Tom was a great guide! If you're interested in snowmobiling cross country in Vail, check these guys out and you'll have a great time! There were 4 of us with two snowmobiles. Each of us paid $170 pp for 3 hours of snowmobiling taking turns to be drivers and passengers. It wasn't hard at all to do it. The instructions were less than 5 mins and off I went driving a snowmobile first time in my life! The tour took us to see the former wwii barracks in the backcountry. There were two places where we could do donuts and round and round we went! The 2nd place has steeper slopes if you want to get some air like us - super fun. We got stuck at some fresh snow and it's really important to stay on tracks! Tom told us already but we didn't listen... Tom was a great guide with a lot of patience. The equipment were just alright. They couldn't find a pair of boots with matching size for me and one of them had the drawstring loose so at one point leg was exposed to the chilling wind and it was cold! The helmet stank a bit so it's good I brought my thin beanie. They did spray all the equipment down with Lysol afterwards but still you can't get rid of all the stench if someone is stinky. The lunch at the cafe afterwards (included in the tour) was so good!!! The fries were hot and crispy, and the sandwich cheese was perfectly melted. I'd recommend this company for snowmobiling, but the gear weren't in the best condition, still acceptable though. Thanks for the fun day!! read more

Awesome guide. Went on a Snowmobiling tour and Shane led our group. Shane was an excellent tour guide and was very thorough on health and safety! Great tour, an amazing Snowmobiling experience. read more

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I can't say enough good things. My family had a fantastic time and our guide, Spoon, never managed to lose a smile, even when I managed to run the snowmobile into a drift and we had to dig it out. Oops. Sorry. I would recommend these tours to everyone as the folks who run them were professional, friendly and as accommodating as you could possibly imagine. read more

Nova Guides - Had a fantastic time with our guide, Spoon. - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Red Cliff, Colorado

Had an amazing time with my 8YO! It was our first time fly fishing. Our guide, Adam, was amazing. Picturesque private lake. Will definitely be back to give ATV riding and snowmobile riding a try. Great drive up to Camp Hale as well with amazing views. read more

Nova Guides - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Red Cliff, Colorado

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Great tour and the guide was very friendly. Where it fell very short was the service and courtesy inside the lodge. We had a group of 8 people (4 kids) on a guided tour. Came back and decided to grab lunch at the lodge. Ordered simple things like cheeseburgers and hot dogs...and waited for an hour at which point we requested we get it to go. The worst part is every table around us got there after us and got their food. The claim was they preordered their food through their guide while on tour. So our kids had to sit and cry because they were hungry and they couldn't give us a single hot dog. The manager is a robot and has 0 customer service skills. He was also extremely rude on arrival. We waited 10 min in main lobby until he told us the 2 hour tours are supposed to check in outside in the trailer. read more

My friend and I had an awesome time!!! Our tour guide was Gary and he truly made the experience that much better! He was FULL of information and facts and such a nice older man. The food after was delicious and we enjoyed a chicken sandwich, fries, and hot coco in the cozy lodge. A wonderful day! read more

Nova Guides - My friend and I at one of the two photo stops on the jeep tour - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Red Cliff, Colorado

My husband and I did a private side-by-side tour with tour guide Sam Fine. We had just gotten married in Vail and were spending the week o it there honeymooning. We did the mid-day tour that included lunch. The food was good and the staff was attentive. When we went on to ride/the tour, Sam was so cool and went at the pace we wanted as we followed him in our side-by-side (he led us in his own vehicle). We made a few scenic stops and the views were breathtaking. We also learned some fun facts along the way, including some about the aspen trees. Sam took a bunch of photos for us and congratulated us on our new marriage. He was good at tailoring the tour to our wants and we had a blast. Thank you Sam and Nova Guides for an awesome day! read more

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One of the most amazing experiences I have had in my life. Amazing views, great trails, nice employees and well kept snowmobiles. Me And my 13 year old son went on a vacation together and it was both of our first experiences on a snowmobile. We both had the best time. read more

