Texas — A Stephens County man is in jail accused of Solicitation of Capital Murder and two other charges Jacob Wayne Spencer is being held on a $1.2 million bond for Solicitation of Capital Murder Unlawful Installation of a Tracking Device Court documents state Spencer's step-father was the target The Criminal Investigation Division of The Texas Department of Public Safety are leading the investigation and the Texas Rangers assisted in taking Spencer into custody This is an active investigation and is in its early stages KTXS will stay on top of this developing story and provide updates as they become available News | May 4 Nighttime utility work is set to cause closures on Main Street in Breckenridge beginning on Sunday Upper Blue Sanitation District is set to conduct a sewer line rehabilitation project according to a news release from the town of Breckenridge The work will cause one-lane closures with flaggers directing traffic through the work zone The closures will affect Main Street from N The work is set to take place from May 4 though Sunday June 1 on Sunday to Thursday nights from 7 p.m Summit Daily is embarking on a multiyear project to digitize its archives going back to 1989 and make them available to the public in partnership with the Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection The full project is expected to cost about $165,000 All donations made in 2023 will go directly toward this project Voting in the two local elections concluded Saturday May 3 as unofficial election results were released for the contested races for the Breckenridge City Commission and Stephens Memorial Hospital Board of Directors.Early voting in the elections ran from Tuesday Each entity held its election at its own polling place the city election at city hall and the SMH board election at the O.C Heairren Annex.Results are unofficial until canvassing by each entity.Election resultsCity of Breckenridge Place 3 CommissionerJunior Fernandez - 104 (45.21%)Vince Moore - 80 (34.78%)Scott Ensey - 26 (11.30%)Richard “Dicky” Russell - 20 (8.69%)City of Breckenridge Place 4 CommissionerPaul J - 126 (60.57%)Tony Patterson - 82 (39.42%)Stephens Memorial Hospital Board Tom Echols - 130 (87.25%)Kaylee Curtis - 124 (83.22%)Gregg Goodall - 124 (83.22%)John Powell - 34 (22.82%) Read Breckenridge American 
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Breckenridge trust://texaspress.com! © 2025 Breckenridge American approximately one mile north of Breckenridge according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol The patrol reported that a 2000 Chevrolet 1500 was traveling south when it ran off the right side of the road causing the pickup to veer off the left side of the roadway The vehicle then struck an embankment and a tree before coming to rest on its wheels sustained injuries and was transported by Caldwell County EMS to Hedrick Medical Center in Chillicothe The pickup was totaled and towed by Legacy Tow The Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office assisted the patrol at the scene Colorado.The injured skier was carried approximately 1,100 feet in the slide and the avalanche was characterized by the CAIC as being size D2.5 That’s large enough to bury or kill a person they departed the resort through the Peak 6 area backcountry access point the accident summary stated. According to the CAIC a collection of chutes in the Tenmile Range that includes K Chute All members of the party carried avalanche rescue gear. After arriving at a steep section of K Chute the skier went ahead before the avalanche broke above him referred to as “Skier One” by the accident summary reportedly lost sight of him as he was swept away by the avalanche. Skier One reportedly radioed to Skier Three and asked that they call 911 Skier One began to descend the avalanche path with his avalanche transceiver in search mode and Skier One reportedly spotted the caught skier who was still in the slow-moving snow debris.  Skier One saw the caught skier move out of the avalanche path Both his skis had been lost in the avalanche. Skier One and the injured skier found a patch of bare ground and started walking towards their vehicle which was located in a parking area below K Chute and the two started post-holing—the accident summary noted that “Travel was very difficult.”Then the pair reportedly realized that the injured skier had another set of skis in the car Skier One left the injured skier to retrieve the skis and the injured skier was taken to the hospital according to the accident summary.When Skier One and Skier Three reconvened Skier One asked Skier Three if he had called 911 and Skier Three reportedly said he hadn’t.The aftermath of the avalanche was reportedly encountered later that day by a group of two skiers who also planned to ski K Chute they saw the crown of the avalanche and discussed the slide with another group of three who had also just arrived in the area the accident summary stated.The groups reportedly descended the slide path with their transceivers in search mode They also encountered the injured skier’s skis and called 911 A dispatcher reportedly told them that they hadn’t received word of an avalanche.As rescue groups organized Anthony Summit Hospital in Frisco that a skier who had been injured in an avalanche in the Sky Chutes was being treated according to the accident summary. The accident summary stated that the Summit County Rescue Group matched the found skis to the description of the injured skier’s lost skis establishing a connection between the injured skier and the observed avalanche debris News | May 2 Breckenridge Tourism Office president Lucy Kacy’s recent travel outlook presentations have all opened with the same graphic — a cartoon of a little girl dragging a red deflating balloon labeled “confidence,” a reference to consumer confidence.  Amid President Trump’s erratic imposition of tariffs, she said a decline in consumer confidence has been one of the only stable indicators the industry can use to determine what upcoming travel seasons look like.  Data from The Conference Board the organization that determines the Consumer Confidence Index that Kay verified the morning of May 1 demonstrated consumer confidence is down to pandemic-era levels the outlook for the next six months estimates consumer confidence will be down to 2011 levels “We think there’s going to be a recession coming soon,” Kay said noting the index recently hit a level economists consider to be indicative of a recession “So that’s pretty concerning.” She shared data with those at the Northwest Colorado Council of Governments Regional Economic Summit May 1 demonstrating nights booked in Breckenridge for this summer are down 16% and Summit County is down 11% She highlighted a silver lining from global travel intelligence agency MMGY’s recent outlook which showed “the intent and enthusiasm to travel is really high.” She said during periods of economic uncertainty research shows people prioritize travel over other expenses and the industry is more recession-resistant than others.  Kay said her industry also keeps a close eye on airlines and things don’t have a rosy outlook on that front She said airlines are already cutting both domestic and international summer flights Some even stopped putting out their typical business forecast given current economic uncertainty and attitudes toward traveling to the U.S. She said the tangible impacts of this on places like Breckenridge can include shortened length of stay from visitors Additionally people are waiting longer than they typically would to book their Breckenridge trips This could mean bookings won’t be down 16% by the time summer is actually here; Kay said she anticipates a decrease closer to 5-10% She said Breckenridge’s summer tourism has been “sliding a little bit for each of the last three years,” and while the tendency of many may be to scale back her office is “keeping our foot on the gas pedal.” She said her office asked for an incremental $100,000 from the town a while ago She said they are also pushing forward planned expenditures for the fall into summer.  “We know we have to hit July … you can triple October you haven’t done the community a service,” she said.  Kay was joined by Colorado Tourism Office Deputy Director Jill Corbin and Northwest Colorado Council of Governments executive director Jon Stavney for a conversation after her presentation about the current state of tourism Stavney wanted know about what role Vail Resorts plays in supporting Breckenridge’s tourism economy and what the current relationship between the town and the corporation is Kay, a former Vail Resorts employee herself, said the relationship between the two has “varied” over the years. She referenced friction over the 2016 introduction of the lift-ticket tax as a point in time where there was tension “I think a little bit of what happens is the people that are (local employees with) boots on the ground some of the regional directors and certainly the corporate directors are not as close to what’s happening in the community,” she said Corbin shed light on where the state government and governor’s heads are currently at with tourism noting concerns about a loss of international travelers to the state She said the governor’s office is particularly looking to keep relationships strong with the nation’s neighboring countries Jared Polis recently hosted a “Colorado loves Canada Day” and a “Colorado-Mexico Friendship Day.” “We are trying to distinguish ourselves as a very welcoming safe place for international travelers,” she said Both Corbin and Kay expressed more worry over the U.S tourism economy than Colorado’s tourism economy Corbin said the tourism industry in the U.S had a surplus of $50 billion from the international traveler coming to the U.S and $50 billion of American money is going overseas Kay has said that Breckenridge has never relied on international tourism in the summer — it relies more on domestic travelers so that currently isn’t a major concern for summer 2025 Texas — Three people were arrested in Breckenridge and charged with gambling promotion The Breckenridge Police Department said 34-year-old Dinesh Gautam and 36-year-old Rajedra Neupane were running illegal gaming operations An investigation revealed that businesses were paying out in excess of the state law as well as thousands of dollars in online gaming State law allows for novelty gaming that does not exceed payouts of over five dollars a day Police state the investigation continues and they believe more illegal gambling and payouts are still happening in the city Mar 14, 2025While it doesn’t have the same cult following as legendary ski destinations such as Jackson Hole or Utah’s Alta, Breckenridge is one of North America’s most popular ski resort destinations thanks to reliable high-altitude snow and its relatively easy access for fly-in travelers via Denver International Airport so it’s a great base if you want to tick off a bunch of Colorado resorts in one trip Breckenridge Resort boasts North America’s highest chairlift and with a base elevation above 9,600 feet hangs around well into May and stays cold and light As a resident for over a decade (I don’t know when you’re allowed to start saying you’re a “local”) I can tell you it’s a great ski town and that the five peaks’ worth of terrain is underrated you’ll have a great visit both on the mountain and around town Want to keep up with the best stories and photos in skiing Subscribe to the new Powder To The People newsletter for weekly updates Photo: Courtesy Breckenridge Resort / Sarah McLear I’ve put this section first since it’ll likely have the biggest impact on your experience.  Because of its popularity with tourists and Denver day-trippers there are certain times of the year when lift lines start to cut into your time spent skiing Snow conditions are the best in Breckenridge in January I recommend giving any of these dates at least a day or two buffer.  Outside of Saturdays and these extreme peaks (and double-digit powder days) I rarely encounter long lift lines at Breckenridge it’s easy to find your favorite zones and just ski if you come at the right time Photo: Courtesy Breckenridge Tourism Office / Alex Neuschaefer You’ll be flying into Denver International Airport and from there I recommend grabbing a shuttle rent a car but the cost and hassle outweigh the benefits for most since you’ll be able to walk to the lifts or at least to a free bus from anywhere in town to get to the slopes and downtown It’s also difficult to guarantee a 4WD/AWD vehicle from car rental companies which means you’ll need to be prepared with chains and white knuckles for the trek up into the mountains via I-70.The exception would be if you’re using Breckenridge as a base camp and planning to visit lots of other Colorado ski areas but be warned that parking at your lodging may not be free or guaranteed and may be more headache than help Free buses are plentiful and frequently operated by the ski area and town, and Summit County to get you skiing at Breck Arapahoe Basin and Keystone—as well as various points around town and beyond for restaurants and shops Breckenridge is pretty light on big-name hotel chains so while there are some larger hotel-style accommodations at the bases of peaks 7 8 and 9 as well as a Residence Inn on the south end of town most end up finding lodging via Airbnb or VRBO Fun fact: VRBO was started in 1995 by a retired Denver-area schoolteacher named David Clouse who looking for a way to rent his Breckenridge ski condo Photo: Courtesy Breckenridge Office of Tourism they are right at the base of Peak 9 and have a great gym coworking space and a Japanese-style onsen complete with cold plunge Forty percent of the terrain is above tree line and that’s where the majority of the advanced/expert terrain lies This makes it easy to know where to go for the goods and to get away from the ski lesson set. Peak 10 is 100 percent advanced/expert terrain. Intermediates have lots of options in the middle ground though Peak 6 is nearly all blues unless you hike and is often one of the least crowded areas.  The gondola from town drops you at Peak 8 base The addition of the Five SuperChair in 2023 means all of the lifts at the base are high-speed The Peak 9 base area is the best place to start for beginners with plenty of ultra-mellow greens which often sports some of the longest lift lines on the mountain by virtue of it serving the easiest terrain and being the closest lift to town there are several in-bounds as well as out-of-bounds hike-to zones for expert skiers at the top of all of the peaks except Peak 7 hike directly uphill from the ski patrol shack at the top of Kensho SuperChair to access the Six Senses which offers steep drop-ins and a few short couloirs after a doable 10- to 15-minute boot pack From the top of the Imperial SuperChair (North America’s highest chairlift at nearly 13,000 feet) hike another five minutes straight up the boot pack to access the short-but-steep Lake Chutes exit skier’s right to Way Out for ungroomed pleasure back down to 6-Chair The top of the Mercury SuperChair on Peak 9 leads to the hike-to terrain for The Back 9 Windows can also be accessed via a traverse from the top of E-Chair The large terrain part is located on Peak 8 Walk-up day-of lift tickets at Breckenridge cost $299 for adults and $194 for children Buying online gets you skip-the-line privileges Since Breckenridge is a Vail Resorts property, the Epic Pass is really your only hope for more significant savings off the walk-up prices Getting one of the Epic Pass season passes ahead of the season start offers the best value if you’re skiing about four or more days Epic Pass day passes are another option to get scaling bulk prices for one to seven days of skiing But since the Epic Pass stops selling in late November or early December your next best option is buying in bulk online or finding a season pass holder that’s willing to use their Buddy Tickets on you which can cut the lift ticket price by up to 45 percent Senior Communications Manager for the resort told me guests need to book online at least a week in advance to get the best discounts To see prices for particular dates and purchase online, visit the Breckenridge lift tickets page Breckenridge is a town where you don’t need to change out of your ski gear no matter where you go, but the restaurants have come a long way from just burgers and pizza. (Though there are at least 10 pizza joints if that’s what you crave. I like Breckenridge Ale House.) Photo: Courtesy Breckenridge Resort / Sarah McLear Extended ski trips usually call for at least one day off Luckily there’s plenty to do away from the resort These huskies just want to run at Good Times Dogsledding, and they’ll be happy to take you for a lap on the trails up the Swan River Valley just outside of town Slots book up early so plan ahead for this one If you want to get off the resort but not off your skis, there’s a ton of backcountry terrain in Summit County. Colorado Adventure Guides is permitted to guide on 6,000 acres and can tailor custom tours for your group They also have a ton of rental gear so you don’t need to schlep your off-piste gear through the airport Call it “active recovery.” Ridden Breckenridge offers fat bike tours daily at 11:00 a.m for $85 per person that leave from their store on the south end of town and roll through town on a rec path all the way to Broken Compass Brewing and the Breckenridge Distillery for tastings but they’re mostly flat and the whole experience takes less than three hours While most options are focused on beginners there are options for intermediates as well and even more advanced skiers can get personalized instruction via private lessons As many as your legs and budget can handle If you're coming from lower elevation (and almost everyone will be considering Breck has some of the highest-elevation terrain in the nation) I recommend building in acclimation and rest days Some folks concerned about adjusting to the altitude will spend a night in Denver (5,280 feet) before rocketing up to Breckenridge (9,600 feet) I also suggest a planned rest day if your legs aren't in midseason form.  