Breckenridge Deals & Travel Info
Summit County is famous for its skiing and Breckenridge is arguably at the center of it all. There is easy skiing down low and there are high, windy mountain peaks at the top with challenging terrain. The town has a great reputation for night life and you can easily access all of Summit County’s ski resorts with a 15 to 30-minute drive. Breckenridge is owned by Vail Resorts and is part of their Epic Pass.
Breckenridge Ski Resort Highlights
Breckenridge is easy to identify by its high peaks that rise above the town of Breckenridge. Here are a few of the highlights for travelers:
- Lots of slopeside lodging
- Great nightlife & shopping
- Great terrain parks
- Respectable skiing for all levels of experience
- Lots of nearby ski resorts
Getting to Breckenridge
You can expect a 2-hour drive from Denver in good weather. It is possible to fly into the Eagle County Regional Airport as well. That drive is slightly shorter, but you will find fewer flights in and out of there. Once you are in Summit County, getting here is easy. Travelers should just be aware that the Eisenhower Tunnel can close on the east side of the county and Vail Pass can close on the west side, making it hard for some travelers to get here.
Breckenridge, CO FAQ
Yes! You can expect a drive from Breckenridge to Vail to take about 45+ minutes, but it will be HEAVILY dependent on weather and traffic. You will need to go over Vail Pass to get there. Vail will be worth the drive if you split your vacation time and make the drive there. The Summit County resorts are even closer and the drive is much simpler.
Yes, but you will want to stay in the trees more often than you might expect. The peaks at the top can be wind-swept and the snow will get moved around.
The North and South Gondola Lots are the easiest ones to find and rely on. From here you can take the BreckConnect Gondola up to the Peak 8 base area (also Peak 7). The gondola is free. Parking… not so much.
World class with a reputation to uphold, so you can expect multiple parks throughout the season, including the biggest and best. Area 51 at Keystone is still a bit more fun if you are looking to ski and ride the terrain parks in Summit County.
Tips for Skiing Breckenridge
Test the Horseshoe Bowl if you want real expert skiing. Take the T-Bar up and see what the mountain has to offer. The Horshoe Bowl has been open for decades. The Imperial Express will take you higher, but the skiing is not as difficult right off of the lift. The peaks above this area have only opened more recently, but now there is some hike-to terrain that you can consider if you like the conditions that you find in the Horseshoe Bowl. This is all above the treeline so you can expect the snow to get blown around a lot and you can expect the conditions to be harsh.
The north sides of Peaks 9 and 10 have great tree skiing. That is the skier’s left side. These areas are not as windy so you might find better snow here than on the high peaks.
Hikable Terrain. Breck offers lots of hike-to terrain off every peak. Peak 6 is for extreme skiers – great drops into chutes or technical drops of cornices.