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Overall great experience. The check in and out was well staffed and organized and friendly. The insurance for $50 is reasonable but the $1,500 deductible is out of line for trail riding. Trail grooming wasn't the best but acceptable. Trail availability for riding was very limited for our visit. They allow unguided rentals so that makes them one of the better outfits for sure. If you're a beginner or first timer and in this area you'll have a great time so go for it!! read more

Nova Guides - Ptarmigan Pass - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Red Cliff, Colorado

Took family on guided snowmobile tour 12/28/22 My wife was injured (broke her back) on the ride. We spent 3 days in the hospital. It's been 7 days now and we haven't heard from anyone at Nova Guides. Total lack of concern from ownership and management. read more

We were on trail with Nova guides for snowmobiling on 11/28. It was an amazing and awesome experience because it's our first time being in Colorado. Everything is perfect! Gorgeous views, friendly staffs and good service. Highly recommended! read more

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My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed our morning/lunch tour with Pete and his adorable dog "Tater Tot" on Monday, 10/2/23. We were picked up at our residence in Vail and driven to numerous gorgeous sites between Vail and Camp Hale National Monument and within the National Monument. Pete is affable, knowledgeable, and genuinely friendly. We were able to take many spectacular photographs. We learned a lot about the storied and impactful history of the legendary 10th Mountain Division and Camp Hale. We highly recommend this great experience! read more

Had a blast with John as our tour guide. We learned so much about the history of the land. We went through mud and snow all in one day! The lodge was beautiful inside!!! Fireplace to keep you warm. Great food and cocktails for after the adventure. The staff were nice and the place felt like a home! It didn't feel like a typical outfit. This felt like welcoming home and personal adventure. total first class. Views breathtaking! The lunch came with our ATV package and it was very good!!!! We never felt rushed. Great place to chill in after your adventure!!! read more

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Shane was amazing. Absolutely fire!!! Chad was also hot! Would go back 10/10 (mostly to see Shane's BEAUTIFUL smile and personality) Had a big group... safe to say we all LOVED IT! read more

Nova Guides - Snowmobilers! - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Red Cliff, Colorado

We did the guided ATV tour and it was a memorable and beautiful experience. Getting there was a bit more intense than we had anticipated, but the directions were clear and it was well worth it. Staff was friendly, you could tell they were training new people, but everyone was friendly. The lodge itself is really nice. There's plenty of room to lounge around to look at the view or get a bite to eat. We had lunch there and it wasn't bad! I had semi-low expectations being gluten free, but they were able to completely accommodate us and the food was tasty! Our tour guide was Fred and he was a gem. Very kind, thorough, patient, and in general eager to talk about the surrounding area, the rich history, wildlife, and geography. I would absolutely recommend using this guide. From booking by phone to our experience, everything was easy and I'm so glad we made this a part of our vacation. This type of tour is awesome for people with different comfort levels with the outdoors. I'm not usually your outdoorsy type but they made it so easy and accessible. I can see kids to older adults loving the experiences they offer. The photo ops are endless. Things I wish I'd known: you are encouraged to tip your tour guide, bring a bandana for enormous amount of dust you'll inhale, and I wish I'd known more about the drive up there. read more

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We called Katrina at NOVA GUIDES, and she was extremely rude and gave a lot of attitude. Perhaps, place someone with better customer service on the phone to help guest. Contemplated going elsewhere but were given good feedback. Way to ruin an otherwise great experience. Thank you Nathan and Fred you were kind, and full of suggestions for newcomers! read more

Nova Guides - Part of the course you take! - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Red Cliff, Colorado

We had a wonderful time today! Tony was great, very knowledgeable and helpful!! And the views!!!! Our group of 7 had a blast!!! Thank you Tony!! read more

Nova Guides - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Red Cliff, Colorado

Second time using Nova Guides and just as impressed as the first time. Derek was great. Picked us up on time, a pleasure to speak with and took great care of us throughout the day. Very genuine and stand up guy. Loved that he took us on different trails (or at least ones I didn't remember), kept everyone in the group safe and engaged. Enjoyed learning the history he provided. Cant wait to go back in winter to ride the snowmobiles! read more