A good plan for a 5-7 day trip is to ski on the first full day in town but don't go crazy and ski from open until close The next day do another relaxed day of skiing with plenty of breaks Focus on learning the mountain better and finding your favorite trails and peaks ski another day or two before you head out The point isn't to follow this schedule exactly as conditions and other factors may affect what makes sense for your trip and don't be afraid to take some easy recovery days where you stay active and ski some runs but stop before you're smoked Even high-level ski athletes can't go hard all day every day on the slopes so you shouldn't try to just to "get your money's worth." For more trip booking intel and event calendars, visit gobreck.com The Town of Breckenridge’s Recreation Department recently announced that fencing has been erected around the Breckenridge Skatepark in preparation for an expansion project The project will affect skatepark hours throughout the summer The newly updated public access hours are from 4 to 7:30 p.m. The skatepark expansion project is projected to add an additional 12,500 square feet of area to the existing skatepark in its present location for a total of 31,500 square feet The skatepark addition will include a new layout and features The project also includes concrete repairs to existing features According to the project timeline construction will last the majority of the summer For more information, visit BreckenridgeRecreation.com. As a Summit Daily News reader, you make our work possible. Summit Daily is embarking on a multiyear project to digitize its archives going back to 1989 and make them available to the public in partnership with the Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection. The full project is expected to cost about $165,000. All donations made in 2023 will go directly toward this project. Every contribution, no matter the size, will make a difference. Armstrong Williams takes on the news of the week and asks the questions you want answered. Don’t miss our weekly town hall. Breckenridge police believe more people are involved in illegal gamblingby Jackson Burlison Three people were arrested in Breckenridge this week for allegedly running illegal gambling operations An investigation revealed that businesses were paying out more than the state law allowed along with thousands of dollars in online gambling We spoke to the police chief about what happened "We believe that it is still going on like I said I understand that hearing from the people that people are saying it still goes on It is an ongoing process like I said and we will be looking for people who want to come in and give us information and if it is based on that information if it is something actionable We will go out and make more offensive arrests on things like that and it is something we will continue to enforce." Machines at some convenience stores have been confiscated due to illegal activity your payout is only supposed to be up to 5 dollars a day "They are typically some of them are slot machines some of them are table type games there different games of chance and each musnipality will rule it differently when I first got into it I ended up reaching out to the state comtroller and the TABC I spoke to some local law enforcement around and our sheriff’s department here in Stephens County," said Johnson One thing to note about this is that there are game rooms in Breckenridge that are still reportedly participating in this there are people in online gambling who are getting larger payouts there from some services that are run overseas The machines are not illegal to possess or use but if you're paying out more on the machine than the novelty item we discussed then that’s where it becomes illegal," said Johnson Another problem could be that it is not just illegal gambling If there are multiple people involved in gambling promotions Police say the investigation into the three arrested is still ongoing They reportedly face at least a year in jail or a $10,000 fine a search is still underway to find more illegal activity and determine its source News | Apr 29 There is not a more telling sign that the ski and ride season is coming to a close than when a resort hosts a pond skim event With just a few weeks left in the 2025-26 season Breckenridge Ski Resort hosted its annual pond skim on Saturday guests traveled from far as Brazil and South Korea to don pool floaties bath robes and flamboyant costumes in the pond skim contest After the conclusion of the pond skim each day the Peak 8 base area was transformed for the resort’s Peaks and Beats celebration Alana English and The Black Wands all performed for free at the base of Breckenridge Ski Resort The musical performances drew huge post-ski day crowds with skiers and riders basking in the springtime sun Breckenridge is currently slated to close on May 11 Highlights from the pond skim event at Breckenridge Ski Resort on Sunday Skiers and riders enjoy the live music during Breckenridge Ski Resort’s Peaks and Beats event on Sunday April 27.JP Douvalakis/Breckenridge Ski Resort April 27.P Douvalakis/Breckenridge Ski Resort Show CaptionsHide Captions News | Apr 30 Thursday 12:30 p.m.: A man is in custody following a multiday manhunt in the area of Bill’s Ranch near Frisco Law enforcement officers responded around 3:30 p.m to a report of a masked person acting suspiciously in the Moonstone Road area east of Breckenridge according to a Summit County Sheriff’s Office news release Officials say the suspect was seen diving a car without a plate while leaving a home that was believed to be unoccupied A deputy initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle on Colorado Highway 9 near Coyne Valley Road but the driver refused to stop and continued northbound The vehicle was then reportedly located abandoned and still running in the area of Bill’s Ranch near Frisco Officers say the driver was suspected of fleeing into a nearby neighborhood Officers confirmed the vehicle was stolen from an area on the Front Range Frisco Elementary School was secured by a Sheriff’s Office resource officer while law enforcement personnel from Colorado State Patrol and Frisco Breckenridge and Blue River police departments searched the area Mike Schilling said the search extended into the night Officers responded on the morning of Thursday to a reported vehicle trespass in the town of Frisco matched the description from the previous day’s incident,” a Sheriff’s Office news release states “The suspect attempted to flee on foot but was caught and arrested by Frisco Police officers.” Summit County Sheriff Jaime FitzSimons highlighted in a statement that the incident started and ended thanks to community members who “spoke up when something didn’t look right thanking the law enforcement agencies for collaborating and bringing the incident to a safe conclusion The suspect is in custody at the Summit County Jail “There is no elevated risk to public safety related to this incident,” the release states No booking photo was released since the case remains open 11:10 a.m.: The masked man suspected of behaving suspiciously near Breckenridge who fled deputies Wednesday according to Summit County Sheriff’s Office Lt Schilling said the Sheriff’s Office will be releasing more details soon 8:45 p.m.: Summit County Sheriff’s Office Lt Mike Schilling said deputies will continue to be in the area of Bill’s Ranch in search of a masked suspect who fled police from Breckenridge to Frisco Wednesday Schilling said there is no indication that the male suspect was armed or not armed but he noted that at no point did the suspect threaten citizens or law enforcement When asked about what the suspect was doing when someone called in the incident located in the Moonstone Road area of unincorporated Summit County Schilling said “an investigation into any activity in the moonstone area is ongoing.” Schilling said he would try to answer multiple other questions posed by Summit Daily News in the morning as more information is gathered 6:30 p.m.: Officers are continuing the search for a suspect in the Bill’s Ranch area of unincorporated Summit County near Frisco who fled from Summit County Sheriff’s Office deputies earlier in the day The Sheriff’s Office urged the community to “exercise normal vigilance and report suspicious activity” in a Facebook post about the incident Deputies are expected to remain in the area Wednesday evening 5:07 p.m.: The Summit County Sheriff’s Office is searching for a masked person who fled from deputies after they attempted a traffic stop on Colorado Highway 9 The Sheriff’s Office received a report of a masked person acting suspiciously in the Moonstone area of unincorporated Summit County around 3:35 p.m Deputies located the vehicle tied to the incident and discovered it was stolen Deputies attempted to initiate a traffic stop but the driver failed to yield then abandoned the vehicle in the Bill’s Ranch area in unincorporated Summit County near Frisco and fled on foot around 3:40 p.m Deputies have been joined by officers from all Summit County jurisdictions and the Colorado State Patrol and are searching for the suspect in the Bill’s Ranch area Residents in the area are advised to stay inside and lock their doors while the search is ongoing of average height and has a “male build,” and is wearing a black mask all black clothes and is carrying a blue backpack An “active law enforcement incident” is ongoing on Wednesday, April 30, in the Bill’s Ranch area of unincorporated Summit County near Frisco, according to a Facebook post by the Summit County Sheriff’s Office. Law enforcement is actively searching for a suspect in the area Everyone in the area should stay inside and lock their doors Frisco Elementary School is nearby but not involved in the incident The Sheriff’s Office school resource officer is on-scene and providing security at the school The Sheriff’s Office Facebook page will be updated first with the most current information Mike Schilling told the Summit Daily News that no further information is available at this time This story is developing and will be updated News | Apr 24 In this day and age, fewer and fewer employees are working at a company for more than two decades. While there are exceptions, members of the American workforce typically change jobs every 4.2 years on average, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Breckenridge Ski Resort employees were recently recognized for bucking this growing trend reaching career milestones ranging from five to 50 years of service which took place on April 2, featured 13 people who were recognized for 25 years of service and three employees who have worked at Breckenridge for the last 50 years The 25-year employees received a Vail Resorts lifetime pass while the employees who have worked 50 years each received a pair of custom-designed Wagner skis The employees who have worked with Breckenridge for the past 50 years include ski patroller Kevin Ahern and Doug Hamilton Ahern and Hamilton each started working at Breckenridge in the middle of the 1970s Ahern started at the resort in 1973 as part of the resort’s trail crew and Hamilton began his career as a lift operator in 1974 After only working at the resort part time during the summer break away from school Ahern was officially named to the resort’s ski patrol team in 1976 Hamilton stayed in the same line of work at the resort through much of his career helping complete major lift upgrades and projects “We did a lot of lift replacements,” Hamilton said “From 1978-84 we tore out one lift and built a new lift about once a year lift maintenance and lift operations.” Hamilton began working with building maintenance which regularly monitors and maintains all of the buildings at the resort Since starting at the resort over 50 years ago Ahern and Hamilton have seen the resort change — but also stay the same in many ways The biggest thing that has changed is “the growth that has taken place over the years as the ski area has matured and the town has matured turning the town and the county into a year-round destination,” said Ahern who began at the resort as a high schooler With a vast amount of knowledge surrounding lifts Hamilton is astonished at how much lift infrastructure and technology has changed within the ski industry over the past five decades Hamilton says the biggest change he has seen is implementation of detachable lifts “You could run the lifts at a much higher speed,” Hamilton said “The increased capacity really put the ski industry on the map We had the very first detachable quad in the world all the other detachables around the state started going to quads That renovation was a major change in the industry.” Despite Summit County and the resort slowly changing over the years Ahern and Hamilton both agree that the stoke for skiing at Breckenridge remains unchanged.  “The thing that has stayed the same is the constant of the great skiing that is available,” Hamilton said “Those things have always been right at the forefront of everybody’s mind It has gotten better as we opened up more terrain and advanced but that’s the one thing that is consistent and the same.” and skiing has changed a tremendous amount but the people that are passionate about skiing stay the same,” Ahern said “I see a lot of the same locals that I saw 40 years ago out skiing all the time I think that the heart and soul of skiing is still there.” Beyond being a workplace that has allowed Ahern and Hamilton to grow Breckenridge has also created lifelong memories for both men Ahern now works alongside his two sons on ski patrol something he does not take for granted and cherishes every day and we started building ourselves together,” Ahern said and it has been something I have been able to make a living doing To see (his kids) become successful on patrol in their own roles has been pretty rewarding.” Hamilton’s favorite memory is the joy people have when visiting Breckenridge Whether a Summit local or a first-time skier the enthusiastic grins across the mountain always stand out to Hamilton as he goes about his work day a lot of the things I am responsible for is to help other people accomplish their goals,” Hamilton said “Those accomplishments and setting people up for success is one of my calling cards.” From helping a skier who is injured or taking pride in the resort’s lifts and buildings Ahern and Hamilton have each shaped the ski and ride experience at Breckenridge in their own way.  “I find it very rewarding that people are having fun and are willing to return,” Hamilton said “It is okay in a maintenance function that you are not noted or seen It means that you are doing your job and people are not dissatisfied.” Both longtime employees were present at Breckenridge’s “Trails & Tales – Celebrating YOU Through the Years” celebration earlier this month The night allowed Ahern and Hamilton to reflect on the past 50 years alongside family and fellow employees “It is certainly an accomplishment,” Hamilton said It is not that I am here to set the bar high I find it rewarding that I am still functioning and very able to do my work even after 50 years.” News | Apr 12 Similar to most travel markets in the U.S., Breckenridge is anticipating a dip in summer visitation, yet it won’t have to deal with a drop in a key visitor demographic other U.S. destinations are having to worry about. Breckenridge Tourism Office president Lucy Kay painted a picture of uncertainty at a summer tourism outlook event on Thursday, April 10, referencing the evolving impacts of events like President Trump’s administration announcing the 90-day pause on tariffs just the day before.  While markets more reliant on international travel could feel more significant hits Breckenridge’s summer visitation has never been dependent on international travelers visitation is likely to be lower than last year the Breckenridge Tourism Office doesn’t have all the numbers it needs for a summer visitation outlook but Kay said the office anticipates Breckenridge could be down 5-10%. She stressed this isn’t the final summer outlook and not all the summer bookings have been made yet She said preliminary data shows Vail summer visitation could be down 6% Park City’s could be down 1% and Summit County at-large could be down 11.6% Kay said one thing to keep on eye on regarding impacts to all U.S “The exchange rate right now is the strongest it’s been in 40 years (which) makes it very expensive for people to come here and makes it very cheap for us to go abroad,” she said “So some of our domestic travelers may divert to international travelers this year.” Kay highlighted what she described as a tentative travel prediction that could benefit Breckenridge and Colorado at-large.  She said travel experts are seeing indicators of a potential “road trip year.” Data shows Breckenridge’s fly-drive visitor market is a fairly even split in terms of how people choose to get here Kay said much of Breckenridge’s “fly” market is still within driving range and the tourism office finds people are willing to make that switch if airfare prices are high.  She said the last major “road trip” year Colorado saw was during the Great Recession in 2008 noting “that saved Colorado” tourism Breckenridge Tourism Office senior marketing director John Sellers also presented information on the town’s marketing plan noting the summer marketing focus is entirely on out-of-state visitors He said the tourism office is ramping up an ambassador program to highlight the town as an outdoor recreation destination through locals and visitors who have a platform online.  