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Vail Mountain will kick off the season Friday morning with approximately 100 acres of skiable terrain — and a surprise chair running that isn’t typically on the Opening Day menu.

Gondola One in Vail Village and the Eagle Bahn Gondola in Lionshead Village will begin uploading guests at 9 a.m. providing access to beginner and intermediate terrain. The resort’s ordinary opening schedule starts with the Ramshorn and Swingsville runs, which are serviced by Chair 4. Gondola One transports guests approximately 2,000 vertical feet up the mountain to the base of Chair 4 and the Mid-Vail area acts as the base area.

This year, however, Vail Mountain also plans on opening terrain accessible by Avanti Express (2) — although Tuesday’s news release didn’t specify which runs would be serviced off the six-person chair.

A Vail Resorts spokesperson said the full terrain offering would be available closer to Friday’s opening. Vail started blowing snow on Friday, Oct. 25, as temperatures in the higher elevations dropped. The mountain has seen nearly 2 feet of natural snowfall in November, according to resort officials.

From Mid-Vail, guests will have to download Gondola One to exit the resort. Gondola One can move 3,600 skiers per hour at 1,200 feet per minute.

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Off the Eagle Bahn Gondola (19) in Lionshead, beginner skiers and riders can access the Little Eagle (15) lift to work on their turns, and will have to download Eagle Bahn Gondola to exit the resort.

Guests will also be treated to complimentary strudel along with coffee and hot cocoa. DJs will be playing all morning, with an afternoon après party and live DJ at Express Lift, located at the base of Gondola One.

Reservations for Vail Mountain’s ߣÏÈÉú and Snowboard School are available starting Friday. Beginner lessons are to be booked out of Lionshead Village where guests will ride Eagle Bahn Gondola (19) to the learning area.

Mid-Vail, featuring the new Powerline Pub, and Eagle’s Nest will be open for dining and beverage services. 

Vail Resorts recommends pre-purchasing lift passes at  for the best value. Those pre-purchased passes will be on sale throughout November, but prices are set to rise on Nov. 17. The current price of an all-access Epic Pass for all of Vail Resorts’ mountains is $1,047 for an adult or $534 for a child.

— John LaConte contributed reporting