Just had a great ATV morning tour with Nova Guides and Raleigh as our tour guide! An absolutely fun, SAFE, and informative experience. My wife and enjoyed the entire ride and will bring our young adult kids next time when we visit. The entire staff super friendly great tribute to the 10th Mountain Division and MILITARY Friendly! HOORAH! To Nova team keep up the great work! read more

What an amazing trip! There's really no service at the lodge and up in the mountain it's nice to get unplugged and enjoy the all the snow covered trees and big blue sky. Tori was an amazing guide! From having the knowledge of the military base and the training they did to the knowledge she had on the mountains! I highly recommend having tori as your guide!!! read more

Nova Guides - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Red Cliff, Colorado

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Beautiful, powerful, state of the art machines, our guided ATV tour was simply outstanding. These lively Can-Am ATVs give you a great, swift and highly maneuverable, ride. So that was fun! Our tour guides? Smart, fun, and quite good with people! They knew their stuff on the history of the Mountain Division, flora and fauna. I cannot begin to describe the absolutely beautiful area! My family has often done ATV tours in different parts of the country. This one is one of the best! read more

Owner and management do not care about customer service in the slightest. The actual staff is great though. My husband and I rented one Ski-Doo and went on a 3-hour guided tour, where we were paired with one other random couple and 1 tour guide (who was very friendly and professional). The first hour went by just fine. However when we made it up to the peak, the other couple's Ski-Doo died (appeared to be a dead battery). As I mentioned before, our tour guide was extremely professional and he took all the proper protocols to eradicate the issue. When he called down for help and requested for them to bring up a second Ski-Doo, management ignored his request and forced him to go through a few troubleshooting steps himself. After spending about 20 minutes on what was requested from base camp, our tour guide determined that that there was nothing he could do and all he cared about was finishing the tour for us. He proceeds to repeatedly call down to base camp for the next 45 minutes and management stops answering altogether. He left voicemail after voicemail and he was getting visibly frustrated by the lack of concern from management. Meanwhile, the 4 of us were stranded at the peak where the sun was starting to set and it was getting colder and colder by the minute. At this point, we weren't concerned about finishing the tour - we were concerned with the lack of response from base camp. Finally, another crew member comes up with a Ski-Doo and our group was able to ride down together. Since my husband had already suffered from frostbite on his hands and the other couple have had enough, we decided to stop the tour and we went to ask for a refund since we only got through 1/3 of the tour guide. While the owner and GM were both upstairs in the office, they refused to come down and lacked any sense of concern for our mortifying experience. Not only did they not apologize, but they wouldn't even come down. Finally, our tour guide had to go up and drag down the GM to issue us half our money back since again, we were only able to complete 1/3 of the tour guide. Shame on the owner and GM for their complete lack of concern for their customer's safety and well-being. read more

Great place to go snowmobiling! Justin was our guide and he was awesome. The scenery was beautiful. We all had a great time there!

My fiancé and I visit Colorado once a year and this activity was by far one of our favorite with some of the best views. Fred was our tour guide and he was AMAZING, he took us to all the best views and even took a detour towards the end to assure we didn't return early! We plan on doing this again next year if you are not big on skiing this is a great alternative! read more

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Wow! What an incredible day ATV'ing with my family and Derek as our tour guide! Challenging fun scenic majestic all of it was amazing! Derek was so informative at every awesome stop we made during our tour. Started off with lunch at their grill which was tasty! So happy we found and booked our tour and Derek made it all a perfect day!!! read more

(This review is about my snow-mobile experience; I did not participate in any other activities.) An overall GREAT EXPERIENCE!!! (Especially for 1st timers!) Starting with transportation; As scheduled, our driver and van arrived on time, if not about 5 minutes early. The ride to the site was smooth and had some good opportunities for site seeing along the way. Once we arrived, check-in went fairly smooth...Rules, liability info, insurance (if you want), money, etc. And after all that was handled, boots, suits, etc went smooth as well. Our guide Justin was pretty good; no complaints with him. The ride was lovely and (in my opinion) more than enough time to enjoy all there is to take in. Along the route we stopped for pictures and mini-breaks for others to catch up. (Note to self; if you do snow angels, you WILL freeze after...but who cares, that's what it's all about right!?) About halfway through the experience, we stopped at a "warming station" where we were given hot chocolate and space to sit in a tent. The only downside to this part was that the warmer didn't get turned on and the hot chocolate was barely warm...Not a big deal though! And the rest was GREAT! Like I said, overall, great people, great spot, great experiences. I'd recommend it to others and I'd definitely do it again. read more