mostly business owners and community members wondered what data exists that shows how many repeat visitors are coming to Breckenridge.  Kay said there’s been a fairly consistent rate of 40% repeat visitation over the last couple years She clarified while the tourism office’s job primarily entails prospecting and pulling in new visitation it looks to support lodging companies and business in marketing efforts to encourage repeat visitation “We pay a lot of attention to net promoter scores which is guest propensity to recommend coming back … We are always looking at different things we can do to elevate the service levels,” she said Audience members also had questions about summer attractions, particularly ones for July 4 and the results of a community survey regarding local sentiment on the town’s holiday offerings The tourism office and elected officials parsed through a handful of different nighttime entertainment options to introduce on the holiday that would turn day visitors into overnight visitors.  Breckenridge Tourism Office director of operations Bill Wishowski said the community survey lacked a solid conclusion.  He said respondents “couldn’t necessarily communicate their favorability for the (light show) animation because we didn’t tell them exactly what that animation may be,” noting the town kept specific details of the Studio Roosegaarde’s SPARK exhibition it was considering under wraps for awhile This made for a situation where people didn’t know what kind of “animation” they were being asked about in the survey Wishowski said the community didn’t seem to be in favor of fireworks “Understanding that with the fire concerns that we have having fireworks in Breckenridge during the summertime is not a shift that people were willing to make at this time,” he said News | Jan 5 Now that a key travel booking period has passed, the Breckenridge Tourism Office has a more precise outlook on the ski season and staff members say the data is showing some unprecedented trends.  director of operations for the Breckenridge Tourism Office 17 presentation that patterns in revenue and booking are unlike anything he’s seen in the past two decades.  He said data indicates nights booked will be up during the ski season travelers’ average length of stay will be down and so will revenue The average length of stay was at 3.6 nights in 2024 despite a 2% increase year over year in guest nights booked discounting is happening more on lesser quality but things that are kind of in that mid-to-upper range those rates are whole,” Wishowski said.  He added this is particularly interesting because data shows the number of available lodging units is down 7% year over year While the Breckenridge Tourism Office doesn’t have data on every single lodging option it has data on most through a database called Key Data Around 3,200 properties both in and outside town limits are captured through Key Data and the boundary spans from the Hoosier Pass area to Farmer’s Korner near Frisco The organization has tabs on around 2,900 of the approximate 4,100 licensed lodging units in town limits.  Wishowski estimated around 25% of winter bookings in Breckenridge are made during a six-week period starting before ski season at the beginning of November and ending halfway through December Bookings made during this time trail behind last year’s. December nights booked during that period were down 36% year over year and January nights booked during that period were 18% February bookings made during that time were down 5%  “This is a little bit of a trend,” he said but this is the opposite of what we want to see and expect to see.” Despite bookings made during what is considered a crucial window being down across the board more than 60% of the season’s booking had been made December and January nights booked will be 4% and 5% behind last year’s numbers Things will seemingly take a turn for the better once February hits.  “(For our) banner months in that February we’re double digits ahead,” he said noting February is up 11% year over year and March is 13% up year over year.  He said while it’s still early to tell April looks to be up nearly 50% year over year the average daily rate visitors are paying for lodging is down 8% year over year and is currently at $501 Wishowski alerted the group to a diminishing visitor demographic: college kids.  I think that (accounts) for somewhere around 4,000 nights,” he said for us to be 2% up with some of that group’s business not being in play News | Nov 6 With about 2 feet of new snow in the last week and great temperatures for snowmaking Breckenridge Ski Resort is set to kick off the winter season on Friday The opening day festivities will include free donuts live DJ music from the Rockstar DJ Cat with DJDC and a first chair banner break on the Colorado SuperChair.  the resort will be open for daily operations with the BreckConnect Gondola opening at 8:30 a.m Opening Day lifts and terrain will include the BreckConnect Gondola with access to primarily intermediate terrain on the 4 O’Clock and Springmeier trails two learning carpets will be available at the base of Peak 8 for beginner guests the resort plans to open a small terrain park setup on Springmeier with box and rail features plus the Rip’s Ride lift and Trygve’s trail to offer additional beginner terrain.  Breckenridge Ski Patrol will also be assessing trail conditions for additional potential openings on natural snow.  The resort will continue to make snow at every opportunity to expand terrain as weather and conditions permit working toward opening more terrain on Peak 8 and connecting over to Peak 9 to open that base area next Breckenridge Ski Resort reminds guests that limited terrain and early-season conditions exist The resort asks guests to observe all posted signs and warnings as well as keep off closed trails and areas Uphill access at Breck is currently not open due to early season mountain preparations and snowmaking The resort will announce when uphill access is open to guests once early season operations are complete and there is adequate terrain to safely permit uphill access News | Mar 20 Editor’s note: This story has been updated to add additional information from a Colorado Passenger Tramway Safety Board report The wife of a skier who died after falling from a chairlift at Breckenridge Ski Resort is suing the resort and Vail Resorts over her husband’s death according to documents filed in Summit County court last week John Perucco, 60, of Elgin, Illinois died March 17, 2023, after falling from the Zendo Chair at Breckenridge Ski Resort states that Perucco was an expert skier who volunteered as a ski patroller for more than 18 years Perucco used his Epic Pass to ski with a friend when he loaded the Zendo Chair just before 9:20 a.m. Perucco slid off the chair due to unsafe snow and ice accumulation on the seat,” and fell about 25 feet onto hard-pack snow He died while being transported to the hospital there was an “unreasonable amount of snow and ice accumulation” that caused him to slip off the chair when he tried to clear it with his hand Perucco had surrendered himself to the care and custody of Defendants while riding on the Zendo Chairlift,” the attorneys representing Perucco’s wife wrote in the complaint “He had given up his freedom of movement and actions and there was nothing he could do to cause or prevent this tragedy.” According to past Summit Daily News reports the investigation determined the “male had fallen off of the chairlift as he was attempting to remove snow from the seat surface,” according to the Sheriff’s Office which added that the safety restraint bar was in the up position Breckenridge Ski Patrol opted to transport Perucco via a toboggan rather than arrange for an airlift to the hospital The ski resort stopped the lift after Perucco’s fall before starting it again to unload other customers The lawsuit states that the ski resort then closed the lift to conduct an internal investigation into whether a chairlift malfunction caused the fall before reopening it after determining no malfunction had occurred The ski resort notified the Colorado Passenger Tramway Safety Board of the fall around 11:30 a.m. Because of the delay in reporting it to the tramway safety board the board was “unable to perform a complete on-scene investigation into the cause of the fall,” according to the lawsuit The tramway safety board report on the incident states that the board was “unable to conduct a complete on-scene investigation,” but because the ski resort determined that the fall was not the result of a lift malfunction it did not violate state regulations to reopen the lift The Colorado Ski Safety Act outlines the rights responsibilities and liabilities of skiers and ski area operators and the Passenger Tramway Safety Act creates the framework for how chairlifts are supposed to be operated in the state Attorneys representing Perucco’s wife wrote in the lawsuit that Vail Resorts and the ski resort were negligent and violated Tramway Safety Board rules because they failed to clear the “dangerous conditions” on the lift or prevent Perucco from riding the chair The lawsuit requests a jury trial and seeks economic damages for medical expenses funeral and burial expenses and other losses as well as non-economic damages for grief A spokesperson for Breckenridge Ski Resort and Vail Resorts did not immediately return a request for comment Thursday The attorneys representing Perucco’s wife also did not immediately return a request for comment Best in Travel is here! Discover 2025’s destinations The 30 best countries, cities and regions to visit in 2025 Plan your trip with Elsewhere, by Lonely 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opportunities – both on and off the slopes.  If you’re planning to visit for the first time Skiers should go to Breckenridge in winter to experience epic powder. The resort offers 3000 skiable acres and caters to both beginners and pros – including Colorado's highest lift and slope. Even if you don’t ski, the Rocky Mountain scenery is breathtaking, and there’s a seriously cool après scene From sipping drinks at old-timey thirst parlors to pampering yourself at a local spa Winter is considered peak season in Breckenridge so be prepared for longer wait times for ski lifts and restaurants Summers are beautiful in Breckenridge. High temperatures usually range from the high 60s to low 70s – perfect for hiking, biking, dining al fresco along the riverwalk and taking in a free summer concert. On the mountain, Epic Discovery offers fun activities like adrenaline-pounding mountain coasters mountain biking and scenic chair lift rides.  This is when you’ll get the most bang for your buck in Breckenridge since lodging rates are lower The ski season in Breckenridge usually lasts until mid to late May so you can still strap on your snowshoes or skis in spring – a highly underrated time of year to hit the slopes and the local hiking and mountain biking trails are especially rewarding.   The amount of time you should spend in Breckenridge depends upon your intended activities If you simply want to soak in some spectacular views and enjoy a couple of meals in nice restaurants chances are you’ll wish you’d stayed longer).  To truly immerse yourself in Breck’s culture and activities This allows two or three days for recreational activities like skiing or hiking plus another day or two for distillery tours spa treatments or enjoying the museums and shops downtown luxury vehicles and a meet and greet at the airport Once you arrive, Breck is extremely walkable (or bikeable), and the Breck Free Ride bus system is available for further distances. If you plan to visit neighboring towns like Keystone, Frisco and Dillon, the Summit Stage bus route offers free rides throughout Summit County Have you ever wanted to try your hand at crafts like ceramics, painting, glassblowing or metalsmithing? You’ll get your chance in Breckenridge. Breck Create offers art classes and workshops in a variety of mediums for groups At 9600ft, Breckenridge Distillery is the highest-elevation distillery in the world Although best known for its wide selection of whiskeys the distillery also produces spirits like gin and vodka and the excellent restaurant offers a full menu with craft cocktails arrive between 4pm and 5pm.     Whether you’ve come to shred the gnar or explore the town’s more than 100 miles of hiking and biking trails Breckenridge is the perfect base camp for outdoor adventure From wheelchair-friendly strolls along the riverwalk to the challenging trek up a fourteener such as Quandary Peak Breck is an outdoor mecca for everyone.      one of the oldest saloons west of the Mississippi.   The Cucumber Gulch Wildlife Preserve is my favorite place to visit in Breckenridge The trail around the preserve is only 2.3 miles long and mostly flat Move from dirt paths to wooden boardwalks as you walk past meadows offering tremendous rewards with minimal exertion which is good news if you’re conserving your energy for more challenging activities later in the trip.   Lodging prices and lift tickets in Breckenridge can vary according to the time of year day of the week and even how far in advance you make your purchase some of the prices below have a wide range.  Basic room for two: $120 to $500 per night Single-day lift ticket for adults: $203 to $502 Single-day lift ticket for children: $132 to $163  Skiers can save up to 65 percent if they purchase an Epic pass in advance There is a range of passes to suit your budget including single-day lift tickets and passes for the entire season.  Breckenridge has a base elevation of 9,600ft with a summit of nearly 13,000ft you might fall prey to altitude sickness (also called mountain sickness) it isn’t a fun way to spend your vacation.  Altitude sickness is caused by reaching higher elevations too rapidly before adjusting to the change in air pressure and oxygen levels If you’re concerned about altitude sickness here’s how you can set yourself up for success.  Drink plenty of water before and during your trip since you dehydrate faster at higher elevations Consider limiting alcohol since it hits harder at high altitudes Plan strenuous activities towards the end of your trip when you've had time to acclimate If your schedule and budget allow, spend a night or two in Denver beforehand to adjust to the elevation gradually (as a bonus, Denver is a cool city).  Be one of the first to try our new activity feed there’s now arguing the fact that Breck gets crowded (don’t even try with our readers—“Breck is SO there’s a reason skiers from near and far flock to this resort: Breck is the complete package Families especially love to make Breck their vacation destination because of everything it has to offer on and off the slopes: a nice variety of terrain sprawling across five peaks that’s sure to keep everyone in the pack happy and challenged (experts don’t miss the high-alpine terrain off Peak 6 home to some of the most highly praised après (No Breckenridge’s Website It’s hard to beat Breck’s expansive list of offerings. Beginners to experts, dedicated skiers to ski town vacationers, young to old, and everybody in between—Breck has something for everyone, which is why it continues to crack the top 10 Western resorts and earn reader comments that mostly begin with “Breckenridge has it all.”  With five peaks connected by 34 lifts and 1,400 acres of groomed terrain the resort has more than enough skiing to keep visitors exploring for days on end—especially when you factor in Breck’s expert high-alpine terrain which accounts for 40 percent of the resort yet remains undiscovered or untouched by many visitors No wonder skiers who only venture onto the “rather short blue groomers with long run outs” find Breck’s trails a little too “user-friendly.” Still though not as high as the amenities found in town and charming” Victorian town with excellent après (No All of this makes Breck one of the best all-around ski resorts 2020 Resort Guide: Overall West 2020 Resort Guide: Spring Break Destination 2020 Resort Guide: All-Around Vacation If you’ve skied Breck and don’t like it … it’s you Just shy of 3,000 acres of skiable terrain four terrain parks—one with a 22-foot superpipe High-alpine terrain like few other resorts in Colorado complete with Main Street’s hopping restaurants and all the mountain-town amenities you’re looking for Resorts of the Year: ColoradoResorts of the Year: WestEpic Pass Resorts News | Apr 6 The Imperial Challenge was hosted by Breckenridge Ski Resort on Saturday The Imperial Challenge is a race that tasks competitors with racing from the Breckenridge Recreation Center to the base of Peak 7 and climbing to the top of Peak 8 at 12,987 feet The final leg is downhill to the finish back at the base of Peak 7 The 2025 Imperial Challenge was held Saturday News | Nov 24 As it brushes up against its residential buildout limit Breckenridge is beginning to plan what officials are referring to as the “last” neighborhood in town.  While it could be the last neighborhood to be built from scratch in Breckenridge, it could be one of the first town-owned workforce housing projects in Colorado that relies on geothermal energy for heating Concepts for what’s being called the “Runway” development grew since the last time officials saw them in June Now the 100-unit development featuring a mix of single-family homes and townhomes will expand by either 39 or 48 units depending on the concept officials pick.   