Breckenridge Ski Resort is in Breckenridge, Summit County, Colorado. It is one of the most visited ski resorts in North America. Owned by Vail Ski Resorts it has many more visitors than Vail. Every year more people go to Breckenridge Ski Resorts than any other ski resort in North America.The mountain first opened on December 16, 1961, consisting of trails on Peak 8 serviced currently by the Colorado SuperChair.
Breckenridge has 5 awesome Peaks with spectacular scenery that have more than 2,908 acres of snow filled terrain to ski on. You can spend an entire winter and never be able to ski all 187 fantastic ski trails that Breckenridge has. Having over 1,400 groomed acres of which most are groomed daily you can never run out of smooth fresh snow to ski on.
187 trails and a whopping 600 acres groomed daily. Breckenridge is actually busier than Vail’s 5,400 acres. Breckenridge has so many wide groomed boulevards, its an intermediate’s paradise, with a gentle pitch across all of the lower mountain.
The ski lifts from the base village brings visitors to the lifted elevation of 12, 840 feet, making it the highest lifted elevation in North America.
Being part of the Vail ski system, Breckenridge is available with EpicPass for the frequent skier or family of skiers.
Breckenridge is one of the best family ski resorts in America which attracts families across America who come to enjoy winter breaks with their kids. Christmas is a perfect time to be in Breckenridge where the glimmer of lights and warm burning log fires abound in this special time of year for the New Year celebrations.
It is a beautiful place to go with spectacular views of the Rocky Mountains which will leave a lifelong impression on first time visitors. There are ski and ride schools for first timers as well as the awesome family ski zones; not to mention the kid adventure parks which will keep your kids busy for many countless hours of fun in the snow. Breckenridge also has animated western parks where children can enjoy the western themed fun in the snow.
The highest elevated alpine ski terrain can be reached on Peak 8 which also has the highest reaching ski lift in north America reaching the spectacular hight of 12,840 feet. The views from Peak 8 are unique and at this height it is also very windy and is sometimes referred to as “breckinwind” by the regulars who ascend Peak 8 frequently.
For skiers who prefer a more gentle outing on the snow there is the mid mountain terrain and of course the lower terrain which is the terrain most popular with families. Kids love the snow here s they can also snowboard and when tired can take breaks which are not far from the base village or restaurants if they get hungry because they missed lunch. What ever the choice you make you will be glad you came to Breckenridge for your ski vacation.
Before you go to Breckenridge you have to choose where you would like to stay. There are many different lodges, such as the Breckenridge Ski Resort. Breckenridge is a beautiful ski resort with their small shops in the town and they have a scenic gondola ride as well. Not only is this a world class ski resort but it is a beautiful biking and hiking destination for the summer.
Other fine lodges to stay at include the following: Grand Timber Lodge , Grand Lodge on Peak, Marriott’s Mountain Valley Lodge, Crystal Peak Lodge, Mountain Thunder Lodge, Valdoro Mountain Lodge, The Wedgewood Lodge, River Mountain Lodge, Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center – Scott Griffith Lodge, Riverbend Lodge by Great Western Lodging, Scenic View Lodge – River Ridge Rentals, Timber Trail Lodge, Fox Paw Lodge, The Bristlecone Lodge, Hatari Lodge.
If you prefer top stay in a more fancy place on the mountain closer to the slopes there is the Marriot, Valdoro Mountain Lodge, Double Tree, Hilton, Mountain Thunder Lodge, Timber, Beaver Run, and Hyatt. There are also Ski condos also Chalets to stay at. At the bottom of Peak 8 there is the beautiful Rock Resorts, One Ski Hill or the Grand Coloradan.
In the town of Breckenridge there are many other hotels and apartments as well as entire homes for rent for those who would rather be closer to the town and all of it’s fine restaurants. While in Breckenridge you can walk through Main Street for a stop in the shops and cafes as well as restaurants for dinner or lunch with the whole family.
Breckenridge is spread out across the five peaks that make up the southern half of the Tenmile Range.
- Peak 10
Peak 10 is the southernmost peak on the mountain, comprising black and double black trails, accessible from the Falcon SuperChair. The advanced terrain on Peak 10 varies, from groomers underneath and near the lift, to glades on the north side of the Peak 10 ridge, and double black chutes on the far south side. Until they were replaced beginning in 2012, Peak 10 directional trail signs could be identified with yellow arrows.
