Elevate your skiing at Breckenridge

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It has been a long winter in the UK and with much more snow than we are used to. It was particularly bad the week I was going to Colorado. The Alps had more snow than it knew what to do with and I was flying to the far side of the USA to find more white stuff. Irony aside, I had always wanted to ski in Colorado and now I was going to do it.

Unlike some other Colorado ski destinations, Breckenridge, at the base of the Rocky Mountains, is not a purpose-built ski resort. It has its own town, rich in history with its gold rush past. You can even go on a tour of a gold mine and try gold panning at Country Boy Gold Mine.

Along Main Street you will find colourful Victorian buildings, independent shops, restaurants and the Arts District. The Summit Ski Museum, tucked away off Main Street, follows the history of Breckenridge and the creation of its ski resort.

Breckenridge covers five peaks with 187 trails across 2,908 acres, so more than enough to keep you busy. There are free mountain tours at 9:30 am each day if you want to get oriented. Download the Epicmix app to track your progress and for itineraries based on your ability. Ask the guides at the top of the chairlifts for advice too.

Peak 8 and 9 are good to start on as they have a range of runs including greens to get your ski legs first. If you want to progress on to some black runs start with Volunteer on Peak 8 and then Double Jack on Peak 10.  On Peak 7 don’t miss ‘Flaggy John’ at the Independence Superchair organising the sometimes unwieldy lift lines. He will have you whipped into shape after thirty six years working at the resort.  All of the blue runs on Peak 7 are enjoyable and not as steep as Peak 6. I found the blues there just as difficult as the black runs on Peak 10, if not more so. However, you can reach the very top of Peak 6 (3832m), which is good for a photo opportunity by the sign. I advise taking the Bliss run. It is bumpy to start but wide and fairly quiet. If you are skiing to the bottom, follow Déjà vu and finally into Lost Horizon and Monte Cristo, which are my favourite two runs in the resort.

I must admit I was concerned about the altitude being close to 3000 metres at the base, and if there would be any altitude sickness, because I have experienced this in South America. I am relieved to say that apart from a fuzzy head and a dull headache on the first morning, there were no ill effects. I was aware of my heart pounding and some shortness of breath when doing relatively little exercise, so take it easy on the first few days while your body acclimatises. My hotel had humidifiers in all the rooms as the air is dry, so make sure you use one.  There is also an oxygen bar called The 02 Lounge in the town where you can pay to have an oxygen session, helpful in alleviating the symptoms of altitude sickness but also hangovers apparently. In addition you can buy cans of oxygen or rent an oxygen machine. See my advice for dealing with the altitude in the tips at the end.

I went to Breckenridge in early March. This was fine but the second week was clearly one to avoid with what seemed like the whole of Texas arriving in the town for their Spring Break. If you really want to avoid the crowds then forget March altogether as Spring Break is on various weeks throughout the month for different states. I heard from some locals that April is often the snowiest month so that may be a good option.

I don’t eat much when skiing except perhaps for a cereal bar and a hot chocolate but there is no shortage of places to eat if you’re hungry. They are all similar, though I think the best is Pioneer Crossing at Peak 7. It has huge glass windows giving an impressive view of the mountains, and the restrooms are on the same level, meaning no need to trek up or down lots of steps in your ski boots.

Where to stay

Residence Inn Marriott is within short walking distance of restaurants and Main Street. There is a breakfast buffet included in the room rate, not often the case in American hotels. It is only served until 9am (9:30am on weekends) so make sure you get up early before hitting the slopes. You will notice several of the guests taking a relaxed attitude towards breakfast, arriving as they do in their pyjamas. The room had a kitchenette; useful if you want to eat in. The outdoor hot tub and heated pool are a welcome retreat at the end of the day and the hotel provides a free shuttle bus to the slopes with the friendly and helpful driver, Tim.

Where to eat

Crepes a La Cart offer an enticing menu of crepes from a food truck on Main Street. I very much enjoyed my choice of German Apple Strudel and there are patio heaters to stand by while you eat. There is usually a long queue but around 5 to 5.30pm on weekdays seemed to be quieter. I do think they are missing a trick with not having something similar on the mountain as there are in French resorts.

Soupz on is next to the City Market (supermarket) near the gondola. There are lots of interesting flavours, which you can have a taste of before deciding. I had the Greek lemon chicken with cracked pepper and parmesan focaccia. This was perfect to warm me up on a cold, snowy and windy day.

Stained glass window in Ember restaurant

Poppadoms at Ember Restaurant

Ember is off Main Street and I liked it so much that I visited twice during my time in Breckenridge. The first time I had the seabass with quinoa and potato hash and the second time I had the quail with a poached pear salsa. The complimentary poppadoms with coriander and black pepper were a nice touch as well as moreish, so be careful not to fill up if you are having a main course.

I was so concerned about drinking alcohol at high altitude that I only had one glass of wine during the whole trip, but if you are looking for après ski, there are a variety of bars including: Napper Tandy’s Irish Pub, the Gold Pan Saloon, and The Rocky Mountain Underground, which is a ski shop with a backyard beer garden. The Blue River Bistro has happy hour at 3-6pm and at 9pm, and you can enjoy Italian-American cuisine there while listening to live music.