Runway will be in a busy area outside the core of town referred to as “Block 11” near Airport Road, which also houses Upper Blue Elementary, the free skier parking lot and other neighborhoods near Airport Road. It will be constructed on top of the free Airport Parking Lot, forcing the town to relocate it. Construction is slated to wrap between 2026 and 2028 13 Breckenridge Town Council meeting that officials need to determine who in the workforce they want this to benefit and what that benefit looks like in order to know the exact price of the project These factors will inform aspects linked to costs such as unit number and type the price tag will likely grow in comparison to the $24.7 million subsidy the town originally budgeted for A staff memo stated the increase in units could boost the price tag to somewhere between $33 million and $36 million and suggested a five-year phasing plan to spread out costs.  town staff members are proposing targeting the local workforce making between 80 to 160% of the area median income with this development and plan to have no market-rate units.  Council contemplated which style unit was most needed in the community and whether accessory dwelling units could play a helpful role in the development around one-third of the units are single-family homes another third are duplexes and the last third are a mix of four- five- and six-unit multifamily buildings that are two-stories tall The first concept had more single-family and duplex units while the second had more multifamily homes To gauge what types of units were in highest demand, officials reflected on takeaways from a project it just completed geared at the “missing middle” class, the Stables Village Neighborhood.  “I really feel like we had so much feedback from Stables that people could not believe that we couldn’t make housing more affordable than $800,000,” Mayor Kelly Owens said referring to the price of single-family homes in Stables Village.  Projects manager Rick Holman said while some community members shared those complaints staff members saw a trend of people pulling out of the Stables Village housing lottery entirely if they didn’t win one of the single-family homes.  Best added the townhomes were also popular in Stables Village.  “I don’t know if we’re in a position to get any data to help us inform this decision because I think we’re starting to guess what people want,” council member Dick Carleton said.  He said he wouldn’t be opposed to adding a few market-rate homes in the mix so the town can better subsidize the below-market-rate units.  Council member Carol Saade said she would like to see more duplexes as opposed to single-family homes, noting county and town programs that aid the workforce in affording single-family homes already exist and efforts with this development should be focused on other housing types.  Council member Todd Rankin said he preferred the split staff members presented where there is one-third of each housing type Citing concerns related to multifamily dwellings and waste and material management council member Jay Beckerman said he would rather see just duplexes and single-family homes and no townhomes “Because this is a big plot of land and our last opportunity to really have single family homes and duplexes that’s what I always imagined having here,” Owens said.  Officials were split when it came to accessory dwelling units being attached to some of the single-family homes in the development and on regulations that could be tied to them Both concepts presented by staff members included 22 three-bedroom homes with accessory dwelling units.  Holman said he understands many council members wanted to explore the option of having accessory dwelling units but they are “problematic” from a planning perspective for this project.  “It actually creates a piece of property for us that is harder to recoup costs on than the flexibility that we would have with (a regular single-family home),” he said.  Officials previously discussed mandating accessory dwelling units be rented to a member of the workforce who was a part of the team presenting the proposal on behalf of Frisco-based Norris Design said with officials’ intent to have the units be rented out the costs of making them livable by adding bathrooms in kitchens is much more expensive.  Holman said the concept also in a way forces the owners of homes with accessory dwelling units to become landlords which might not be something everyone wants.  Rankin said while he’s not married to including accessory dwelling units he’d like to see if there was a feasible way to subsidize them because he feels they make the home more affordable for the owner and also can provide even more housing for the workforce Saade said officials have done a lot of work to introduce more affordable rental units into the community while noting she isn’t married to the idea either She pushed back on the notion of subsidizing them “Who are we subsidizing?,” she asked “Do we want to subsidize an ADU for the rental income for that person who (has a more expensive single-family unit because of the unit) or do we want to add another two-bedroom townhome?” Beckerman said he is against mandating owners rent out their accessory dwelling units and said enforcing and monitoring the deed-restrictions on them that require they be rented to someone who works in the Upper Blue Basin for at least 30 hours a week would be costly in staff’s time Owens said she found value in including accessory dwelling units and would support the mandate to rent them but she was not overly attached to the idea Best said staff members would come back to council with modified versions of the concepts proposed at the meeting to demonstrate what some of their ideas would look like and how it could impact price so it's safe to assume that Park City will attempt to dethrone Breckenridge next Fall The Viking hats weren't lacking at Breck's world record shot ski attempt Ullr Fest is an early season party named for the Norwegian god of snow Many of Breckenridge's ski instructors were Norwegian and they brought their love of Ullr and snow to Colorado's mountains Local legends Sigurd Rockne and Trygve Berge created the first Ullr Dag festival.Early iterations of the event included a parade and trick demonstrations from ski instructors many of these traditions remain.This season Ullr Fest began with a helmet decorating party followed by the crowning of the Ullr King and Queen before gathering for the Ullr Parade down Main Street The evening concluded with the burning of old Christmas in a massive bonfire Other events last week included a comedy night Santa was in attendance to spread holiday cheer.In honor of Ullr Fest Breckenridge Distillery created a celebratory limited edition brew called the Ullr Reserve Blend Whiskey Only 100 bottles were available at Breckenridge Distillery's tasting room on Main Street. Breckenridge—the ski resort not the town—welcomed the first skiers of the season on November 8th From ski resort news to profiles of the world’s best skiers is open and ready for guests—including skiers still shredding the 2024/2025 season Robert Bensen/Courtesy of Hotel Alpenrock Breckenridge an excellent area for beginner skiers and families Dining options: Three dining and drink venues Standout amenities: A slopeside ski valet and the Magic Moose Kids ProgramLoyalty programs: The hotel is part of Hilton Honors News | Jan 7 People riding 6-Chair at Breckenridge Ski Resort on Friday, Jan. 3, were treated to an up-close view of an avalanche that ripped the snow from Imperial Bowl a day before the highest chairlift in North America opened to the public. Imperial SuperChair, which reaches its top terminal at 12,840 feet elevation, opened for the season Saturday, Jan. 4, following the large controlled slide. Senior communications manager Sara Lococo said the avalanche, which was recorded by various people while ascending 6-Chair Friday, was part of the resort’s planned avalanche mitigation work as patrollers worked to open Imperial SuperChair to the public. Lococo said the resort posted a video of the slide to its social media channels as a reminder to guests to respect terrain closures. “We regularly conduct avalanche mitigation work from the Peak 8 summit for Imperial and can do so while 6-Chair is operating,” Lococo said. View this post on Instagram A post shared by @explore__within The avalanche scar and debris spanned nearly the entire bowl that lies directly south of Peak 8’s summit The addition of Imperial SuperChair brings access to even more high-Alpine terrain at Breckenridge Ski Resort which has received 44 inches of new snow in the past two weeks The resort currently has roughly double the amount of snowfall and terrain open than it had this time last season News | Mar 12 skiers and riders still have two full months before the end of the 2024-25 season at Breckenridge Ski Resort Breckenridge Ski Resort will host several events in order to welcome spring-break crowds and celebrate the conclusion of another season Peaks and Beats will be one of the premier events from April 26-27 The event will feature two full days of high-Alpine laps Dombresky will perform after the first day of pond skimming on Saturday April 26 while Cassian will take to the stage on the second day For those wanting to participate in an athletic event, the Imperial Challenge will take place on April 5 The pseudo-triathlon race pairs together biking Participants start in town and bike to the base of Peak 7 before transitioning over to uphill skis or splitboards athletes will climb to the top of Peak 8 before racing back down the mountain Breckenridge will also be hosting Kona Spring Beach at The Maggie for three-consecutive weeks Skiers and riders can visit the base of Peak 9 from 1-4 p.m The event will take place every Friday and Saturday afternoon from March 21-April 5 Breckenridge will host live DJ apres parties at the TBar The event will take place every Friday and Saturday through April 15 Breckenridge reminds guests that weather conditions in the Colorado High Country can change in an instant The resort recommends that skiers and riders check the forecast and plan accordingly News | Mar 17 Editor’s note: This story has been updated to correct that the project will be net zero using heat pumps and solar Breckenridge is looking to start construction this summer for a neighborhood slated to displace free skier parking in town as clearer details regarding financing emerge.  Up until a March 11 Breckenridge Town Council meeting the town’s “Runway Neighborhood” project that will feature a mix of housing types didn’t have a tentative cost estimate that town staff members felt confident making public They said determining the phases of construction the types of units and the number of units were factors that would need to be solidified before throwing out a potential cost for the project.  After a handful of meetings hashing out the number of units officials landed on around 148 units including 45 townhomes with the possibility of accessory dwelling units on some of the single-family homes Town housing staff members gave officials two financing options based on these numbers: a $46 million town subsidy over five years or a $50 million subsidy over six years.  Most council members leaned toward staff’s recommendation of choosing the $50 million subsidy route, but they wanted more vetting and analysis from the town’s finance department. They expressed wanting to see a thorough, conservative approach amid uncertainty with available federal and state grant funding.  “As far as a town-owned (and) directed development there’s no more learning opportunities,” Council member Carol Saade said “We need to take all our learning opportunities and apply them (here.)” She urged staff members to consider the takeaways from a presentation given by the Bell Policy Center which is focused on economic mobility for Coloradans regarding the importance of using data and community input to guide and validate this housing investment since there’s little room for mistakes.  Housing manager Laurie Best said staff members did take that into account. She said it’s the driving force behind the recommendation to choose for the $50 million subsidy. Feedback from the Stables Village project showed residents wanted more affordable offerings Residents told staff members and elected officials the triplex duplex and single-family homes offered in the project geared toward the workforce weren’t genuinely affordable for them A handful of triplexes in the neighborhood cost around $373,000 ranging up to around $490,000 but a bulk of the duplexes available cost $550,000 to $700,000.  “This is one of our last opportunities to really provide some truly affordable units … Option two is just to get the price points down so that we can serve the folks that have not been able to access our housing in the past and we always do hear that housing is too expensive,” Best said.  She said spreading the project out over another year with an increased subsidy lowers the sale price for units in the deed-restricted neighborhood initial price points for the first phase of the development put a 2-bedroom townhomes at $351,000 and 3-bedroom townhomes at $450,000 A three-bedroom duplex would cost around 620,000 with the $46 million subsidy and it would cost $575,000 with the $50 million subsidy 3-bedroom cottages would be $20,000 cheaper with the $50 million subsidy than the $46 million subsidy A staff memo presented at the March 11 meeting said “given what we know today the updated project cost will negatively impact the Town’s 2029 KPI cashflow by $26 million.” The memo said to retain the town’s targeted break-even cash flow of $135 million staff will have to look into opportunities to reduce spending elsewhere A pause on the town’s Buydown Program where it purchases homes for sale and places a deed-restriction of them to then sell the homes for a reduced price was thrown on the table as a potential cost saving measure Staff estimates a pause could provide $13 million over five years.  Council member Dick Carleton said he would be in favor of pausing the program temporarily because the town and county’s Housing Help program serves a similar purpose.  Mayor Kelly Owens and Saade did not want to pause buy downs.  Council  member Jay Beckerman was the only one not behind the $50 million subsidy plan He wanted to see a $46 million subsidy spread out over six years and thought pausing buy downs wasn’t the right choice.  “I feel like there is a detrimental effect of spending beyond our means where there is the ability to invest in these amazing programs,” he said.  A unique aspect of the Runway project which officials showed support for was the town moving away from using current area median income evaluations as staff members feel it doesn’t accurately represent how much people make and what they can afford They said area median income thresholds are volatile in that they are constantly changing and will change by the time units go on sale in over five years from now There will still be income testing to accurately place people in units they can afford The town’s recent offer to the Summit School District to swap a land parcel it owns for 35 units reserved for district employees in perpetuity will be another unique element to the project if the district agrees to the swap which it has not officially yet Housing for purchase would be put out in different phases and the district would be guaranteed a certain percentage of units in each phase.  Housing project manager Melanie Leas said there will likely be multiple lottery processes because of this one for district employees and one for everyone else Next steps for the Runway Neighborhood include finalizing plans approving a guaranteed maximum price and executing the development contract It will be a net zero development using heat pumps and solar panels News | Apr 26 Becca Spiro graduated college facing a dilemma common among those in the field she studied: What am I going to do with an art degree?  Options were limited and ranged from being a starving artist continuing art education or having a different primary career with an art-related side gig The community aspect of art always intrigued her but at the time she wasn’t quite sure how to execute that vision because she didn’t yet have one She ended up getting an internship in the Art Institute of Chicago’s education department before ending up at a graduate school in London Sandwiched in between those life events was her time spent utilizing her college minor which she taught on the East Coast and abroad she still didn’t have a set vision for a career involving the community aspect of art but she did know what she didn’t want to do.  “My graduate experience in London was wonderful but I also saw the side of the art world that was very elitist,” she said “I realized that was the side of the art world I didn’t want to be a part of.”  