Pin hunting like a pro

Feb. 07, 2014 By Michael Suleiman

Your legs are tired, it’s 3 o’clock and your thinking it’s time for après hour. Then you remember the bet you had with your friend; who could get more epic mix points for the season? You pull out your smartphone and look at a few of the pins you have yet to earn. Making a mad dash back up to the top of Peak 7 you grab an epic mix photographer, and just like that you add 250 points to the day.

Pin hunting requires a bit of foresight and planning. Follow these three rules in order to maximize your pin hunting.

1. Plan out your day.

When pin hunting, take the time to go on Epicmix.com to see what pins are readily available for you at Breckenridge or other mountains. Calculate which pins are going to get you the most points in a day. Make a list and a plan to maximize your day. Bring a backpack with water for less frequent breaks in the day.

2. Try something new.

Figure out what area will help you gain the most pins in one day. Going to different areas on the mountain you typically don’t go to can help you gain some of those elusive pins. Try a few epic mix races, get photos taken and go on lifts you don’t usually ride. Taking lessons can also help you gain some rare pins.

3. See the whole mountain.

A lot of pins at Breck come from skiing a wide variety of terrain spread throughout the mountain. Try to grab the quick and easy low scoring pins on your way to getting those higher point pins. When pin hunting, it is all about time management.

Here are some of the harder pins to get and just a few of our personal favorites: