Best Ski Resorts in Colorado, A complete guide to Breckenridge Ski Resort

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Skiing and snowboarding can be dangerous activities, please ride within your ability levels and respect others around you

Interested in taking a ski or snowboard trip out west? Honestly there are so many amazing resorts, but one of my favorites is Breckenridge in Colorado. The mountain is located right in the town and has a lot of different options for people with different ability levels. You’ll find a number of beginner/intermediate runs as well as steeper more technical terrain at this resort. Which, in my opinion, is what makes Breck so unique. Although people like to hate on the resort every now and then, “It’s too flat, too crowded, too windy, etc", catch Breck (shortened nick name for the area) on a powder day or sunny blue bird day with no wind or crowds and you’ll see what makes this place so special!

What draws so many people to the town itself is the historic home like feel with surrounding mountain views of the resort and ten mile range. It’s pretty magical when driving into the town with mountain peaks all around. In this post I’ll be going over where to stay, best times to visit, things to know, where to ride, places to apres’, and recommended ski/snowboard shops. Alright lets goooo.

History of Breckenridge and the Resort

Originally Founded in 1859, Breckenridge started out as a mining town. The Late 1800’s brought gold prospectors to many western parts of the United States and towns across Colorado. If you venture out a little bit from downtown to places like Boreas Pass Road (Sawmill Museum) or past the Wellington neighborhood (Country Boy Mine/Wellington Mine) on French Gulch Road you can see old mines as well mining runoff.

You can also walk through the Breckenridge Visitor Center to read up on the history, look at old photos, and also see the progression from a mining town to a ski town. It’s cool stuff, even if you aren’t a history nerd. You’ll even notice a lot of the original buildings are still in town, which is part of the historic district. This history is what gives Breck that unique feel when riding the resort or hanging out downtown.

The ski resort was founded in December of 1961 on Peak 8 by Bill Rounds, Sigurd Rockne, and Trygve Berge. The resort opened with one double chair and one T-bar. By 1984 Breckenridge became the first resort in Colorado to allow snowboarders. In the 80’s and 90’s Breck hosted a number of world cup events for skiing and snowboarding and by the late 2000’s they started to host Dew Tour, a freestyle ski and snowboard event, which lasted for 11 years!

Over the years Breck continues to expand and grow, which I think is just always the natural path with most ski areas, even though there can be backlash from locals for all the added expansion. I can’t say I’m the biggest fan of it either, but Breck still has that mountain charm that can’t be found in too many places.

Where is Breckenridge and How do you get there

Located on Highway 9 in between a town called Frisco and a small town called Blue River. The downtown area of Breck is mostly located on a street called Main Street with shops and restaurants as well as neighboring side streets close to Main Street. There is a north side of Main Street and a South side of Main Street, which is helpful to know when figuring out your way around town. The resort can be seen from town and is on Ski Hill Road, about 1.5 miles from downtown Breckenridge. In 2007 a gondola was built from the town to the resort, to shuttle skiers up to the mountain quicker. However, busses still run up Ski Hill Road to the base of the mountain.

There are different shuttles that run to Breckenridge from Denver International airport, with the two main ones being Peak One Express and Epic Mountain Express. Shuttles are a great way for transportation if you only plan on skiing or snowboarding Breck and maybe Keystone on your vacation. Shuttles can either drop you off at your rental property/check-in location or at the Breckenridge transportation center for a cheaper price. The town of Breck has a great public transportation system and it’s also easy to walk everywhere too.

I-70 is the main freeway to access highway 9, however in the winter it can get pretty busy so there is also route 285 if I-70 is closed or has too much traffic. Below I’ve listed times and distances from major areas in Colorado. Please note mountains passes can get pretty snowy, slick, and dangerous. Please have good tires, extra blankets, food, water, etc when driving to the mountains. Times below are estimations.

Denver International: 2 hours/105 miles

Boulder: 1 hour 55 minutes/87 miles

Colorado Springs: (Taking US 24 W to Highway 9 driving through Hartsel, Fairplay, and Alma)- 2 hours 11 minutes/106 miles

Fort Collins: 2.5 hours/140 miles

What is the town like

I love the downtown area of Breck with shops and restaurants lining the streets. Most everything will be on Main Street with a few restaurants located off of Ridge Street, the next street over that runs parallel to Main. Parking is paid on Ridge and Main, but if you go up to Harris street, there’s two hour free parking. After 8pm parking will be free!

If you’re looking to grab a photo with your significant other or family, I think the best place in town to do that is the central square, right next to the visitor center. Breck also has workshops, an arts district, concert venue (the River Walk Center), information center, a movie theater, rec center, and a library all in town. So if you are looking for things to do outside of skiing or snowboarding, check those places out!