Nova Guides - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Red Cliff, Colorado

Had the most wonderful time snowmobiling today! My boyfriend and I did the top of the Rockies tour and each had a single rider snowmobile. We were on a tour group of 7 riders all beginners. However some were extremely slow and we had to constantly stop to wait for catch up. One even flipped their vehicle. We did 3 hours of riding on trails and Bob our guide was great! Loved going to the top of the trail at 12,500 feet. We were given snow suits and boots that kept us really warm . I would do this again read more

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We had the most amazing day on snowmobiles today. Our guide Dimitri was amazing. Very patient with me as my sons were both driving their own and I was nervous and then I was driving and nervous as well. He was patient and never let me out of his sight. He also set us up for the most amazing photos! Highly recommend. read more

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Been visiting the Nova guide tour for the past 3 years. This year, by far the best ride ever. Our guide made the ride like no other. If and when you go, it's a must to ask for Jenn or better known as turbo. She awesome! read more

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We had an awesome time snowmobiling! Jen was a fantastic guide. She took us to so many beautiful places. We were able to stop at different places to take pictures. Jen had so much interesting information to share with us, too. She even offered to take pictures for us. Her friendliness and enthusiasm show how much she loves her job! This was our second time snowmobiling with Nova guides. They do a great job of providing an awesome experience. Thanks Jen! read more

Nova Guides - Snowmobiling trip - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Red Cliff, Colorado

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Very cool snowmobiling experience. Went out for about 3-4 hours and climbed up to 12,000 feet for a great view. Our guide Tim W. was great and took us on an exciting trip. He took us to flat straight paths so you can max out the speed on the snowmobile, we went through fresh powder to see how the snowmobile handled, and we went to a hillside to do "rainbows" on the hill. After the trip, we had lunch back at Nova's lodge. Surprising very good chicken sandwich and french fries. read more

Nova Guides - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Red Cliff, Colorado

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We used Nova Guides for two adventures in June 2015. On Monday we went on a rafting trip down the Eagle river, and on Wednesday we went on a Jeep tour of White River National Forest and Camp Hale. Both were fun and I thought Nova and our guides did an excellent job. The pickup/drop for both excursions was at the Vail transportation center. That was very convenient, and took the stress out of having to drive unfamiliar routes. The Rafting trip. Our rafting guide was Malcom and he was good. He was knowledgeable of the river and was somewhat entertaining. "How do you know when a river guide is lying? His mouth is moving." Some things that separated Nova from other rafting outfitters that we have used were: - Transportation to and from the river was a quick trip, and the vans were clean and comfortable. We were not shuttled in a stinky, second hand school bus. - Gear-up and gear-down was done at the river put-in and take-out. This minimized the time being in those lovely wet suits, splash jackets, and helmets. - Small group (two boats on our trip) so we didn't feel rushed or herded with a mass of other people. The Jeep tour. Our Jeep guide was Peter, and he did a good job. The 40 minutes ride between the Vail transportation center and Nova headquarters was enjoyable. The winding, mountain side roads in an open air Jeep was refreshing. Some highlights of the jeep tour were. - The history of Camp Hale was interesting. Peter did a good job of describing points of interest. - The scenery is awesome, and the views from Resolution peak (11,600 feet) were spectacular. - The off-road Jeep ride was three hours, and Peter took his time. We didn't feel rushed or that there was a time limit to the excursion. Peter seemed to enjoy spending the day with us. -The Nova lodge is a beautiful log cabin. The decor includes trophy's of wildlife that are found in the area. - Lunch at the lodge is included, and they offer a variety of choices. I had the turkey club and fries, and everything was good. - Jeeps are impressive! The vehicle handled climbs and riding over uneven terrain without a problem. read more