She found her way back to teaching in the years following before a friend invited her to live in a place she’d neither been to nor heard of — Breckenridge While this was her self-proclaimed “quarter-life crisis,” it was also the time where she began figuring out what a career involving the community aspect of art could look like Spiro worked ski patrol and eventually made her way to Breckenridge’s art nonprofit She said the work helped give her a better idea of what community art as a career could look like — and what she wanted it to look like Her ability to speak Spanish came into use during Breck Create’s Dia De Los Muertos festival and for classes taught to local businesses with Spanish-speaking staff She said she found a lot of validation in changing the minds of people who were at first resistant to arts and crafts and this was something she wanted to be able to do all the time she had years of experience in art education an example of a business she wanted to model her own after had numerous elements she wanted in her business This spot had crafts adults were interested in like woodworking leather making and do-it-yourself projects “I loved that they had something for everybody and that concept of making art more playful and more social,” she said Spiro began drawing up a business plan that included aspects like a bar combined with a craft space and a mobile art studio reviewed the plan and recommended just starting with the mobile art studio She kept an eye out for a storefront opening, checking Airport Road in Breckenridge perhaps the most while her business on wheels began to gain traction Things began to fall serendipitously in line During a hair appointment she would land a gig with Keystone Neighbourhood Co doing arts and crafts for all their summer festivals People began taking notice of the van sporting a pink flamingo with a scarf Towns like Silverthorne began contracting her to bring the truck to town events and she began teaching classes out of their art center she was driving down Airport Road and did a double take Was that a for-rent sign hanging on an empty store front She called the number on the sign and got cleared to move into the space in March On April 20, she held her grand opening party for the Frosted Flamingo’s first brick-and-mortar location. She plans to use the space mostly for reoccurring monthly events including date nights, special collaborations, like one with Danielle’s Delights, a cafe on wheels geared toward families and private events She also will be offering afterschool programming for Upper Blue Elementary School next year Frosted Flamingo is located at 1905 Airport Road, Unit B. For more information, visit FrostedFlamingo.com News | Jan 9 Following years of negotiations and revisions the company behind one of the largest developments in Breckenridge presented officials with a near-final concept for a key aspect of its project Breckenridge Grand Vacations’ received general approval from Breckenridge Planning Commission at a Jan. 7 meeting for a plan that is set to become the Imperial Hotel & Private Residences. The project is one piece of a seven-parcel development that will need Planning Commission approval Commissioners gave kudos to the developer for navigating what many of them described as one of the more complex projects to come before them.  The Imperial Hotel & Private Residence will house 90 fractional ownership condominiums Commercial space additions such as a speakeasy a kennel and a spa are detailed in the site plans The project will also feature a program area for the Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center a restaurant and more on a site totaling just over four acres Breckenridge’s planning manager Chris Kulick said the space dedicated to Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center a nonprofit providing those with physical disabilities adaptive ski equipment and lessons will change how the organization operates.  “With their existing facilities — (to be able to) get disabled skiers to the lifts out of the Peak 9 is quite a trek “This gets them dedicated parking that’s appropriately sized for their vehicles (and) a facility with elevator access that will take them directly to snow.” The developer will put a bulk of the parking underground in a three-deck garage Around 13,000 square feet of heated outdoor space is proposed as well.  The hotel is slated to be built on top of Breckenridge Ski Resort’s administration building site and parking Administrative offices for the resort will be included in the development once it’s done but commissioner Mark Leas asked staff what will happen in the meantime.  Planner Sarah Crump said the developer intends to provide one or more structures for the offices to operate out of but those plans hadn’t been provided to town staff yet.  Previous alterations at the site during the construction of Ski Hill Road, numerous buried utility lines and its close proximity to a highly sensitive nature area, Cucumber Gulch were among the difficulties staff had to plan through.   Cucumber Gulch is a nature preserve that recently made its way back into conversation among officials after environmental experts determined the area was suffering from numerous human-caused impacts Commissioner Mike Giller wondered if there were any considerations regarding the possibility of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances reaching the wetlands at Cucumber Gulch since snowmelt runoff from the ski resort which could contain per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances due to wax commonly used on skis and snowboards 36,000 people get the latest news from us daily Sign up for daily or weekly newsletters at SummitDaily.com/newsletter Graham Frank with Breckenridge Grand Vacations said the developer has built similar large-scale developments near the resort and other environmentally sensitive areas and they test for chemicals and have not run into any issues with snowmelt containing per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances “(Our) intention is to preserve that asset,” Frank said “We obviously see it as a huge asset for the project and the selling feature of the project is having Cucumber Gulch right there.” Parcel 1: The North Gondola Lot will remain a parking lot Parcel 2: Workforce housing on Park Avenue will have 48 bedrooms of employee housing and 400 winter recreation parking spaces Parcel 3: The South Gold Rush Lot will have 16 for-sale duplex units that will not be eligible for short-term rental licenses Parcel 4: The Imperial Hotel & Private Residences Parcel 5: Two single-family homes are planned to be built on Four O’Clock Road both of which will be eligible for short-term rental licenses Parcel 6: Fourteen single-family homes are slated to be built near Timber Trail all of which will not be eligible for short-term rental licenses Parcel 7: Around 60 deed-restricted workforce housing units are planned to be built on a parcel of land at the corner of Colorado Highway 9 and County Road 450 called the “Entrada Parcel.” The Planning Commission will review the Imperial Hotel & Private Residences a few more times before signing off on a finalized concept the plan will then have to be approved by the Breckenridge Town Council News | Mar 22 Breckenridge sustainability and building staff members have formally started stakeholder outreach as they embark on a monthslong process to nail down building codes before a mandated rollout set for the fall The town adopts new building codes every six years and goes through a similar process This one differs in that a $125,000 grant — recently acquired from the Colorado Energy Office for the process — sets a hard implementation deadline of Oct Around $75,000 will go toward a scholarship program for contractor education and equipment to better help people adhere to the new code the town’s codes are taken from a 2018 iteration of the International Energy Conservation Code that officials molded to fit the needs of the area The town plans to adopt the 2024 iteration of the International Energy Conservation Code and similarly make amendments taking into account unique aspects of the area’s climate like altitude and colder temperatures An example of pertinent building codes subject to change are those regarding insulation in ceilings Breckenridge’s chief building officer Rick Fout said A continuing theme in the International Energy Conservation Code is escalating requirements for higher quality insulation which is more energy efficient largely because it lessens the need for heat or air conditioning The town held a preliminary stakeholder meeting March 13 for those in the building industry who will be required to comply with the codes council members noted the meeting was well attended including about 70 community members and industry professionals Chair Ethan Guerra said he “hadn’t seen anything quite like” the attendance at the stakeholder meeting Summit County Building Association’s executive officer Valerie Connelly said the feedback she heard from the association’s members in attendance was that the town’s approach to adopt new codes is “pragmatic and solution-focused.”  Mike Costello with New West Partners Builders and Developers said the new code proposed at the March 13 meeting seems as though it would simplify the process of following energy codes He said previously there were two different compliance pathways builders could choose from one provided by the Department of Energy Zero Energy Ready Home Program and the other by the International Energy Conservation Code Council He said this could get confusing and convoluted.  “This seems to take some of the guesswork out of it and creates a plan that we can follow,” he said.  Fout said the 2024 International Energy Conservation Code is robust enough to match the town’s efforts to have a more robust code than the previous iterations ultimately streamlining what builders have to follow.  Costello said a proposed change that raised some eyebrows at the meeting was a requirement to construct homes to be “energy ready.” This means building homes in a manner where they are prepared to be all-electric by equipping them with the necessary infrastructure “It would entail a larger electrical panel have the conduit ready so the owners could switch to an all-electric home in the future,” he said.  He said this will be more costly for builders He added he’s not overly optimistic about the feasibility of all electric homes at Breckenridge’s high altitude “The technology right now to build a home that’s 100% electric at 10,000 feet is in question Outside of an October deadline for the adoption of new codes, another stipulation of the grant is the town commits to also adopting the state’s Model Low Energy and Carbon Code by mid-2027 This code is still being worked on and also consists of the 2024 International Energy Conservation Code making it akin to the codes changes Breckenridge is working on Breckenridge’s sustainability manager Jessie Burley said once the town adopts that as its code it can make local amendments to make the code more stringent While this is the most immediate code the town will tackle it also plans to work on adopting other revamped international codes like the International Fire Code and International Plumbing Code Stakeholder meetings are tentatively scheduled for April News | Dec 7 A hotel in Breckenridge received a facelift and a new name now boasting upwards of 100,000 square feet including 205 rooms Hotel Alpenrock Breckenridge completed its renovation after around two years of construction at the site of the former DoubleTree 21 and is a part of Hilton’s Curio Collection Director of sales and marketing Iliana Ruminski said Curio is a lifestyle brand by Hilton which aims to make its properties unique and reflect the communities they serve “No two Curio properties are going to be the same … and so our goal was to embrace the historic mining town and the historic attributes of Breckenridge,” she said.  guests are met with front desks mimicking boulders that rest under hanging lights made to look like gondolas Ruminski said the design team sought to tie the character of the historic mountain town with modern She said little pieces of Breckenridge are woven throughout the entire hotel and live in rugs that are topographical graphs of the Tenmile Range side tables in the shape of aspen tree stumps and wall art The bar in the lobby, the Carter Bar, sits next to the Edwin Restaurant. The two give a nod to naturalist Edwin Carter who made his way to Breckenridge in the 1860s and started his own museum Hotel Alpenrock hired Colorado native Taylor Miller as the head chef of the Edwin Restaurant Ruminiski said the menu Miller has curated heavily focuses on a farm-to-table model “His goal is to source as many Colorado ingredients as possible,” Ruminiski said “… Our steaks are locally sourced A lot of the flavors are Colorado inspired.”  She said the menu also features great vegan options and the team put emphasis on ensuring there were plenty of mocktails and other nonalcoholic beverages for those who are sober or visitors adjusting to the altitude She said her current favorites on the menu are the trout and the espresso martini Across the lobby from the bar and restaurant is a small La Colombe cafe An addition which will soon be open is Prohibition-style speakeasy which also heavily plays on Breckenridge’s mining history and was created to give guests a blast from the past Ruminski said a sommelier wine program is also in the works.  Hotel Alpenrock has thousands of square feet of event space for work-related gatherings weddings and other occasions involving large groups Ruminski said the hotel’s 1,500 square-foot deck — which is south-facing with mountain views — will host weddings and other events The spot is currently taking wedding reservations and has 2024 availability Largely influenced by events such as the Hartford Ski Spectacular at Breckenridge Ski Resort and a desire to be an accessible lodging option the team behind the hotel constructed 10 of the rooms to be wheelchair accessible and compliant with the American Disability Act.  Ruminski said all 205 rooms are king inventory — meaning every room has at least one king bed She added that each room is over 500 square-feet so nothing feels too tight For more information visit HotelAlpenRock.com News | Mar 15 After a long day on the mountain it can be hard to imagine doing much else. The same is often true for some of the most hardworking employees on the mountain — ski patrollers. From sending explosives into avalanche-prone terrain to attending to injured guests, ski patrollers have every right to go home and recharge before their next day of work. However, several patrollers at Breckenridge Ski Resort prefer to unwind from their work days a little bit differently — opting to come together to perform music.  Calling themselves Chief Complaint, the Breckenridge ski patrollers routinely perform shows throughout Summit County for locals and visitors alike. Originally formed by two patrollers, the band has since expanded from a duo to a full collection of string and rhythm instruments. “It started three or four years ago with Bobby, the mandolin player,” Breckenridge Ski Resort patroller Henry Dorris said. “… We have this place in Breck that our landlord only rents out in the winter to ski patrollers. Him and I became roommates and it really started off as a way for Bobby and I to get free beer and to make some money.” Through the years, Dorris — who serves as the lead singer and a guitarist for the band— has steadily recruited other ski patrollers who are also musically inclined. What was once a two-person band has now morphed into a musical ensemble with a bassist/cellist, a drummer and a Nashville guitarist.   “I pretty much recruited anyone who wants to play in the band that fits and can do it,” Dorris said.  With so many different instruments, Dorris best categorizes the band as an “eccentric bar band”. Chief Complaint plays a mix of music that Dorris likes to listen to as well as original songs that he has written over the last several years. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Rita Marie | Vanlife Graphic Designer & Mural Artist (@ritamariedesign) “We kind of play a lot of stuff that I like,” Dorris said. “I don’t necessarily listen to a lot of mainstream music. … I try to play things that people haven’t heard. It can be older stuff from the 60’s, we do some indie stuff. We do more blues-based folk stuff.” It is during the shoulder season between skiing and rafting — and vice versa — that Dorris spends his time toying with new original song ideas for the band to perform.  “I have five or 10 of my own songs that we will play and rotate through,” Dorris said. “I try to do them whenever they come to mind, but as a seasonal person I have a lot more free time in the shoulder season. If there is no skiing or rafting going on I have to fill my time with something.” The band tries to meet up to practice around once a week before heading to Highside Brewing in Breckenridge for the band’s weekly gig on Friday night. It is at the weekly performance that Dorris feels like he gets to truly connect with the Summit County community off of the mountain and talk to old friends as well as make new ones. “The more years you spend here the more people you see,” Dorris said. “You meet new people who want to talk about music. My passions are skiing, whitewater and music, and I have kind of turned them into a job somewhat.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sloane and The Dirty Boys (@sloaneandthedirtyboys) Beyond the band members who make up Chief Complaint, several ski patrollers periodically split out from the band to form a group named Sloane and The Dirty Boys.  “We do joint shows with them a lot,” Dorris said “It usually involves me doing some of our songs and then (Sloane) will come up and part of the band will back her We kind of always talk about the patrol collective of musicians.” Most recently, Chief Complaint played a benefit show at 10 Mile Music Hall in Frisco on Feb. 19. The show had no cover charge, but attendees were encouraged to donate to Go4Graham — a charity that is focused on “shredding the stigma” surrounding mental health.  “Go4Graham is something that a lot of patrollers care about,” Dorris said “It is one of our patroller’s family’s foundation to honor their brother that passed away Mental health is hugely important around here This can be a very hard place to live.” Chief Complaint has several upcoming shows The band plays at Highside Brewing every Friday night and will be playing a show at the Gold Pan Saloon on Main Street in Breckenridge on Thursday For future shows and to learn more about the band, visit Instagram.com/chiefcomplainttheband. On Thursday, April 24, Vail Resorts announced its summer opening dates for all five of its Colorado resorts Keystone Resort will be the first ski resort to offer summer activities The resort will then plan to open its other summer activities on June 19 on a Thursday through Monday operating schedule until Sept Keystone will then shift to a Friday through Sunday schedule After closing for skiing and riding on May 11 Breckenridge Ski Resort will shift its focus to opening for the summer season on June 13 Breckenridge will operate for the summer until Sept Vail Mountain will open for the summer on June 13 while Beaver Creek will open on June 14 Vail will go to a Friday through Sunday schedule after Sept Beaver Creek will operate on Saturday and Sunday only after Sept Prior to hosting its first day of the summer season Beaver Creek will open for golfing on May 16 The season at Crested Butte is set to end on Sept 28 with the resort shifting to a Saturday and Sunday schedule after Sept Some activities and trails at the resorts may open later than anticipated due to snow and trail conditions visit the resort’s social media channels and websites News | Mar 10 Developers continue to solidify plans for a hotel and private residences on Ski Hill Road in Breckenridge, painting a clearer picture of what the nearly 410,000-square-foot development will entail for planning officials.  Planning officials weighed in on what type of outdoor lounging areas should be included in the hotel and determined if landscaping and design elements met town code at a March 4 review Residents living near Ski Hill Road attended to express concerns related to what they said has been a lack of communication from the town and the developer traffic impacts and a near 2,000-square-foot pet kennel called “The Imperial Hotel & Private Residences,” last appeared before Breckenridge Planning Commission at the beginning of January and is still subject to more review before it will head to Breckenridge Town Council to be combed through again Resident Richard Himmelstein said he was engaged in the planning process for another Breckenridge hotel which happened a few years back and felt this planning process has been far less collaborative from a community engagement standpoint.  “The town was really diligent and required the developer to get community feedback … it really helped the development of the project,” he said.  “I’m really concerned right now because that hasn’t happened with this project … we missed the first hearing (for this project) because we weren’t even properly noticed,” he added.  He said the project has moved more swiftly than he and his neighbors anticipated and they have not been communicated with as frequently as the developer promised.  Resident Lindsey Stapay echoed Himmelstein’s sentiment regarding a lack of communication She said she would like clarification around how pedestrian and traffic circulation will work for the development slated to be near busy base areas of Breckenridge Ski Resort.  Other public commenters who live in the nearby Four O’Clock Road subdivision in Breckenridge worried about the neighborhood’s pedestrian access to the resort being cut off during the planned 5-6 year construction of the development Breckenridge Grand Vacations representative Graham Frank said while the developer plans to reopen the access in later phases of construction “during construction there is no way to traverse (the) site safely on skis.” He added the developer plans to put a stairway somewhere near the area to provide access during the first phase of construction Residents who commented also said they felt a commercial dog kennel would cause issues for surrounding residents a self-proclaimed “dog person,” said a kennel in the largely residential area had the potential to conflict with neighbors’ quality of life due to sound and smell.  Himmelstein argued there’s a possibility the noise which could be generated from the kennel breaks town rules.  “Anyone who’s ever seen a dog park knows that it’s generally 80 to 100 decibels Being squeezed between two large structures those decibels are going to go up,” he said “It’s not going to meet the town noise ordinance.” According to site drawings provided by the developer to the town, the kennel would be in between space designated for local nonprofit Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center to operate out of and ski lockers Drawings also show it could be around the corner from the ski valet.  several commissioners said they understood grievances brought forth by the public they only have jurisdiction to review a project based on whether it meets town code Commissioner Elaine Gort urged the developer to reach out to neighbors and commissioner Allen Frechter told public commenters their concerns may be better placed with Town Council which has broader jurisdiction when it comes to reviewing developments A resident who commented at the meeting told Summit Daily News that representatives from Breckenridge Grand Vacations later reached out via email March 6 with a statement saying the company is committed to abiding by agreements it made with pertinent homeowner’s associations and its employees look forward to continuing solution-based discussions Town planner Sarah Crump told commissioners March 4 that the development’s overall square footage grew slightly since the last time they saw the plans at a Jan She said an ownership condo and a lock-off unit were added to the project planned for 1599 Ski Hill Road around 90 fractional ownership condo units 45 whole ownership condo units and nine townhomes Parking will be located in an underground garage an arcade and a theater detailed in the plans as well Parcel 7: Around 40 deed-restricted workforce housing units are planned to be built on a parcel of land at the corner of Colorado Highway 9 and County Road 450 called the “Entrada Parcel.” Administrative offices for Vail Resorts have also been long included in the plans Construction will temporarily displace the current administration offices for Breckenridge Ski Resort Documents provided by the developer outline there could be “up to approximately 6,000 square feet” of office space for resort administrators and the developer on-site or “other locations suitable” to the town The developer indicated if the temporary office structure were to be on the site of the hotel it would be placed on the southern portion bordering parts of the Four O’Clock subdivision The structure would be removed no later than 60 days after all residential components receive a certificate of occupancy The project is one piece of a seven-parcel development which took officials and the developers over a year to nail down a development agreement for Before the current iteration of the development two large condominium buildings and three townhomes in the town core The six buildings would have been built near and on the North Gondola lot which is considered to be in one of the busiest areas in Breckenridge.  On March 29, 1,460 skiers and riders lined up in an “N” shape on the resort’s slopes to break the record Breckenridge set in December 2024 Mont-Orford’s event director Noah Hogg said the resort’s shot ski effort was inspired by the competition between Utah and Colorado “We just saw the fun event between Utah and Colorado and we thought it would be a great idea to just link the two communities to just have a bit of fun and just bring those two communities together,” he said on KPCW’s “Local News Hour” April 18 The resort challenged the record at its annual end-of-season 1976 apres ski-themed party surpassing Breckenridge by more than 60 people The profits from the event go to La Fondation SKI TA VIE supporting children in sports and education we had about 6,000 people who came for the event So we thought it would be easier to have all the participants there at once if we did it at the same time as the event,” Hogg said “What was more complicated was having to figure out how to put all the shots on the skis He said the skis were connected with carabiners and a construction company drilled holes in all 506 skis for the shots “All of that was built just so we could easily redo it next year We try to focus on long term and not just doing one event,” he said “We'd like to hop in on the train and try to participate with Breckenridge and Park City.” The two western U.S. ski towns have been battling it out for years, one-upping each other each season. Park City broke Breckenridge’s 2023 record in October 2024 with more than 1,380 people Breckenridge reclaimed the world-record title in December with just over 1,400 people lined up on Main Street along 503 skis The Park City Sunrise Rotary Club and the Breckenridge Mountain Rotary Club sell tickets to the annual contest with 100% of the proceeds going to local charities Both clubs have an unwritten agreement when reclaiming the world title They only add a few people to keep the competition sustainable for years to come Mont-Orford broke the record with about 80 more people than Old Town’s last attempt giving the Rotary club until this fall to plan News | Dec 20 Editor’s note: This story has been updated to include new information from the Colorado Tramway Passenger Safety Board and Breckenridge Ski Resort Breckenridge Ski Resort has confirmed that two people fell from chairlifts within a week of each other after a 31-year-old man fell from the Beaver Run Chair on Peak 9 Breckenridge Ski Resort said in a statement ski patrol responded after a 21-year-old fell from the same lift Both guests were transported to the Breckenridge Medical Center on Peak 9 The Colorado Passenger Tramway Safety Board said in a statement that initial investigations into both incidents do not appear to have been caused by a lift malfunction the board investigates any death or injury related to a possible malfunction of a passenger tramway Both incidents involved snowboarders and occurred between towers 30 and 31 where the fall from the chairlift is about 37 feet The snowboarder who fell Friday did not have the safety bar lowered at the time and reported pain in his right knee and a possible injury to his left eye from the fall The board said that the snowboarder who fell Monday suffered a broken clavicle and likely a concussion but it could not provide information about whether the safety bar was down at the time there have been at least three confirmed reports of people falling from chairlifts in Summit County so far this month a man was airlifted to the hospital after falling 47 feet from the Ruby Express chairlift at Keystone Resort No issues were reported with the lift in that incident unexpectedly passed away from complications due to surgery on July 30 to Robert Erwin Breckenridge and Joyce Coker Breckenridge in Phoenix while both were students at Northern Arizona University He was able to spend 43 years of marriage to DeEdra who was his best friend and eternal companion Together they raised three children and they have ten beautiful grandchildren Richard’s family was his greatest pride and joy in this life Brieanna (Sam) and Christopher (Malia) and is very proud of their successes and families He loved being called grandpa and opa by his ten grandchildren A member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints he served as a full-time missionary in the Chile He served in many other callings in the church such as Elder’s quorum president second counselor in the stake presidency and counselor in the branch presidency of the MTC His favorite calling was working with the youth Richard would say that besides the role of father and grandfather there was no other role that brought him the greatest joy than that of coach He coached for 30 years in a variety of sports - baseball He coached soccer at Blue Ridge High School from 1997-2009 winning one state championship with the girls varsity team and six state championships with the boys varsity team He was voted “Coach of the Year” many times but only accepted it a few times wanting to give others the opportunity to receive that title He also coached many club teams that traveled to several states and countries around the world whose impact on his players went far beyond the game of soccer teaching them the importance of discipline perseverance and the pursuit of excellence.” As with any coach he loved to win but he loved seeing his players be successful in life more Richard graduated from Northern Arizona University majoring in geology He worked in the power industry for 43 years becoming an expert in the field of water chemistry He was very successful in his career which allowed him to travel the world His knowledge and expertise were valued by his colleagues He will be missed by all those whose lives he touched in the power industry He will be greatly missed by all those who knew him Services for Richard will be held August 16 He will be interred at the Herriman City Cemetery Those wishing to view the COMPLETED service via Zoom can click "Watch Service" or follow the link: https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/7hXLXeY4R3zTSriTwFwogvjO2Y1f7NKHkG6QliDyy_ftl3GfiHWJDOSn1og8CT2Z.SLgAqvP9m7z_U2yI?startTime=1723828655000 He was such a kind and patient soccer coach and was the same as a bishop Breckenridge was truly one of the gentlest and kindest men I’ve ever known Growing up with him cheering all of us on is something I’ll never forget your family is in my prayers and your dad will forever be in my heart as I look back and remember our childhood my heart aches for you in this time of sorrow Praying for the perfect peace that surpasses all understanding in Jesus Christ our Lord to wash over you and your family.Much love from the Kengla family Our heartfelt love and prayers are with the family if this great I loved being able to play for Coach Breckenridge I played coed soccer on his team and at times he would give me rides to practice and always believed in me He was always kind to me and I never felt unloved by him I will be keeping you all in my prayers and heart as you navigate this heavy grief that such a big loss brings May you find comfort in the beautiful memories you've shared may you feel the peace only Christ can bring Richard was the kindest individual I ever met I had the chance to work with him in my early career where his words of advice gave me comfort and confidence My husband and I have planted 3 trees in Israel in his memory through the Jewish National Fund If Richard's family would like the certificate "My deepest condolences to Richard's family I had the privilege of collaborating with Richard on various projects over the years and I came to deeply admire his professionalism Richard had a unique ability to encourage professionals to bridge the gap between scientific research and practical applications and he was instrumental in helping me connect my work with real-world challenges I benefitted from joining him on visits to various power plants and to co-lead workshops on water treatment and desalination experiences that were both enriching and inspiring Richard was more than a colleague; he was a true mentor who guided and supported countless professionals I am certain that there is a special place in heaven for Richard and I can only hope that I have made him proud." I know I am not the only person who feels this way about him and you all We are truly lucky to have you as our aunt and uncle I wanted him to not be in pain and knew he was in God's hands Thank you both for being wonderful disciples of Jesus Christ I feel so honored to get to be a part of this service for Richard I could never say how much he and you have both blessed and influenced me for the better The eternal relationship I have with both of you is one of the greatest blessings of life I have been thinking about you and Richard all day today I am sure that today is a particularly tender day I love you both so much and I'm grateful for the truth that we will celebrate with Richard for eternity Today was one of the sweetest and most memorable days of my life I've always know how much I love you and Richard but my love for both of you deepened so much as I learned more about your lives and your goodness No matter what you do you bless and strengthen those that are around you I thank God for the immeasurable blessing of you and Richard in my life Very sad to learn of Richard Breckenridge's passing He was my Bishop and Stake Presidency member His young daughter Brie would enter and find him She would patiently wait for his attention He would then crouch dow and tenderly tie the ribbon on her cute little dress Give her a kiss and hug and off she would go I had the privilege and joy of coaching with him in AYSO soccer and the first Blue Ridge HS girl's team I hope all who had him as a coach realize that they learned so much more than soccer He was fierce in his determination and fought hard to bring out the best in his players He helped launch the BR Girls Soccer program that is still going strong He was the bishop of my youth and a great mentor I've been remembering key counsel he gave me I just shared some of that counsel in a recent church council too I'm grateful for people like him who've helped shape me during pivotal moments of my life Rebecca SkousenHe sure was a great man and still is...Shared PenrodCoach was such a loving and caring person and coach!! Bill GravesHe was an outstanding man in all ways David MerrillYou will always be in our hearts Coach B Loved having him as my soccer coach in AYSO May the blessings of heaven be on your family So kind to me as an exchange kid joining the soccer team And I had the pleasure of meeting up again when the team came over to Scotland to play some games I wanted to share with you something I wrote for your dad a few years ago; see attached I know I am not the only one who feels this way about Uncle