- Peak 9
The second oldest peak, the lower part of Peak 9 is a beginner learning slope, accessed by Quicksilver Super6 and Lift A. On the upper part of Peak 9 are intermediate blue runs serviced by the Mercury SuperChair, Beaver Run SuperChair, and Lift C. On the north side of Peak 9, facing towards Peak 8, are the North Chutes, double black-rated chutes serviced by E chair which also functions as an access lift to transition from Peak 8 to Peaks 9 and 10. Until they were replaced beginning in 2012, Peak 9 directional trail signs could be identified with orange arrows. - Peak 8
Lower Peak 8 consists of beginner trails, as well as many intermediate trails mixed with some advanced runs. There are four lifts out of the base area: Rip’s Ride lift which services a beginner learning area; 5 Chair, which services more advanced beginner terrain, the Freeway and Park Lane Terrain Parks, and the Alpine Slide. At the north end of the base area, the Colorado SuperChair provides access to the Vista Haus, central Peak 8, as well as access to the Peak 8 back bowls and Peak 9, while the Rocky Mountain SuperChair provides access to northern Peak 8, the T-Bar, Peak 7, and Peak 6 Via the Zendo quad chair.Peak 8 is home to some of the premier terrain parks in the country, as freeskiers and riders have their pick of Freeway (black diamond rated) and Park Lane (blue rated) terrain parks, which are home to the 27-person Breck Pro Team, as well as numerous other extreme sports from around the world who use the parks to prepare for such events as The Dew Tour and X-Games.The upper part of Peak 8, is composed of advanced and expert terrain. The Peak 8 area is made up of expert chutes. The lower part of this area is accessible by the Peak 8 SuperConnect, while the upper part is accessible by 6-chair. Two lifts on Peak 8 go above tree-line: the T-Bar, accessible from the Rocky Mountain SuperChair, services northern Peak 8’s chutes. The Imperial Express SuperChair, reachable from Lift 6, is the highest operating chairlift in the world and services the Imperial Bowl, the Lake Chutes, and access to the Peak 7 Bowl, which includes some very difficult terrain with slopes up to 55 degrees. Hiking from the top of the Imperial lift allows access to the summit of Peak 8 and a variety of cornices and chutes. It can get very windy and cold at the top, and in poor visibility conditions the peak will usually be closed. The Lake Chutes, a series of daunting chutes with an incline of up to 55 degrees is reachable from the top of Imperial. The chutes are some of the steepest terrain in the region, running vertically for about 400 feet (120 m). Until they were replaced beginning in 2012, Peak 8 directional trail signs could be identified with purple arrows. - Peak 7
Peak 7’s bowls are accessible by hiking from the T-Bar or a traverse from the top of the Imperial Express SuperChair. The lower part of Peak 7 is an area of rolling intermediate trails, groomed nightly. Peak 7’s base area is composed of two large lodges, the Crystal Peak Lodge and the Grand Lodge on Peak 7, and is connected to town by one of two midway stations on the BreckConnect Gondola. The base area also has a restaurant, Sevens, opened in February 2009. Peak 7’s terrain is serviced by the Independence SuperChair. The Zendo lift used to access Peak 6 also begins on Peak 7. Until they were replaced beginning in 2012, Peak 7 directional trail signs could be identified with red arrows. - Peak 6
Peak 6, to the north of Peak 7, is primarily geared towards providing bowl terrain for intermediate skiers and riders, but also includes a large amount of advanced terrain and chutes. Access to Peak 6 is provided by the Zendo Chair, originating at the bottom of Angel’s Rest on Peak 7 and terminating at the Horizon warming hut at 10,800 feet. Guests coming from Peak 7 can also use the Wanderlust trail from the Pioneer Restaurant at the top of the Independence SuperChair. From the Horizon warming hut, the Kensho SuperChair runs above timberline to an altitude of 12,302 feet, making it the world’s highest elevation six pack and providing direct access to intermediate bowl trails, with further access to chutes in the Serenity Bowl (to the south) and Beyond Bowl (to the north) via a short hike from the top.
Breckenridge Facts:
Elevation (Summit) 12,998 ft
Elevation (Base) 9,600 ft
Vertical Drop: 3,398 ft
Skiable Acres: 2,908
Trails: 187
Longest Trail 4 O’Clock; 3.5 miles
Lifts: 34
6 Person Lifts: 5
4 Person Lifts: 6
3 Person Lift: 1
2 Person Lifts: 6
Gondola: 1
High Alpine Terrain: 40%
Snowmaking Coverage: 657 acres
Groomed Trails: 1,400 acres
for more information on Breckenridge Ski Resorts go to https://www.breckenridge.com/