As the second-most-popular resort in North America and the third-largest in Colorado, Breckenridge clearly has no problem attracting skiers to its slopes. But it's the town of Breckenridge that really is the secret to the resorts appeal. In fact, the downtown area is the state's largest historic district, exuding a Victorian charm and old-town authenticity that can pull you in for days of sightseeing, shopping, and general wandering. It literally has hundreds of unique boutiques and restaurants, nearly 50 bars and pubs, and excellent museums housed in brightly colored Victorian buildings. After spending the daylight hours skiing or riding the resort's four large mountains, Breckenridge night life comes alive with hip dance clubs, laid-back bars and even oxygen lounges for some new-age relaxation.
Breckenridge's four mountains are known for their abundance of open, groomed beginner and intermediate slopes, but the resort has plenty of acres devoted to expert skiers as well. Peak 7 features intermediate level groomed runs and average angled slopes that are great for cruising. The Peak 7 bowl also has some great chutes and vertical slopes. Peak 8, the highest of the four mountains, at 12,998 feet, has the most variety, including a trailhead on one side and T-Bar on the other, leading to High Alpine bowls. This peak is best known though for the enormous Freeway Superpark, which hosts countless competitions every year and has been praised as one of North America's best terrain parks. Twister, a beginner's park, offers entry-level jumps, rails and funboxes. Peak 9 features more beginner and intermediate slopes, with green and blue runs. But on its North Face, steep treed trails make great expert terrain. Eldorado Terrain Park is best for novices and intermediates and offers small jumps, boxes, rails and a mini-pipe. Gold King Park was designed especially for midway skiers and boarders. Peak 10 is served by a single high-speed quad lift and is a favorite of experts, with plenty of trees, steeps and bumps.
30 lifts including 12 surface lifts and 18 chair lifts.
$$$$ (Very Expensive)146 runs - 15% beginner, 33% intermediate, 20% expert, 32% super expert. Longest run is 18,480 feet.
23 km of Cross Country trails.
Mountain Statistics: 4,337 feet vertical drop, 12,998 feet summit elevation, 2,208 acres, average annual accumulation 305 inches.
Breckenridge has as much to offer off the mountain as it does on any of its 146 trails.