I went to Hearthstone for my birthday as I had heard this was the best place in town. It had lots of small rooms and it felt like you were in somebody’s home with friendly service to match. This is because it was a home, the home of Chris Kaiser. It was built in the 1880s for Kaiser who was a German immigrant and ran a market and Butchers in Breckenridge. I had the squash capellini (coconut cornmeal with beetroot, roasted apples and almonds). It was surprisingly filling but so satisfying that I had to finish. The waiter gave me some chocolate cake for my birthday, although I had to take it away as I couldn’t eat another thing.

Other ski resorts

There are several other resorts included in Epic lift passes so visit a few if you have time. Keystone is half an hour from Breckenridge by bus. It is smaller and quieter but has three peaks for intermediates and above.  The North Peak is quieter than the main area with steeper blues and can be windy but the snow is better. The easiest run would be Prospector and later try Anticipation. It has a slightly steeper section but it is wide and not for very long.

I highly recommend stopping at The Crepe Stand in the resort village. You will be thinking by now that I have an obsession with crepes, which is partly true. I also find them a good snack when skiing as they are not too heavy but give you energy.  The raspberry lemon and white chocolate was my first choice with the strawberry shortcake coming in a close second.

Vail is the largest ski resort in Colorado and an hour by car or shuttle bus. It is more expensive to stay than at Breckenridge but it is worth doing a day trip. It is a European inspired purpose-built resort village and for that reason some people don’t like it but with the bluebird day I had coupled with the vast terrain, I was glad to have made the trip. With such an expanse of piste it felt quieter than Breckenridge because it was easy to get away from people. Once you have explored the front side, head to the Back bowls. Don’t be put off by their expert-only reputation as there are some gentle intermediate runs at the China Bowl such as Poppy Fields.

My final crepe recommendation is Crespelle in the resort village. I had the Berry White (berries, berry jam and whipped cream). Luckily I saved this for the end of the skiing day as I felt quite full.

My tips for Breckenridge

• If you haven’t been to high altitude before or if you know that you suffer with the effects, it might be helpful to stopover at Denver (1000m). This will allow a more gradual ascent. Another option could be to try different resort that is at a slightly lower elevation e.g. Park City in Utah (2134m) or Beaver Creek in Colorado (2463m). Don’t go skiing/snowboarding on your first day as it will give you a chance to get acclimatised and then take it easy on the slopes for the first few days.
• Water is very important as you will lose more through breathing heavier. Drink plenty on the week leading up to your holiday, on the flight itself and from then on during your stay. If you feel you are getting a headache then take ibuprofen or paracetamol. Avoid caffeine and alcohol if you can for the first few days, and even after that minimise your intake. I found myself breathing harder walking back from restaurants after dinner. Now I understand why light calorific meals that are high in carbohydrates, are advised, as you need your energy but with the altitude your body is working harder to digest food.
• Eat bananas for their potassium and slow release energy.
• Use moisturiser, hand cream and an intensive hair conditioner. Your hair and skin will get dry with the lack of humidity. You may notice some lines appear on your face that weren’t there before and worry like I did that they may not disappear when you return from holiday. Fear not, my skin and hair returned to normal after a few days back in the rainy UK. Remember the sunscreen when on the slopes as the sun will be very strong at such a high altitude.
• Take the herbal supplement Gingko Biloba from a few weeks before your trip and during your stay. This improves blood circulation and assists the brain in accepting lower oxygen levels.
• ‘Breckenfridge’ is a nickname for the town because it can get very cold and sometimes windy so be sure to wrap up and invest in some Hotties for your gloves. Be prepared for anything though, as there were a number of sunny days during my stay, at above 10 degrees and I was slightly too warm.
• Buy your ski pass in advance of your holiday to save money but also to get the Epic pass if it suits your needs as it may go off sale before the ski season. The pass includes access to 64 resorts with unlimited dates and access. I missed this but was able to get the Epic local pass, which gives unlimited access and dates for 6 resorts plus limited access and dates for 20 other resorts.
• North American runs are not marked as well as in Europe so keep checking and looking out for signs.
• Ski and snowboard lessons are expensive in North America and more so in the US than Canada. I suggest doing most of your learning in Europe and then perhaps taking one or two lessons in North America if you want to improve.
• It may be useful to hire a car if you want the freedom to explore. Driving two hours from Denver Airport after a very long journey may not be advisable though, unless you are stopping in Denver for a night. I took the Colorado Mountain Shuttle to Breckenridge, which was approximately $50 dollars each. Unfortunately my flight home was early so getting shuttle transportation is much more expensive before 6am as they include a surcharge.
• The Summit County buses are free. Keystone is in the same county and buses are every hour. Vail is in another county so I booked a Fresh Tracks shuttle bus ($45 round trip per person), which takes an hour to get there. You can get there for cheaper if you can be bothered. This involves taking a free Summit bus from Breckenridge bus station at 7:45am to Frisco and then booking a Greyhound bus to Vail ($15 return).  This does add at least half an hour to your journey each way, you have to return earlier and for the hassle of changing buses with your skis as well, I decided to bite the bullet and pay for Fresh Tracks.