Does Breckenridge Get a lot of Snow

It really depends on the season to be honest. There are seasons where the snow doesn’t stop and then there are seasons where Breck only gets a small amount of snow storms. With that being said, the average annual snowfall is 300 inches or 762 cm.

Where to Stay in Breckenridge

There are soo many places to stay in Breckenridge and I can imagine it being somewhat overwhelming if you’ve never been. A few things to consider when looking for lodging are.. ski-in/ski-out, close to town, on a bus route, parking, and amenities (hot tub, community pool, gym, restaurant-on-site). A common misunderstanding with ski-in/ski-out is that you can ski right back to your place or hop out your back door onto the slopes. Although this is the case for some properties, this usually just means the lift is within close vicinity from your place.

What I like about the lodging is everything is fairly close to either the mountain, downtown, or both. Public transportation can shuttle you to the mountains. From condos, to private homes, town homes, and bed/breakfast there is just about every lodging option available. I stayed in a nice 1 bedroom right off Ski Hill Road, close to downtown, walkable distance to the Gondola. The building had an old school feel to it, but the unit itself was recently remodeled.

I’ve also stayed in Val D’ Isere, a complex close to town that I booked through VRBO.

Other great places to consider staying are One Ski Hill Place, Main Street Junction, Placer Ridge, and Los Pinos. Rates will vary through out the season with Holidays being the most expensive, especially Christmas!

Where to Rent or Buy Ski and Snowboard Gear

There’s a lot of shops in Breck that sell ski and snowboard gear as well as outdoor clothing. I’ve listed some of my favorite shops below. Most stores will have knowledgeable staff for ski and/or snowboard equipment. You’ll be able to find pretty much everything you need for a day on the mountain or mountain environment , if you don’t ski or snowboard. Most shops below also rent equipment. It’s best to make a reservation ahead of time (can be made through the shop’s website). Shops will be able to set you up with the right equipment based on experience, riding style, and your weight/height. Make sure to show up early the morning of or the afternoon/evening the day before you plan on riding, to pick up your equipment.

I’d have to say my favorite snowboard shop in Breck is Underground Snowboards because of the local shop hangout vibe and knowledgeable friendly staff. The home like feel of a locally owned shop will never get old, makes you realize why you got into snowboarding or skiing in the first place! The best shop if you need goggles or a helmet will be Craniologie because they have a large selection and in-depth fitting process. For Ski’s either Slope Style, Racer’s Edge or RMU. For ski boots the best place in town will be Racers Edge, just make sure to book an appointment ahead of time.

The ski and snowboard shops listed below should also have a demo program which is a try before you buy rental set up for those looking to try out equipment before it is purchased. The shop will usually let you apply 1-2 days of rental credit towards the purchase of skis or a board.

Local Snowboard Shops

Underground Snowboards

Mountain Wave

Base Mountain Sports

Local Ski Shops

Blue River Sports

Slopestyle

Carvers

Alpine Sports

Racers Edge

Helmets/Goggles

Craniologie

Branded Stores

Burton

Patagonia

North Face

Columbia

Breck Sports

Helly Hansen

Outdoor Clothing/Winter Footwear/Backcountry

Mountain Goat

Underground Snowboards

Epic or Ikon Pass at Breck and are lift tickets expensive

Breckenridge is managed and operated by Vail Resorts therefore the pass you’ll use will be the Epic. Other passes under the Epic umbrella that work are the Epic Local (unlimited at Breck and Keystone with no black out dates) and Summit Value (unlimited at Breck and Keystone with black out dates at Breckenridge). To learn more about season pass options check out the post, What season ski pass should I buy?, Everything you need to know about the Epic and Ikon Pass. If you plan on riding 3 or more days, buy a season pass early!

Lift tickets at a resort like Breckenridge can be pretty expensive at the window (typically 200+/day) and will go down in price the more days you book in advance. Holidays and peak times will raise prices for lift tickets. If you decide to not buy a season pass, purchase your lift tickets ahead of time on Breckenridge.com. Lift ticket offices will be at the base of the gondola, base of Peak 8, and also at the Base of Peak 9. If you’re looking to pick up your tickets the day before, offices typically close by 4pm.

Best time to snowboard or ski the resort

Resorts in Colorado typically open in early to mid November and Close by Mid April. The cool thing about Breck is that it opens mid November, but stays open until May, weather depending. A few things to consider when deciding what time of year to ride the mountain are; price, terrain open, and crowds. With ski resorts you have an early season, mid season, and late season. Unfortunately snow varies each year so it’s hard to determine how much of the mountain will be open ahead of time when planning a trip, unless you book last minute. My best advice if you can swing it, is to avoid holidays, spring break, and weekends. If you plan a trip during those times, expect traffic, lift lines, grocery lines, and restaurants being booked up.

