Posted: 02/09/2007--25/11/2008 || Rate this Article: 3 || Views|| Sign In || Register ||Hello Guest
Ahh, Summit County, Colorado. A tightly held secret. Great in the summer. Fabulous in the winter. Beautiful Breckenridge, Colorado sits at 9600 feet and this hidden treasure offers something for everyone.
The town of Breckenridge - or as locals call it, Breck - is 136 years old and is the largest historic district in Colorado. The local government, with its zoning laws, has preserved the look and feel of the old west era Colorado as much as possible.
With its 146 trails over four mountains, Breckenridge is Summit Countys largest ski area. That only means something when you know that Summit County is also home to Copper Mountain, Dillon, Frisco, Keystone and Silverthorne.
The four peaks offer an unimaginable variety of skiing for beginners and experts alike.
All blue Peak 7 skiers will enjoy well-groomed runs with intermediate level slopes. The Peak 7 bowl boasts audacious chutes and near vertical slopes. However, to get to Peak 7, one must start at Peak 8.
Peak 8 is infamous for Freeway Superpark. Freeway hosts many competitions every year and claims a spot as one of the best terrain parks in the U.S. For beginners, theres Twister, an area that offers entry-level challenges for boarders. A T-Bar will lift skiers and boarders to the High Alpine bowls above the lifts for Peaks 7 and 8.
Peak 9 offers runs for both beginners and intermediates with green and blue runs and terrain parks. Eldorado Terrain Park has small jumps, rails and boxes as well as a mini-pipe. Gold King Park is a haven for intermediate skiers and riders.
Peak 10 is for experts only, with trees and steeps with fabulous powder and knee-killer bumps.
The ski season in Breckenridge runs from mid-November through mid-April. The lifts are open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. No night skiing is available in Breckenridge. No tubing in Breckenridge either, but you can take the free shuttle to Breckenridges sister resort Keystone for that.
Lift ticket prices are competitive with Aspen and Vail, running from $31 to $80 depending on when you ski. Early and late season are the cheapest. The most expensive is during the Christmas holiday. Breckenridge also offers other cold sports: snowshoeing, snowmobiling, ice skating and dog-sledding.
For those whose idea of a great ski trip is sitting by the fire in the lodge with great book, Breckenridge offers that too. Every kind of lodging is available, from ski-in/ski-out mountain inns to massive lodges. Condos with kitchens can be had in the same building with typical hotel rooms. If you have a group, suites are a practical way for everyone to have both togetherness and privacy.
Bringing the kids along but need some time on the slopes to yourself? No problem. There are several choices for ski school/daycare combinations.
If youre the one who likes to park the car and leave it parked, thats no problem either. Breckenridge has a Free Ride system that travels throughout the town at all the resorts base areas, the bustling downtown area and even at the grocery store.
After a day on the slopes, or shopping downtown - dont know which is more exhausting - theres plenty to do in Breckenridge when the sun goes down. Watch a hockey game on the big screens at Eriks Sports Bar - great food and a monster pizza if youre with friends. Party at the Gold Pan Saloon. Have a simple dinner at Pizza Hut or fine dining at any number of great restaurants. There are many great pubs in the area which boast a fine selection of micro brews, including Avalanche beer from Breckenridges own brewery.
The Breckenridge Brewery was founded by Richard Squire. He and three ski-friends perfected a number of home brews years before micro brews became the in thing. Soon, Richard and his friends were skiing less and brewing more and made the transition into making his recipes for a living. In February, 1990, Richard opened the original Breckenridge Brewery and Pub, which has since expanded into Denver itself.
Now that youre sold on Breck, heres your packing list:
* Ski / snowboard equipment (you can rent equipment in town if you need to)
* Snow boots
* Snowshoes
* Goggles / sunglasses
* Scarf / hat / gloves (you lose a lot of heat from the top of your head)
* Layered clothing, preferably not cotton. Jeans are not great for skiing.
* Lip balm and plenty of sunscreen
* Moisturizer - Colorado is dry.
* Pain relievers (will help with symptoms of altitude sickness - see below)
* Insurance cards (just in case)
* Dont forget your swimsuit.
A word about altitude. Even for Colorado residents, a trip to ten thousand feet can lead to altitude sickness, which can be life threatening but usually is just a pain in the. . . head. The key to going to altitude is, in a word, hydration. Drink lots of water the week before you head up and all through the day while there - 3 to 4 quarts a day. (Another recommendation for the slopes is a camel back drinking system.)
Even the hardiest climber and folks who spend a great deal of time at altitude can be overcome with symptoms, which include: headache, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, insomnia, lack of appetite. Other than staying hydrated, here are a few more tips to help prevent altitude sickness:
* Dont over do it.
* Avoid tobacco, alcohol and other depressants including sleeping pills.
* Take ibuprofen for headache.
* If symptoms become worse, dont hesitate to call 9-11. The medics at Red, White, and Blue Fire Department are well versed in taking care of patients with altitude sickness.
So, there you have it. Breckenridge, Colorado. An off-the-beaten-track treasure. Great snow. Great shopping. Great town. Colorado Gold.
Print article ||
Send to friend ||
Publish this Article ||
Author feedback ||
Add new Comment ||
Article Comments