Dick We are all truly blessed to have him in our lives He touched us through his Christ-like example and service I don't have to tell you how lucky you are to have him as your father He always made me feel special and inspired me to be better He lived as a disciple of Jesus Christ which showed on his countenance His example of faithfully enduring to the end on the Lord's covenant path inspires me still He honored your mother and the eternal covenants he made with her and the Lord in His holy house Not only am I blessed to have your dad in my life I am blessed by having family members like you Your faith and example inspire me as your dad does Thank you for your faithfulness and example of disciples of Jesus Christ Your example helps me improve and have a desire to be more like the Savior A peace that he would not have to suffer and his body could rest While we wanted him to stay for Aunt De Edra and you all we wanted the Lord's will and what was best for him We felt a great peace knowing he was in the Lord's hands We pray that your families can continue to fill the peace that only Jesus Christ can bring We are lucky to have family members on the other side of the veil like your dad We love you all and are glad you are our family Thank you for sharing your dad with me and others Thank you for putting up with an obnoxious neighbor like me I saw the light on." You never know who will be sneaking into your house while you sleep DeEdra I have told you man times he is my HERO He added a great deal to my life and my family I always had the utmost respect for him as a coach and saw firsthand the tremendous positive impact he had on his players The Blue Ridge family will always be grateful for the love dedication and compassion Coach Breckenridge shared with his soccer families and the rest of the school and community Ad I had the pleasure of meeting up again when the team came over to Scotland to play some games News | Nov 20 Two factors have been identified as the driving force behind sharp increases for homeowners insurance in recent years: Summit County’s designation as a high-risk area for wildfires and the national trend that shows wildfires are growing in intensity White and Blue Fire Protection District wildfire division captain Matt Benedict at a Nov 13 Breckenridge Town Council meeting regarding some of the struggles locals have experienced and what the district is doing to help Colorado’s Division of Insurance estimated insurance costs increased more than 50% across the state between 2020 to 2023. Benedict said Summit County is contending with home value spikes construction cost increases and a “red zone” designation on maps that determine wildfire risk “Some of our big properties have seen upwards of 1,000% increases,” he said Council member Dick Carleton said he had heard of renters living in some of the town’s older multi-unit complexes struggling with homeowner association fees skyrocketing due to rising insurance costs.   “The numbers I’m hearing are astronomical,” he said Benedict said he heard of homeowner association fees doubling or tripling recently noting wildfire risk’s impact on insurance is “nearly bankrupting some of the (homeowner associations).” Since insurance is a private industry and fire districts are public agencies Benedict said there are roadblocks to finding solutions He explained laws prevent public and private entities from interacting too much He said officials hope to work on solutions with the state and plan to work on other types of remedies locally “We’re going to be working with (Summit’s) Wildfire Council to try and tell a better story … trying to figure out a better marketing strategy for the homeowners but really for the insurance companies,” He said “(We want to figure out) how to move this forward and get insurance companies to want to be here and assume that risk.” which are areas designed to reduce the risk of fire on their property He said previously there was some confusion among residents surrounding the permit process for creating defensible space and about what actions they could take to create it He added there was a “gigantic” increase in permit holders this year a community development planner with Breckenridge said the town processed over 170 permits this year and has been able to aid in implementing defensible spaces on private property town-owned property and homeowner association-owned open spaces “We’ve seen a lot of people take advantage of this … to remove that combustible material and hopefully impact their insurance premiums,” he said Some insurance providers, including USAA and AAA, provide discounts for those who are using verified “firewise practices.” Benedict said the most substantial change the district has seen this year is increased interest in permits among property managers “They’ve become kind of our force multiplier this year and that’s a big deal for us,” he said “We’ve spent a lot of time educating them but they’re motivated because of the insurance issues.” Mayor Kelly Owens wondered what steps a resident should take if they got denied fire insurance.  Benedict said the fire district has a team of firefighters who do insurance-related inspections Residents who are denied insurance can ask them for help and the fire district can send a report to help encourage insurers to reconsider He said the district is hoping to make “firewise practices” as accessible as possible and is offering a loaner program where people can borrow tools they need to take actions like reducing things that can act as fuel for fires on their property News | Dec 8 it is gearing up for a year with an anticipated $157.4 million in expenditures a $23 million deficit in cash flow and minimal revenue growth the town anticipates having a net revenue of $137.5 million While the town is spending more than it is bringing in its finance department said the town remains in a strong financial position Finance director Dave Byrd said the town is coming into a year where it has the opportunity to tackle a number of projects and this is driving expenses “We’ve got Project Runway kicking off … we also have major infrastructure projects in our capital fund and it was kind of a year where both things are really happening at the same time and we’re in very good condition financially to weather these investments but it led to a negative cash flow for 2025,” Byrd said.  since the development will be on top of where the parking lot is currently located While officials are eyeing the McCain property as free skier parking’s new home it outlined staff anticipating “minimal revenue growth while personnel and operating costs continue to rise.”  Byrd said what the town has been able to collect in taxes has plateaued in the last couple years and that kind of hit its peak in 2022 and now things have kind of leveled off Breckenridge reaped the rewards of a stark influx in visitation to mountain towns during the COVID-19 pandemic and had record-high tax collections In 2021 the town collected an unprecedented $11 million in real estate transfer taxes Collections from the tax have since dropped down to $6 million annually and it is anticipated to remain that way for the next five years Breckenridge’s accommodations tax for lodging jumped 50% from 2020 to 2021 yet saw declines in 2023 and 2024 and expects to see another in 2025 The town’s finance department predicts it will collect around $300,000 less in accommodations tax from 2024 to 2025 it is assuming reductions in revenue from its marijuana Senior accountant Tracey Lambert explained to council at an Oct given to personnel on the anniversary of their start date with the town will drive up Breckenridge’s 2025 expenditures Healthcare costs for personnel are expected to rise $200,000 based on staffing levels and the town plans to add 7.5 new employees to its payroll Town Council members were particularly keen on supporting budget increases to programs geared toward housing affordability and sustainability Breckenridge saw significant demands in its programs geared toward housing affordability and had taken those considerations into their 2025 proposed budget.  During a July Breckenridge Town Council meeting, housing manager Laurie Best informed council the town had spent 85% of its Housing Helps Budget a program which incentives residents to deed restrict their homes to ensure there’s affordable housing stock for the workforce With $2.13 of the $2.5 million budget being spent by the last week of June council approved $600,000 in appropriations at an Aug the town is budgeting around $3 million for the program.  Breckenridge staff members proposed a budget increase to expand its electric bike program at anOct it details a $478,000 spend on the program which is up from around $360,000 in 2024.  Council showed no hesitation toward approving the increase with council member Todd Rankin noting he “loved the program” and council member Dick Carleton adding he was once hesitant about the launch of the program but now sees its value Mobility staff members reported to council the program saw a near 52% increase in usage year over year The budget increase they sought approval for would up bikes in the program from 125 to 170 and the number of bike hubs from 26 to 30 Breckenridge Town Council unanimously approved the 2025 budget during a Tuesday The mountain town is coming into its own as a dining destination There used to be a mud season in Breckenridge: A time in May and October when business owners would lock up and head to Cabo or Moab while the snowmelt trickled down from the Tenmile Range fattening rivers and making hiking and biking trails impassable Main Street Breckenridge doesn’t know a slow season Visitors continue to flow in from I-70 and Highway 9 and seeking out dry patches of “mud season” recreation and family-run joints going stronger than ever Breckenridge is punching above its size as a mountain-town dining destination here’s where to eat and drink next time you visit Breck This humble breakfast cart sits on the edge of the Breckenridge Distillery parking lot so it’s easy to miss as you zoom along Airport Road on the way to the ski resort But it’s worth a stop for Danielle Walters’ strawberry- or caramel-stuffed Belgian waffles homemade pastries (we’re obsessed with her raspberry almond scones) and arguably one of the best (and most affordable) lattes in town Tucked in the back of an old Victorian on Main Street (facing the old boat that was once the Dredge restaurant), this locally owned cafe and bakery is known for its sweet-potato-and-black-bean breakfast tacos and hefty biscuit-and-gravy breakfast burrito it’s all about the candied pecan chicken salad topped with spinach and cranberry and the turkey and fig jam sandwiches on flaky croissants Sure, you can get on the waitlist at Blue Moose or Columbine Cafe and eventually enjoy a consistently pleasing plate of flapjacks, but the quirky “gourmet fast-food” menu at the hidden BreckFast in La Cima Mall is a pleasant change Whether it’s truffled honey and fried egg on thick sourdough avocado toast or pork belly and pickled onion on an everything bagel you can expect swift service built to get you on the slopes or singletrack in record time Hit this tiny Main Street walk-up for healthy morning and midday fare a crunchy veggie-layered favorite dressed in dijon and havarti and named after Fletcher’s niece Fatty’s is far from fancy—the wooden swivel stools at this beloved sports bar have worn-in grooves molded to regulars’ behinds—but the food is legit and the atmosphere has big-game energy every day the pizzeria celebrates 50 years of slinging deep-fried chicken wings and clams casino pizzas A marinara-doused meatball sub built for big appetites and a slow-cooked corned beef reuben top the menu’s non-pizza hits list Snag a patio seat on sunny days and watch the world go by If Fatty’s is full, find comfort food maven the Motherloaded Tavern one block away (103 S Main St.) and order the house-infused pickle-vodka bloody mary the 32-ounce Mason jar serves as a mini meal The queso is smoked and the jalapeños are stuffed with brisket cream cheese at this low-and-slow Texas-style barbecue joint Ice-bucket beers and puffs of Texas post oak smoke rolling off the back patio add to the Lone Star legitimacy You can’t go wrong with the dry-rubbed sliced or chopped and sauced brisket Order the slider trio—a sampling of smoky ground brisket sloppy joe and pulled pork—for a carnivorous compilation Follow locals into happy hour (2–5 p.m. daily) at this polished and approachable upscale eatery where ski pants are just as acceptable as dress pants Two-for-one martinis—try the tequila-based beet and passionfruit Crime of Passion and the classic dirty jalapeño martini—pair perfectly with live jazz and blues on Mondays and Tuesdays Nibble on Hawaiian-style pork ribs and crispy tiger shrimp from your cozy half-moon booth Then stay for dinner and enjoy pine-nut-crusted Scottish salmon The Carlin brings posh coastal design and sustainable seafood to the mountains with its restaurant-tavern-inn space After opening Aurum Food & Wine in Breckenridge in 2018 restaurateur Phillips Armstrong set the bar even higher for resort-town dining and restaurant design with his 2023 launch of the Carlin The three-story hotel-slash-restaurant concept is a carryover from Armstrong’s alpine ski-racing days when he became enamored with cozy Swiss chalet offerings sourced from sustainable oyster farms on both coasts and lobster and crab boats grab a nightcap in the dimly lit basement tavern before crashing in one of four immaculately appointed Airbnb condos upstairs Nearly two years after Rootstalk opened its doors, Matt Vawter and team jumped on the opportunity to fill the suddenly available Relish restaurant space in the center of town. Radicato weaves Italy’s culinary traditions throughout its gorgeously plated dishes while linking Colorado farmers to curious diners Radicato musts include the prime New York strip carpaccio and the classic cheesy peppery cacio e pepe (find both on the happy hour menu served daily between 4 and 5 p.m.) When the famed snowmelt-made bourbon distillery opened an adjacent steakhouse nearly a decade ago it tipped Summit County’s fine-dining scales in an exciting new direction Breckenridge Distillery’s menu has found legs in bold Confident small plates like grilled sourdough piled with tomatillo and manchego foam stand strong alongside entrées of Trinidadian duck curry and African peanut-sauced hanger steak 2–4 p.m.) menu hosts a secret stash smashburger with house bread-and-butter pickles and the unforgettable Obi-Wan old fashioned made with Breckenridge port-cask-finished whiskey Craving a more kiddo-friendly spot for a nip? The Crown offers a laid-back coffeehouse vibe with an unsung libation menu featuring a noteworthy Breckenridge Distillery bourbon Manhattan Sip it on the back patio while the littles run around the grassy riverside plaza A true family affair, La Française grew from deep European culinary roots Founder and chef Yvan Heraud earned accolades for years spent in Michelin-starred kitchens in the south of France while son-in-law and chef Chris Hunsicker hails from Fruition and Jax Fish House and a subsequent year cooking in Florence Classic techniques show up in the bistrot’s roasted bone marrow and garlic escargot appetizer (oui and in entrées like lobster linguine in foie gras butter Spoon it up with a shared plate of grilled focaccia and house-made whipped beef-tallow butter while chef tends to your Bob Weir’s magic mushroom pizza in the open-fire oven The real treat rests in after-dinner drinks inside the seductive Canary speakeasy Ask to be escorted to the behind-the-scenes den where the bartender will tailor a libation specifically to your taste buds This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page The hustle and bustle of big cities isn’t for everyone Whether you are on vacation or making a move a different pace or vibe can be the right fit Here’s what made Breckenridge stand out this year in the USA TODAY 10BEST Reader’s Choice awards Breckenridge’s standing as one of the top ski destinations in North America was the first reason cited for its place on the list with 10BEST noting it was “known for its exceptional slopes Breckenridge gives outdoors enthusiasts plenty to do mountain biking and exploring nearby alpine lakes Breckenridge has a plethora of craft breweries and a burgeoning restaurant scene USA TODAY 10BEST readers ranked these as the top small towns in the West: More: This Colorado hotel was named one of the greatest places to stay in the world in 2025 Readers honored several cities across different categories and regions USA TODAY 10BEST says a panel of experts nominates towns in each award category with the final nominees selected via editorial review by its editors Once the nominees in an award category are announced the public has four weeks to vote online for their favorites People can vote for one nominee in each category each calendar day Nate Trela covers trending news in Colorado and Utah for the USA TODAY Network News | Feb 26 Breckenridge is offering housing units at what officials have dubbed the town’s “last neighborhood” to the Summit School District in exchange for a 10-acre parcel of land in town 20 Summit School District Board of Education meeting All board members present expressed interest in the proposal A vote on this initiative is slated for a March 6 board meeting Summit School District chief financial officer Kara Drake said an October 2023 appraisal of the district-owned tract valued it at roughly $1.1 million which she didn’t have on hand at the meeting “There’s a misconception that the value of the property is worth millions of dollars,” she said noting the current zoning for the land prohibits residential development since it is zoned for “school use,” limiting its value The property could not be sold to a residential developer without a vote by Breckenridge officials to rezone it to allow for residential use “That’s why the appraisers don’t feel comfortable in appraising it at any higher value,” she said The town of Breckenridge’s Runway project is estimated to have around 150 units which include a mix of unit types including single-family homes and different varieties of townhomes ranging from duplexes to sixplexes All units will be sold through a lottery system Breckenridge housing manager Laurie Best said the units will likely roll out in four phases 25 joint news release from the district and the town outlined 25% of the available units in each phase will be reserved for Summit School District employees until the 35-unit threshold is met The presentation given to the board detailed units are geared toward people making 80% to 150% of the area median income with purchase prices ranging from $351,000 to $850,000 The joint news release said a first right of refusal clause will be in place to ensure district employees will have continued access to units preserving at least 35 units in perpetuity While final cost estimates aren’t solidified Breckenridge committed to subsidizing $39 million for the cost of land infrastructure and a portion of the cost of vertical construction Breckenridge officials said the proceeds from the sale of the units will go toward paying off construction Board of Education director Julie Shapiro indicated this was not the first time officials have discussed the matter “We’ve actually been wrestling with this for a long time … at least a year and a half,” she said and so it might feel abrupt to the public though because it is like the first time they’re really hearing us hash it out.” Drake presented the board with a staff survey which asked “If the district were to move forward this exchange would you be interested in purchasing workforce housing in Breckenridge.” That demonstrated 46.5% of staff members weren’t interested in the proposal 16.6% were somewhat interested and 5.7% were “unsure.” Survey respondents had an opportunity to write and give more detail explaining their stance Drake said the answers were given to artificial intelligence to analyze and it found around 55% of those who answered “not interested” said their reasoning had something to do with them already having housing In a presentation slide given to the board titled “Notable Quotes,” she called out one that recommended the district sell the property and earmark the earnings for teacher wages.  