Nightly rates for lodging are also much cheaper during none-peak times as are lift tickets. The best times to come out and ride Breck are January (Not MLK weekend), February (not Presidents weekend), and April. Early April is a great time to come out because the mountain is practically empty, lodging is cheap, days are longer, and sometimes amazing snow storms roll in, mixed with blue bird days. January and February are also good because by this point the entire mountain is open and there’s a chance of a good powder day.

Can you take a lesson for skiing or snowboarding at Breck

Yep, Breck offers Private along with Group lessons for kids and adults. If your new to snowboarding or skiing I’d recommend taking a group lesson. Group lessons will be on Peak 8 and Peak 9, where the terrain is less steep and you’ll be able to learn the fundamentals. Private lessons will be much more expensive! but instructors can take you all over the mountain, providing a more unique experience.

Are there good Terrain Parks

If you are looking to get into the terrain park, I believe Breck offers lessons for that style of riding too. My advice for that would be to start small and work your way up in the terrain Park. There’s a Large sized park on Peak 8 called Freeway and two parks on Peak 9, an intermediate (American) and beginner (Eldorado). The main park will have jumps, rails, boxes, sometimes a hip as well as transition.

The beginner park usually has a couple very small jumps with small boxes mixed in. The medium sized park his going to really be a progression park with intermediate rails, boxes, and jumps. Make sure to wear a helmet if you ride in the terrain park!

Xander Hitting a jump in the terrain park off Peak 8

What is the Mountain like

Peaks

There’s no back side to Breck and the resort has 5 different Peaks to ski and snowboard on; Peak 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10. Each area is unique in its own way with Peak 8 being the centralized base area. What I and many other skiers and snowboarders love about Breck is the variety of terrain it offers for different ability levels. There’s something for everyone. The resort has plenty of blue and green runs, but also steep, above tree line terrain and bowls.

10

This will be the farthest peak on the left if you are looking at the mountain and typically will have the smallest lift line. The runs here will be a bit steeper and will only be blacks and double blacks. Ride down Crystal or Centennial for less technical more wide open runs. Runs such as Mustang and Spitfire are really good on powder days, but are un-groomed and hard to ride if the snow isn’t great.. Tree Runs are amazing on Peak 10 too! Be prepared for a small cat walk at the bottom If you rode through any of the terrain on the right side of Peak 10.

FYI, If you plan on going through the gate at the top of Falcon Chair, make sure you have the proper tools, knowledge, and a partner.

9

This peak will have a lot of beginner to intermediate runs with a small amount of advanced terrain. It’s honestly great for families or people starting out. There will be a couple learning areas and two main chairlifts, Mercury and Beaver Run. Quicksilver lift is a beginner lift that can have very long lines at times, but if you’re new to the skiing or snowboarding it’s the only way to get up the mountain your first go. After that, if lines are long I would get on A Chair as a beginner.

E and C chair, although much slower chairs will access steeper more advanced runs off 9, with hike-to-terrain off of Mercury lift. Some of my favorite runs are Volunteer and Upper Lehman! To get over to Peak 8, just hop on the Super connect chairlift.

8

Probably the largest Peak on the Mountain, Peak 8 is pretty awesome to say the least. It has groomers, above tree line open bowls, the highest lift in North America, the main terrain park, and even a T Bar. This is a peak you can really dial in your riding because of the endless options. It also has a learning area for lessons and some green runs off chair 5 for those looking to improve from the magic carpet.

The two main chairlifts for intermediate runs will be the Colorado Superchair as well as Rocky Mountain superchair. I would say the Colorado superchair is a good lift to take if you’ve never been to Breck and need a quick warm up. Colorado Superchair can also get lift lines, be prepared for a lil wait or take the Rocky Mountain Superchair. to get up the mountain quicker or over to Peak 7.

Advanced areas off of Peak 8 will be accessed by lifts; T Bar, Imperial, and 6 Chair! FYI for these areas to open there has to be a good amount of snow coverage, which can take anywhere from Mid December-Late January.

You can also hike right off of Colorado Superchair up to contest bowl. It’s an easier-ish hike but does take about 30 minutes to get all the way up to the Ridgeline of Contest Bowl. It’s also typically one of the first upper Alpine bowls to open up! Just make sure to watch out for rocks, small cliff drops, and closed terrain.

6 Chair

This is a good place to start if you want to start riding some more advanced terrain as they are all single black runs. The terrain isn’t too extreme overall and the runs are pretty open with good tree riding mixed in. The lift itself is an old two seater that is pretty quick when your loading it, so be prepared for that.

Lookers left from the chairlift will have more intermediate runs such as; Lobo, Hombre, and Solitude with the right side of 6 chair being more advanced with runs such as Adios and Psychopath. I really only ride 6 chair if its good snow or spring riding. When there’s deep snow it’s a fun place to get a couple laps in.

