Breck’s best runs for families
Perhaps you’ve heard, but Breckenridge Ski Resort will open Peak 6 in a few weeks. With that expansion, the resort will have over 2900 acres and 187 trails to explore across five mountains. For the family who has to wrangle kids from the car to the rental shop to the ticket office to the lift, figuring out where to ski seems almost too much to bear. If that sounds like you, here are some suggestions that will hopefully ease the decision-making. (Navigating the rental shop is up to you.)
For the first-time family:
Got one or more newbies in the crew? No problem! You no doubt know to look for the trails in green, but even within the “beginner” category there are varying degrees of difficulty. Your best bet is to take a lesson together, but if you’re of pioneering stock that wants to do things on your own, try Frontier. Accessed from the Quicksilver lift on Peak 9, Frontier runs from just below TenMile Station and is wide with an easy slope. Since it’s perfect beginner terrain, you won’t have to worry about more experienced hotshots screaming by at Mach 3. Once they’ve got the skiing thing down, take the kids through Ripperoo’s Village for a little more challenge. With easy access to similar runs like Red Rover and Silverthorne, Frontier is the perfect way for a family to break into the sport.
For the competitive family:
If your mantle is crammed with trophies and medals – or if you just enjoy bragging rights – take a ride up the Beaver Run chair and try your hand on Sundown. It’s a pretty straightforward intermediate trail with a nice pitch to it, so you can start to feel some speed. After a warmup lap or two, stop in at the Epicmix Racing station and get ready to settle some questions of who the faster skier is. Although Epicmix Racing is not included with your lift ticket, for a nominal fee you can negotiate a race course head-to-head. With professional timing, there will be no gray areas – you’ll have a clear winner. Even better, you can compare your times with Olympian Lindsey Vonn.
For the speed demons:
Craving a little speed? Head over to Cimarron on Peak 10. Bear right after riding the Falcon chair and get ready to feel like an alpine racer. Cimarron was actually an alpine race course once upon a time – the race shack is still standing at the bottom of the run. Cimarron is pure speed – a good pitch with groomed, predictable snow. Your daredevils will be grinning ear-to-ear!
For the family that just enjoys each other:
Got one of those 80’s sitcom families that just loves to hang out together and never really argues? Try your hand on Lincoln Meadows on Peak 7. Lincoln Meadows is in the perfect place on Peak 7 – right in the middle. That means the traffic from Peak 8 doesn’t hit it, and the folks going to Peak 6 won’t be interested. Once your off the Independence chair, ski under the lift and look for the Lincoln Meadows / Wirepatch split. Even on a busy day, it’s not uncommon to have Lincoln Meadows all to yourself, and it’s one of the last runs to get tracked out on a powder day. Plenty wide, Lincoln Meadows is a nice series of rollers that’s just plain fun. Enjoy the solitude, but be ready to merge back onto Monte Cristo – it’s sure to have more traffic.
With almost 200 trails to choose from once all terrain is open, adventure is out there for your family. Take time to explore each peak and see what you like – and then let us know on Facebook or Twitter! Most importantly, be safe – you can see the basic rules for responsible skiing or riding here. See you soon!
— Bradley Stewart
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