Nova Guides - Good plug for Jeep. The vehicle handled all terrain with ease. - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Red Cliff, Colorado

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Spoon was our driver who made a good tour a great tour. We got lucky. He was knowledgable and funny. Perfect day Jon and Sandy read more

From the moment that our guide, Perry, picked us up at the hotel we had a great time. My wife and I were celebrating our 25th Anniversary and the Nova Guides team made the event memorable. Perry did a fantastic job guiding us to a place that provided scenic views and snow!! Perry even managed to lead the group out while sharing his front seat with a little co-pilot! We recommend Nova Guides for anyone and everyone wanting to experience a fantastic snowmobile experience! read more

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We thought $100 a person for a Snow Cat tour sounded steep but my mom really wanted to go. (turns out it was well worth our money) They drove down and picked our party of 5 up at Vail Cascade and drove us through the mountains explaining sights along the way. Our driver was more than friendly and also very knowledgeable about the surrounding area. Lunch was good, it was nice that they provide it, cafeteria style food mostly, but the ingredients were fresh and well prepared. (Tip: The chili is home made and served in a bread bowl from a local baker) The gentleman that drove the snow cat chatted the whole way up and down telling us all about things that you can do on the mountain, the history of the area, and answering questions about back country experiences. Once at the top (we went on a cloudy day, still got great photos, but on a clear day you could see for miles and miles) There were some people riding the peak and towing around on snowmobiles. We got to spend abut 20-30 min at the top taking photos and looking around. I appreciate the well heated snow cat experience, it was cozy and you got chances to take great photos without braving the cold. If you are a city-slicker with a nice camera, this is the way to go. We kept asking about animals in the area and the driver went out of his way to stop on a side rode and show us all the caribou on the side of the hill, on our way back to the resort. The experience was is WORTH EVERY CENT!. Thanks nova for a memorable day. read more

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This was the perfect time of year to go for an ATV tour! My boyfriend and I are driven by adventures and this was spectacular. Justin was our guide and we got to see almost every trail they offer. We got to stop and take pictures of the vast views of Mount of the Holy Cross, Mt. Massive, and Mt. Elbert. We got to learn historical fact's about Camp Half and zoom through the fall foliage. It was exhilarating. I recommend this to all locals and visitors. It's a great way to fall more in love with Colorado. read more

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Had a great time. First time on a snowmobile and it was effortless. Our tour guide Mike was great, informative and patient. Would definitely recommend for families looking for a scenic, fun experience. read more

Great service, great quality snowmobiles. Our tour guide Sam was very friendly and knowledgeable. Katrina was really helpful with the booking. Great experience. Worth every penny. read more

Nova Guides - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Red Cliff, Colorado

Please think twice about using Nova Guides. My 16 year old son was enjoying his ATV experience when his vehicle flipped after blowing a tire. Things happen, I know there is risk associated with ATVs. Unfortunately upon my arrival 45 minutes after the accident, my son who had been injured, scrapes, cuts, bruises, and possible concussion was sitting in the lobby with no attention. As he sit bleeding, the staff continued to check others in while not attending to my injured son. This is Gross negligence to the highest degree! The staff is ill prepared to any type of accident and certainly did not have a protocol with this type of incident. It wasn't until I arrived and pressured for help, that my son was able to have first aid. I spoke with the owner and he continues to side step the incident. Lesson learned, learn more about the protocols used with such a service. Be smart, ask questions, and do research with the company. Nova Guides was disorganized and unprepared. read more

We rented ATVs in Oct. 2020 and it was the most incredible experience. We were worried about going so late in the year but got lucky with the most beautiful weather the day of. The trail is absolutely gorgeous - the drive to Camp Hale from Beaver Creek was breathtaking. We truly had the best time - minus a flat tire on my ATV. The staff was super helpful, though, and let me switch vehicles and stay out on the trail longer because of this. Couldn't recommend enough! read more