Imperial Chair

You can get to the base of imperial from 6 chair. The terrain up here is all double blacks and above tree line, so make sure you have good experience to ski or snowboard this part of the mountain. If you want to experience the top of Imperial, but not ride anything extreme, you can take the groomed Imperial Ridge run down to the base! This will be the tallest lift in North America with the peak standing at 12,998 feet! Take a lap down the open bowl or if you want to ride some really steep advanced terrain do the hike at the top which will access Lake Chutes and Snow White (Experts Only).

If it’s open, one of my favorite areas is Wales tale, also accessed off of Imperial. This part of the mountain is considered Peak 7, and can take some time to open up because it needs to be filled in, but also safe to ride. Ski Patrol works REALLY hard to make sure everything is safe and rideable! Huge shoutout to them honestly. You’ll traverse out to get to whales tail, so hold your speed from the start. The quickest way if you want a few laps in this area is to get on TBar and take a left at the top towards Imperial Chair

My favorite part about being up at Imperial is not only the incredible views, but just how humbling the experience is because you feel really small up. Once you’ve dropped into Lake Chutes or Whales tale, speed is your friend and just enjoy the experience of riding down the face of a mountain that size! You can ride down all the way to the base of Peak 7 or 8, which will take a long time, stop and rest if needed!

T Bar

One of the quickest ways to access awesome parts of the mountain will be off of Tbar in my opinion. This part of the mountain is for more advanced riders, so be prepared! It might take a couple practice tries when figuring out how to get on and stay on the lift, but once you get the hang of it, you should be good to go. Head right off the lift for North Bowl runs or hang a left for Cucumber, Horse shoe, or Contest Bowl!

My favorite areas are Cucumber Bowl and Horseshoe Bowl. When the snows good, the turns are some of the best! Cucumber bowl is a quick run through trees, but I just love the exploration feel you get when riding through here, it’s just you and the mountains. Both of these zones will allow you to get back to the bottom of Tbar, so you can take as many laps as your legs allow. This line can get pretty long on good powder days, but always seems to go pretty quick.

Horseshoe Bowl and Contest bowl, both have some nice cliff drops, if you’re looking to jump off some stuff too.

7

Not going to lie, most of the runs on this peak will be flatter, which is great if you have small kids or you’re just learning, or really just want to have a good time without “overdoing” it. Plenty of long blue runs to ski or snowboard on. The two chairlifts over here will be Independence and Freedom. Freedom is a new chairlift and helps prevent the base lift line from becoming too crowded.

If there’s powder, it’s fun to ride through Wanderlust and Ore Bucket, a small area through trees that eventually take you back onto the run, Monte Cristo. Kids can go through here too, I’ve seen families ski or board together in Ore Bucket!

6

Last but not least, Peak 6! This will be some of the best inbounds terrain you’ll ski or snowboard on, once it’s open for the season. Opening in 2014, 6 is a mix of High Alpine steep terrain and some intermediate blue runs. The views are pretty incredible too, so make sure to grab a couple photos.

You gotta take two lifts to get to the top of Peak 6, but it’s worth it! Take Zendo chair to Kensho superchair. You’ll get off Zendo ride down a quick little run and then hop on Kensho! The best intermediate runs down will be Bliss, Reverie, and a personal favorite, Intuition. If you’re up for working for your turns, the hike to the top is pretty amazing. Somewhat of a workout, it will take about 20 minutes. Once at the top, head right towards Beyond bowl or left towards my favorite, 6th senses.

You’ll have to traverse a good amount to drop into Six senses or drop early into Serenity bowl. Turns should be really good days after a storm, because the snow tends to funnel into these areas and the peaks sits at over 12,500 feet. Almost every time I’ve ridden through this area, you can hear the excitement from everyone dropping in and skiing or snowboarding down the face.

Either keep lapping Kensho chair or take the traverse back to Peak 7 after riding some of the best terrain Breckenridge Mountain has to offer :)

Is there good tree riding

If you like riding trees, Breck has plenty. Tree riding can be found off of Peak 7, 8, 9 and 10. Wanderlust off of 7 is a fun tree run. If you are looking for steeper runs not above tree line, you can find those on Peak 10 and off of 6 Chair on Peak 8. 6 chair is a fun place to ride on powder days when upper terrain hasn’t opened yet. Steep runs that are open enough to lay out turns, but also have trees that are spread out, giving you that winter magical feel when riding. Runs such as Adios, Solitude, and Boneyard are some of my favorite as mentioned earlier.

Mountain Stats

Hours of operation- 8:30am to 4pm

Base Elevation- 9,600 Feet/2,926 meters

Summit Elevation- 12,998 Feet/3,962 meters

Skiable Acres- 2,908

Number of Trails- 187

Beginner terrain- 11%

Intermediate- 31%

Advanced- 58%

Average annual snowfall- 356 inches or 904 cm

Download the EpicMix app for interactive trail maps, lift line times, and vertical feet skied.

