One reviewer states the following: "Europe is sick on its day, but the powder is not as light as the Rockies, and is much more avalanche prone if you go off-piste." --- This is a disservice to the community here and gravely understates the risk to off-piste skiers in the Vail area. Colorado and it's continental snowpack is one of the most dangerous in the world for avalanche risk. The Alps are much safer, as the snowpack stabilizes much faster after storms versus the long-term and deep instabilities found in the USA's Central Rcckies. Do not take out-of-bounds or off-piste skiing lightly at Vail or anywhere else in Colorado. To suggest that somehow the snowpack in Vail is "safe" is akin to saying that a revolver with only one bullet in the six chamber gun is is "safe" when playing Russian Roulette. For those that would ski Vail's off-piste (outside the controlled ski area boundary), you will need a beacon, shovel, probe and the ability to use these tools. The best source of snowpack and avalanche information for backcountry and off-piste travellers in the Vail area and the rest of Colorado is the Colorado Avalanche Information Center. Google it and check out the local and regional forecasts prior to leaving the resort boundaries.