countdown is on. Vail mountain is targeting Friday, November 14 as opening day, while Beaver Creek will stick with tradition and open the day before Thanksgiving, Wednesday, November 26.

Labor Day typically marks the opening of the lodging booking window for ski season. Vail resorts has already opened the window to book ski and snowboard lessons for this coming winter (for Vail click here and for Beaver Creek click here).

Of course lift pass products have been available for several months now and will continue to get pricier as we get closer to the start of the season and into the first few weeks.

So if you are planning to visit Vail and/or Beaver Creek this winter, there is no time like the present to get the planning started!

For the past 27 years I have called the valley home and I have spent all of that time engaged in the resort hospitality world. I have contacts at all the good vacation rental companies and can access hotel perks that are hard to find on your own.

I am here to help you navigate lodging options and plan all the facets of your trip. Please connect with me on [email protected] or follow my Facebook page at Connolly Travel for options on travel to the Vail Valley and beyond.

I look forward to seeing you here soon!!

Well, it has been a busy summer, indeed!

The listing we had for Golf Course Townhome #29 went under contract within a week of hitting the market at full price.

We snuck in a quick visit to Deer Valley East Village to introduce what’s happening there to some friends/clients and to check on the progress of the Four Seasons development there for my clients who have purchased pre-construction - it’s humming along there!

We also learned a ton about the shared opportunities between the development in Deer Valley East Village and the Tiger Woods designed courses at the Marcella Club just a short drive to the other side of the Jordanelle Reservoir. Neither Mike nor I golf, but wow… what they are doing at Marcella is jaw-dropping!

The team and I are working on some fractional listings at the Four Seasons in Vail, a cute Racquet Club unit in east Vail, and some down valley opportunities in EagleVail and Eagle - please visit our listings page for more details.

I am always happy to connect and talk about opportunities to turn your “one day” view of ownership in the Vail Valley into a reality!  Please visit our website or connect with me by email at [email protected].

Vail may be known around the world for its legendary ski slopes, breathtaking scenery, and vibrant events calendar, but for the people who live here year-round, it’s also a tight-knit mountain community.

We sat down with the soon to be outgoing mayor of Vail, Travis Coggin, to get his perspective on 8 years as a member of the Vail Town Council, how he views what has been accomplished in that period of time, what he hopes to see the Town do in the future, and — of course — what he loves most about calling Vail home.

Listening to the full audio of the interview is the best way to gain an understanding of what Travis sees as the important issues facing the town he grew up in and the depth of thought that he has brought to his role on the Town Council.

As key accomplishments of the Vail Town Council in his time as a member, Travis noted

In terms of future priorities and challenges, he sees them as

We appreciate the time Travis was able to spend with us and the insights he provided, and we look forward to seeing what the next chapter of life has in store for him!

OK… so this time there’s no alcohol involved in this section…. sorry!

Leaf peeping season is here - check out KDVR’s website for the viewing calendar.

If you want a truly spectacular view of fall in the Colorado Rockies, treat yourself to the drive over Independence Pass to/from Aspen. Time it to coincide with catching a show at the Belly Up, an iconic mountain town venue for live music.

And when leaf peeping season is over, you are going to want to hook up with the folks at Open Snow to stay on top of forecasts here and at most of your favorite mountains across the west.

Lastly, if you are here in early October, you don’t want to miss the Vail Ski and Snowboard Swap - a chance to pick up brand new gear, as well as some gently used stuff, and benefit the Vail Ski and Snowboard Academy.

The Town of Vail and Triumph Development West have partnered to redevelop the old Timber Ridge village and create 302 fee-simple, deed restricted condos spread across 7 buildings.

There will be 57 studio apartments, 91 one-bedroom, 79 two-bedroom, 67 three-bedroom, and 8 four-bedroom apartments at completion.

While anyone can purchase these units, occupants must meet the Town of Vail’s deed restricted occupancy requirements - chiefly they must annually be able to prove that they work for a business registered in Eagle County for 1,560 hours (30 hours per week on average).

Located on the north frontage road adjacent to the Vail Post Office, Timber Ridge Village has prime access to the resort, stores and restaurants in west Vail, and Red Sandstone Elementary School.

Units are priced from $400K to just over $1 million with generous down payment terms. To see floor plans and obtain pricing for specific units please visit the Timber Ridge Vail website.

You can also reach Tish Palmer for more information on this investment opportunity at 970.763.5510 or visit the Triumph sales office at 41184 Highway 6 in EagleVail.