Where can you eat on the Mountain

Peaks 7, 8, 9, and 10 all have restaurants at the Base with Peaks 7, 8, and 9 both having restaurants at the top as well. Sevens at the base of Peak 7 will be more like a traditional restaurant with servers and a hostess. However, most indoor dining will have the traditional Burgers, sandwiches, salads, soups, and wraps. I usually pack snacks when I ride, but it doesn’t hurt to have a hot meal indoors every now and then.

Most of the on mountain restaurants will have a bar with indoor and outdoor seating such as Coppertop and Tbar.

Pro Tip

Avoid waiting in the Gondola Line and take the 4 O’ Clock run at the end of the day to get back to town, parking, or your condo.

Also start your day on Peak 9 during busier times as Peak 8 can be pretty crowded.

Where can I park

Paid Parking lots will be at the Base of the Gondola (North and South Lots), Stables Garage (Base of Peak 8), Wellington Lot (near the Gondola), and Peak 9 (close to Beaver Run and the Double Tree).

Street parking and the majority of parking lots in the town of Breck are paid parking by the hour. However, there are two free day lots; The Ice Rink Lot and the dirt lot off of Airport Road. The ice rink lot is on the south end of town on Boreas Pass road. Both free lots will have a free in-town, bus that can take you to the mountain. Just know that buses to the Airport road parking lot stop running at 6pm.

Overnight Parking

Airport road and the Ice Rink lot both offer overnight parking. Parking is limited in town and at lodging properties, which is what these overflow lots are great for. Airport road parking is $5/night on weekdays and $10/night on weekends. The Ice rink is $15/night.

Public transportation

Breck has a great transportation system that costs nothing and has routes (color coded) to and from the resort as well as around town. Buses run every half hour depending on the route and time of day. Hours can vary depending on the route, but typically run from 6 in the morning to 11 O’ clock at night.

Bathrooms

Located at the Base of the Gondola in the new parking structure and at the base of the resort in One Ski Hill Grill. Also located in the Maggie off of Peak 9 as well as every restaurant on the mountain.

Where are the best places to Après at in Breckenridge

Breck has a lot of different places to Après at after a day on the hill. Most happy hours are within the hours of 2-6 pm and vary depending on the restaurant. Aurum off Ridge St. has a great happy hour menu, as well as drinks. They are a farm to table restaurant with awesome dishes sourced from local farmers. The environment inside is also welcoming and the staff is friendly, giving it that home like feel.

Below are a handful of my favorites and I would recommend making a reservation ahead of time to get a table. I also like RMU if you’re just looking to grab a drink. Cool spot, especially in the spring when the days are longer and warmer, you can chill on the outside patio right on Main St.

A couple other places that are great for Apres’ include the Blue River Bistro on the north end of town, and the Tavern Underground, located below the Carlin. The Tavern Underground is a modern take on classic bar food with a late night happy hour too. The Bistro will be known for their cocktails and with an upscale menu and ambience.

Aurum

The Tavern Underground

Blue River Bistro

RMU

Where to eat in Breck

Lots of different places to eat in Breck, making it hard to choose, however! these will be my favorite. For fine dining I really liked Radicato right in the heart of town. This restaurant takes Italian cuisine and makes it family style with amazing pastas, drinks, and entrees’. They also have a sister restaurant, Rootstalk that will be fine dining as well.

Not only is Aurum great for Apres’, but also dinner. If you are looking for less expensive options I also really like Breckenridge Brewerey or Empire Burger and for Pizza, Giampietros. During busier times make sure to book a reservation ahead of time! (sometimes weeks in advance) or expect wait times for getting a table or not being able to get a table at all..

Breakfast/Coffee

My favorite breakfast place is Amazing Grace located in an old historic building, with a local mountain town feeling inside. They have healthier, organic options and baked goods. For coffee I really like Mimi and Pim right by the gondola. Mimi and Pin also sells waffles and churros! Some of the best donuts you’ll ever have are at Daylight and Columbine will be your classic diner styler breakfast.

Another favorite breakfast place for locals is Cool River Coffee house, located on main street on the south end of town. They have a creative menu with a number of healthier options too, highly recommend this coffee shop and breakfast spot!

What Grocery Stores are in town

The main grocery store is City Market and then there is a smaller more expensive grocery store on Ridge Street next to the Post Office.

Bars, Brewery’s, and Night Life

The old saying in a lot of ski towns is “a drinking town with a skiing problem”, and Breck has plenty of bars to choose from. If you’re looking for live music check out Napper Tandy’s and RMU. If you’re looking for a good Brewery, I mentioned Breck Brewery above for food, but it’s also a fun spot to grab a drink at. Broken Compass on the south end of town and on Airport Road is a locally owned Brewery with the location off Airport road having a chill local atmosphere that you can even bring your dog to.

Also on Airport road, make sure to check out, The Breckenridge Distillery, that will have food, cocktails, and spirits. The Gold Pan is going to be the oldest bar west of the Mississippi! and is your classic bar that can get pretty busy on the weekends.

Any Pot Shops in Breck

All of the weed stores will be off of Airport Road, requiring an ID showing that you are at least 21 years of age, cash only.

Are there any disadvantages to riding Breck

Like anything, there will always be a few disadvantages. With the recent increase in pass sales, crowds appear to be much greater on weekends and holidays. I listed a handful of disadvantages below

-Traffic in the town can get congested and busy

-Expensive Lift tickets and Lodging

-Long Lift lines sometimes

-Breck is notorious for high winds at time. If you see that it’s going to be a really windy day I would recommend going elsewhere, such as Keystone.

-Flatter on the lower areas of the mountain (disadvantage for some, yet positive for those learning to ski/snowboard)

-Upper Mountain terrain doesn’t always open after a huge storm

-High altitude location can cause you to get sick. Breckenridge is at 9,600 feet/2,926 meters and the altitude effects everyone differently.

What Tips do you have for Altitude Sickness

A lot of Colorado ski areas are at higher altitudes, which can cause nausea, headaches, and upset stomach. As mentioned above the altitude effects everyone differently and my best advice would be to drink lots of water and to stay away from alcohol and caffeine for the first few days if you’re effected. Typically, it takes a couple days to get acclimated to the elevation. Most retail locations will sell bottles of oxygen (a temporary fix) and there is also an Oxygen bar in La Cima Mall on the south end of town.

Last minute tips for a ski or snowboard trip to Breck

Plan ahead, this includes making reservations for rental equipment, restaurants, and lessons on the mountain! If you don’t have a season pass, purchase lift tickets ahead of time online through the resort website. Also do your homework by checking out the trail map and seeing what trails would be suitable for your riding style and ability level. Most 4 person+ chairlifts will also have trail maps, so you can plan things out as you sit on the lift.

Packing the right gear will also help. Make sure to pack a good winter jacket, the right base layers, gloves/mitts, neck warmer, and a few beanies. You’re in the rockies, so make sure to be prepared for whatever kind of weather shows up.

Other items I recommend having for a day on the mountain

1. Snacks

2. Packable water bottle, I like Hydra Pak

3. Chapstick

Remember to always zip your pockets up when riding and to drink plenty of water and take breaks when needed

Alright that’s a wrap and I hope this post inspires you to take a ski or snowboard trip to this special mountain town at 9,600 feet! Thanks for checking out the blog and if you have any tips or information to add please drop a comment below, it’s always cool to connect with people on here. Also, If you like this post subscribe to our email list below for the latest updates and posts on ski resorts, gear, surf trips, and outdoor information.

Looking for other ski trip ideas? Check out a trip to Mt Baker in the Pacific Northwest!

Everything to know about Wolf Creek Ski Resort, A complete Guide

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Skiing and snowboarding can be dangerous activities, please ride within your ability levels and respect others around you

Located in Southern Colorado, Wolf Creek is a hidden gem off the beaten path just outside of South Fork and Pagosa Springs. This mountain region will produce snow storms that no other resort in the state of Colorado comes close to getting, which is why it becomes a sought out destination for powder seeking skiers and snowboarders. The average annual snowfall alone is 430 Inches!

What I love about Wolf Creek’s Ski resort is the mom and pop vibes, cheap lodging, affordable lift tickets, and being able to ride most of the resort in 1-2 days. When no other resorts in Colorado seem to be getting snow, you can always count on a good storm to roll through this place, leaving a smile on your face from first chair to last. In this post I’ll be going over how to get Wolf Creek, where to stay, what to know, best time to go, favorite areas of the mountain, and what to pack. Alright, let’s goooo!

Where is Wolf Creek Located and How to get there

As mentioned above Wolf Creek is located in Southern Colorado in the San Juan Mountain region and the Rio Grande National Forest. Sandwiched between Pagosa Springs and South Fork, this resort sits at the top of Wolf Creek Pass on 1,581 acres of National Forest Land. There is only one road that goes through to get to Wolf Creek with the Durango Airport being the closest area to fly into. Below I’ve listed mileage and average times from certain parts of Colorado. Please Note, That Wolf Creek Pass can get pretty icy and snowy during winter months with low visibility. PLEASE plan your trip accordingly which includes good tires, brakes, emergency kit, food/water, blankets and enough wiper fluid in your car. Also, remember to follow the State of Colorado Traction laws. This information can be found on the Colorado Department of Transportation website. Below are some travel times by vehicle from different areas in Colorado.

Durango Airport: 80 miles/1.5 hours

Denver: 252 Miles/4.5 Hours

Summit County: 200 miles/3.75 hours

Eagle County: 235 miles/4 hours 20 min

Colorado Springs: 229 miles/4 hours

Flagstaff Arizona: 389 miles/7 hours

Where to Stay

South Fork is the town right outside of Wolf Creek and it takes about 20-30 minutes (17 Miles) to the resort depending on weather. Pagosa Springs is the other town on the west side of the resort (24 Miles). Both areas will have motels, cabins, Inns, Bed/breakfast, and resort lodging options. The lodging is fairly inexpensive compared to other ski resorts in Colorado. I really liked staying at the Wolf Creek Ranch Ski Lodge. Close to the resort and nice rooms. Also in South Fork if you like Tiny Homes, there’s Tiny Timbers.

If you stay in Pagosa Springs, it is more of a town with breweries, restaurants, and shops, however if Wolf Creek gets a lot of snow the pass will typically close on that side of the highway and you won’t be able to get to the mountain as early.

Does Parking cost anything

Parking is free and there are a handful of free lots. The Upper Lot at the Base fills up quick and there aren’t a lot of spots. However there are Lower Lots that have shuttle services operating that will take you to the resort (Alberta and Tranquility lots). These parking lots will be to the left as you enter the resort. For busier days there are parking lot attendants that will guide you to these parking lots.

For really busy periods and holidays there is an overflow lot east of the resort on Highway 160. Shuttles will run frequently to the resort from this lot. This is a great option if you plan on staying overnight (van living, RV, Camper, etc..), as overnight parking is not allowed in the lots mentioned above. Wolf Creek also offers handicap parking at the lower level of Base Camp (A bring your own lunch lodge) with an elevator.

How much are Lift Tickets and does the Ikon or Epic Pass work

The Ikon and Epic passes will not work at Wolf Creek. A Season Pass ranges in price depending on your age and the time of year that you buy. Early season passes for an Adult range from $700-$900+ and will go up in price by November. A really cool thing Wolf Creek does is they offer discounted prices for families. The more members in your family the cheaper the pass becomes. They will offer discounted pass rates for up to five people in a family.

Lift tickets for Adults are around $80/day with peak times being just under $100/day/person. If you go early season in November lift tickets can be around $50/day! It’s a lesser known deal that has many dedicated skiers and snowboarders driving down for the day if the snow is good.

Other lift ticket options include multi-day, half day, senior, child and military day passes. Half days start after 12:30 pm. Wolf Creek also offers group rate lift tickets for groups bigger then 25 people per day. Please note with group rate lift tickets there are peak dates that this option isn’t available.

When is the Best time to Ride Wolf Creek

Honestly, early season if most of the mountain is open. The reason being is because the mountain gets sooo much snow throughout the winter, that the runs start to loose their pitch and steepness. Lift tickets are also cheaper early season. That being said I would still track a storm (if you like riding deep snow) and make the trek down to Wolf Creek anytime through out the season. Also try to make it to this gem of a resort when it is a Bluebird day (sunny) as the views are pretty spectacular.

What is the Mountain Like

There’s no backside to Wolf Creek Resort and what I like about the mountain is how easy it is to get around as well as the variety of different terrain options. It has more challenging terrain like trees, cliffs, and chutes, but also mellow blues and greens if you just want to cruise around and have fun. The snow is also different when carving through it, compared to other resorts in Central and Northern Colorado. Feels almost like champagne powder.

Once you’ve gotten the blood flowing, head over to Alberta Lift. This lift will give you access to chutes, gullies, more tree runs, high alpine bowls, and steeper/longer runs. One of my favorite areas one the mountain when the snow’s deep, is the waterfall area. This can be accessed from Alberta or Treasure Stoke lifts. There’s 7 different Waterfall gates with 3 and 4 being my favorite. Gates three and four aren’t as steep and fill in real nice on deep days.

Is there any Beginner terrain

Yep, there is a little bit of beginner terrain and good amount of intermediate terrain. Twenty percent of the mountain is beginner and thirty five percent is intermediate. The very beginner terrain can be accessed off of lifts: Charity Jane Express, Nova and Elma. There will also be a few green runs off of the Raven lift. Intermediate terrain can be accessed off of lifts: Raven, Bonanza, D-Boyce, and Treasure Stoke. Raven and Bonanza have some great runs to start your day to allow for your legs to warm up. Plenty of great side hits, tree runs, and open areas for carving.

Is there any Hike-To Terrain

There’s two really good hikes I recommend doing, which are both off of the Alberta Lift. It’s going to be the hike right off the lift. If you go left it is the Knife Ridge Staircase. There’s some good chutes and bowls off of the ridge that you hike to. Sometimes the cat is running and will take people to the Horseshoe Bowl. If you go right you can hike to Step Bowl as well as Alberta Peak. Step Bowl will be more low angle, but is super fun on a powder day because its a wide open field. I recommend riding with a friend if you do these hikes!

Any good Tree Riding

There are some awesome trees off of the Treasure Stoke lift (skiers left) and Alberta lift (skiers left). Nothing too narrow and fun zones on the mountain to explore.

If you decide to do any of the Back Country terrain accessed through a gate, PLEASE have the proper equipment (shovel, Beacon, probe) and training (AVI 1 certification). You’ll also want to be with a friend if you end up riding back country terrain off resort.

Skiable Acres: 1,600

Summit Elevation: 11,904 feet/3628.339 meters

Vertical Drop: 1604 feet/488.899 Meters

Length of Season: Early November-Early April

Lift operating hours: 8:30am-4pm (can vary depending on weather)

Ticket Office Hours: 8:15am-4:30pm

Where can you eat and warm up on the Mountain

There’s a few different areas that have food as well as a bar on mountain. There’s the Prospector Grill behind the ticket office as well as a cafeteria and bar in the Wolf Creek Lodge. Both lodges will have sun decks for warmer days. At the top of the Raven Chairlift is a grill and restaurant and at the bottom of the Alberta lift is another grill. You’ll find the classic ski resort food at all of these places including burgers, brats, pizza, fries, soups, snacks, salads, and desert items. Looking for coffee or breakfast to fuel up before riding? There’s also a coffee shop at the top of the Treasure lift called, Continental. Breakfast is also served at the Prospector Grill from 8am-1030am.

Looking to save money? You can pack a lunch and eat it at Basecamp, an indoor lodge with seating. Not many resorts allow this anymore, making Wolf Creek even more unique then most ski resorts.

Are there any Ski or Snowboard Shops to rent or buy Equipment

There is a rental shop at the base of the resort as well as a retail shop called Treasure Sports. They sell jackets, pants, base layers, Goggles, Helmets, and accessories. Basically everything you need for a day on the hill.

The rental shop also offers tuning services which includes waxing, edging, and base grinding. There’s a package where you can take a pair of demo skis out for two hours while your own equipment is being tuned.

The Snowboard shop is located in the Dome next to the Wolf Creek lodge and ski rentals are located in the Sport Center across from the ticket office.

South Fork and Pagosa Springs will also both have ski/snowboard shops that rent and sell gear. 8200 Mountain Sports in South Fork has retail, rentals, and tuning services. They carry brands such as Never Summer, K2, Salomon, Icelantic, Hestra, Black Diamond, and more. If you’re looking for a ski or snowboard shop in Pagosa Springs check out Summit Ski and Sports as well as Pagosa Ski Rentals. Both shops will have rental and retail sections that sell softgoods, goggles, ski hardgoods, snowboard hardgoods, and accessories.

Where to eat

There aren’t many food options in South Fork as those will be on the other side of the pass in Pagosa Springs. However there’s still a couple good spots that I would recommend. For Breakfast, stop by Tiny Timbers for sandwiches, coffee, and baked goods. For Dinner and Apres’ I would check out Ramons, a Mexican restaurant on your way out after a day at the resort.

Is there a terrain park

Wolf Creek doesn’t have a terrain park however I’ve seen a rail at the bottom of the Treasure stoke lift early season.

Are there ski or snowboard lessons

Yep, Wolf Creek offers group and private lessons. They also offer private lessons for groups. One thing that is unique about WC is they do clinics throughout the season such as Ms. Monday and Tuesday Turns. It’s a way to package a lesson and lift ticket while giving you the opportunity to learn new skills on the mountain and possibly meet a few people.

What snow gear would work best for this trip

Depends on the conditions, below I listed items that I recommend to have a better day on the mountain

• Gore Tex Jacket and/or Pant

• Warm Gloves and Mitts

• Pair of goggles with two lenses one for sun and one for clouds

• Good base layers that wick moisture/sweat, but also keep you warm. These are especially important when doing the hikes at Wolf Creek!

• All mountain Snowboard or Skis. An all mountain set up will allow you to ride deep snow, but also carve on groomers. Burtons Family Tree line is perfect for riding the whole mountain

If you decide to ride early season, make sure to use caution when riding as there could be rocks, trees, and other debris. I asked Josh from New Zealand what his thoughts were of Wolf Creek and he said, “I tell you what, Wolf Creek is a dream come true. When they say most snow in Colorado, they aren't wrong at all, pow in November!!!!! Plenty of lift options give a wide variety of terrain and friendly safety first staff. 10/10 would go back :)

If you enjoyed this post, have questions, or have been to Wolf Creek and have information to add, please leave a comment below. Also, subscribe to our email list below for the latest information on trips, gear information, and outdoor activities. Thanks for checking out the blog and see you on the next post!

-Jeremiah