The district and town addressed the claim in the joint press release and said “rather than selling the land for a one-time budget increase SSD is considering a strategic land exchange that would provide teachers and staff with access to homeownership for generations to come.” “Our responsibility is to make long-term strategic decisions that serve the best interests of our students and staff,” Shapiro stated in the release “Selling the land might provide a small financial boost but not enough to make a meaningful impact on our budget.” Drake drew attention to a district staff housing needs assessment done in 2023 that showed nearly half of all district employees were considering leaving due to high cost of living and around 42% of employees are “cost burdened” by “excessive housing expenses.” It also showed many staff members who rented their homes didn’t feel like they had the opportunity to get into home ownership in the county Similar messaging related to this needs assessment was used by the district as it sought to push forward a ballot initiative for a $195 million, $46 million of which would have gone toward the district building employee housing. Voters shot down the measure in November “(What) we heard back after the bond (and during the bond) was we should really be considering partnerships,” Superintendent Tony Byrd said noting the feedback he received showed people wanted the district to participate in a partnership to pursue housing for staff as opposed to pursuing by itself “This agreement represents a major step forward in supporting our educators and staff We recognize that access to affordable housing is essential for recruiting and retaining the best talent for our students.” the groups are aiming to finalize the property transfer agreement in 20 days “with a closing date set for before December 1 “Final cost estimates are expected to be determined in the coming months,” the release stated The initiative aims to have initial units come online in 2027 with the phased construction timeline spanning roughly six to seven years News | Jan 18 Over the last several months, Breckenridge staff members have been tasked with improving an unfavorable trend impacting revenue streams at local businesses during a key summer holiday After collaborating with professionals in the arts and entertainment realm During a Jan. 14 Breckenridge Town Council meeting, assistant recreation director Jon Dorr and council member Marika Paige presented elected officials with an idea that the town’s event committee has looked into to solve the problem of visitors ditching town once the Fourth of July fireworks are over Dorr explained the feedback received by the town from the surrounding community was: “Why aren’t there more people in town after the parade … We aren’t seeing the same hotel visits or the same restaurant visits,” he said The event committee teamed up with local arts nonprofit Breck Create and began exploring the possibility of a large-scale exhibition by a Dutch artist called SPARK.  Artist Daan Roosegaarde’s SPARK exhibits are firefly-inspired light shows and Breckenridge is looking to make it a four-day event according to documents presented at the Jan “The intention is to be a replacement of fireworks lighting up the whole sky and center of town but it is more contemplative and quiet,” Breck Create’s Karlie McLaughlin said describing the experience to be “immersive.” She said the exhibition will likely be viewable from numerous areas of town, have less environmental impacts than fireworks and is more dark-sky compliant than fireworks. Officials voiced appreciation for these aspects since the town is looking to become a certified International Dark Sky Community Daan Roosegaarde’s studio told the Summit Daily News that if the town goes through with the idea it will be the United States premiere of SPARK 14 meeting noted the town anticipates “national press” from the event.  Page said the event’s committee also discussed the possibility of having SPARK be tied to the Breckenridge International Festival of Arts instead.  Mayor Kelly Owens said she’d favor the show on the Fourth of July noting it could be paired with a National Repertory Orchestra performance.  Council member Steve Gerard referred to the concept as a “make Breckenridge newsworthy event” and said it will likely be more effective in getting visitors to stay in town than fireworks.  Council member Dick Carleton agreed and said the concept was “worth continued research.” Council members Carol Saade and Todd Rankin also showed approval for staff members continuing to look into the concept.  “Please talk to the business community (first)… and (explore) what possible ramifications could it have that we can look at and address,” council member Jay Beckerman said noting he supported the idea and felt it fits the town’s goal of drawing visitors and providing an event locals will find interest in as well.  McLaughlin responded it would be a perfect opportunity to partner with the retail and restaurant community to boost their business.  and so that would require lots of communication and conversations with businesses on Main Street,” she said ” Maybe (we could encourage) candlelight dinners at restaurants in the center of town.” What was outlined as a “conservative” cost estimate for the exhibit came out to $299,750 Around $50,000 of that would be allocated for shipping material from where Roosegaarde is based in the Netherlands No official decisions were made at the Jan Documents presented at the meeting detail a final decision should be made before the end of January and town staff members said they would rehash the topic with officials at its Jan News | Nov 16 Breckenridge will need to relocate the free overflow skier parking on Airport Road within the next couple years and town staff members say its likely one of the last years free parking is on the Airport Road lot An approximate 100 unit development, dubbed “Runway,” will be built on top of the current lot with construction slated to wrap by 2028 the town has been exploring options for overflow parking’s new home and now staff members think they have found it not all officials could get behind the proposal that was discussed at the Nov Staff members want to build a new lot on the McCain parcel off of Coyne Valley Road and Colorado Highway 9 near the entrance of town council member Carol Saade and council member Todd Rankin generally showed support Council members Dick Carleton and Jay Beckerman wanted to push the vote to a later date Council members Steve Gerard and Marika Page were absent.  A proposal to move parking to McCain first came before officials in July and was met with concerns from most council members Town staff members came back to council with an updated proposal Tuesday which addressed some concerns The new proposal moves the lot further north on the McCain parcel and reduces the number of parking spots to 350 down from 500 Project manager Rick Holman said data shows the 500 spots at the Airport Road lot are only full a dozen or so times a year He said the town is looking to rely on a potential parking partnership being negotiated between Breckenridge Ski Resort and Colorado Mountain College to account for the season’s busiest days Staff members said a part of the land parcel designated for snow storage could also serve as parking on occasion.  A staff memo for the meeting states town staff members have discussed shifting the usage of the lot to be “true overflow only used on the busiest days.”  The memo notes that the ski resort plans to gradually test and implement changes related to carpooling discounts reservations and potential on-demand changes to pricing in the South Gondola lot once the North lot fills Holman added there are conversations about potential flexible midweek pricing for parking as well.  Holman said while there might be some changes in the near future Breckenridge Ski Resort isn’t “ready to say ‘we’re not going to have a free option.'” Staff members hope these efforts will allow for overflow parking to be utilized less often so the need to run a free shuttle on weekdays is eliminated when its not overly busy as staff members aren’t recommending it And what the lot could be used for in the summertime is undetermined who had the strongest opposition against the proposal said he felt now wasn’t the time to vote He said the town is in discussions with different entities including the school district and the ski resort and he thinks “we just need to take a little more time to let some of these discussions go to fruition.”  Beckerman shared a similar sentiment and recommended officials “pump the breaks and postpone (the decision).” Carleton also voiced concerns about impacts to open space on the McCain parcel which includes a river corridor on its western portion “We have been so excited about (this becoming open space) for the last five years … the impacts that this kind of thing has (on the western part of the parcel) hasn’t even been discussed and we very much need to think about that,” he said One draw many council members appreciated was the cost of the move being only $5,000 Since the site is already developed and prepped with crushed rocks not much more work would need to be done to it The first proposal to move parking to McCain which would have put the lot at the undeveloped southeast of the parcel Saade said based on the “low price point” she was ready to commit to the proposal at the meeting Holman said another plus of the proposed site is its location makes for better traffic flow at the nearby busy roundabout off of Fairview Boulevard compared to the original proposal The other option on the table was keeping the parking on Airport Road and moving it to the north of Upper Blue Elementary Staff said this would have been tough to program given the 100 unit development coming online Officials said discussions around the matter will continue News | Feb 28 the Imperial Challenge in Breckenridge has joined the Race Breck race series the event has been a staple dating back to the ’90s weekend warriors and adventure seekers a test of strength In partnership with Breckenridge Ski Resort this year’s Imperial Challenge will take place on Saturday uphill ski touring and a thrilling descent The race will begin at the Breckenridge Recreation Center where competitors will bike or run to the base of Peak 7 participants will transition to their uphill gear and then climb to the summit of Peak 8 at 12,998 feet The final leg of the three-leg race will consist of a descent back to the base of Peak 7 the Imperial Challenge features nearly 4,000 feet of elevation gain and approximately 10 miles of human-powered travel For more information or to register, visit ImperialChallenge.com Several Breckenridge organizations are offering children’s programs this summer Check out the details about each program below: The Breckenridge Fine Arts Center and the Breckenridge Library will host the popular Creature Teacher program on Thursday offering children an interactive and educational wildlife experience Two free sessions will take place at 1:30 p.m The Creature Teacher program will allow young explorers to get up close with a variety of animals while learning about wildlife conservation The hands-on event will aim to spark curiosity and encourage a lifelong love for animals and the natural world call the Breckenridge Library at 254-559-5505 or the Breckenridge Fine Arts Center at 254-559-6602 Click here to read about last year’s Creature Teacher program and see some photos from the event. The Breckenridge Fine Arts Center will host two summer art workshops for children offering creative opportunities at an affordable price the Children’s Rock Garden Revamp Project Leslie Blackerby and Ruth Taylor will lead the sessions which also follow the same times and age and grade divisions as the June workshop Children will help revamp the rock garden at the BFAC which was started in 2021 by then-BFAC Director Shalon Wilson The fee for the rock garden workshop is also $3 per child markers and other art supplies will be provided To register for the rock garden project, click here. Both workshops will take place at the Breckenridge Fine Arts Center call the Breckenridge Fine Arts Center at 254-559-6602 Stephens County 4-H will offer a series of Kids Summer Day Camps in June providing local youth with a range of activities from outdoor adventures to arts and crafts open to students entering grades 3 through 8 Participants will need to be dropped off and picked up at the  Stephens County Extension Office (2622 U.S Each session costs $60 per student, and space is limited. Payments will be accepted by Venmo only, and no refunds will be offered. Registration can be completed online by visiting the form on SignUpGenius (click here). parents are encouraged to contact Agrilife Extension Agent Sumer Russell at sumer.burns@ag.tamu.edu or call 254-559-2231 The Friends of Historic Breckenridge will once again host the Missoula Children’s Theatre (MCT) for its annual summer theater camp in June at the National Theatre in downtown Breckenridge The camp will offer local youth a chance to participate in the stage production of a mythical tale of strength This year’s production – “Hercules!” – invites audiences to Ancient Greece where the Olympic Games are about to begin With the Cyclopes and Titans eagerly preparing for a friendly but fierce competition But the legendary hero’s reputation for tardiness may delay the festivities unless he can rise to the occasion adventure and a heartfelt lesson that true strength comes from within For more details about the theater camp, including a link to the registration page, click here to read the previous Breckenridge Texan article top photo: Everyone attending The Creature Teacher program at the Breckenridge Fine Arts Center last year had a chance to pet Peaches the Red Kangaroo This year’s Creature Teacher program will be June 12 (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan) OnTheSnow.com’s visitors and app users have chosen Breckenridge as the ski resort with the best après-ski in North America in its annual Visitors’ Choice Awards for the 2024-2025 season who take millions of destination ski trips each winter rate and review the resorts they visit for characteristics such as terrain Breckenridge is dotted with great après-ski spots, including TBar, at the base of Peak 8, which we named one of the best après-ski bars in North America Here’s what some of OnTheSnow’s users have said about Breckenridge:  “Overall I would give Breckenridge 5 stars Great area to ski with wonderful staff on lifts and mountain.” – John  “I like the all around experience that Breck offers- great mountain imho – it’s authentic and that really comes through lots of cultural things.” – Talairys  The town is by far the best ski town in Colorado but perfect for a night out at the bar scene.” – Kamryn  OnTheSnow wants to continue to hear from skiers and snowboarders about ski resorts they’ve recently visited. Leave a review here for any ski resorts you’ve visited this season. Congratulations to Breckenridge and all of the 2024-25 Visitors’ Choice Award winners, which you can read more about here Montage Deer Valley is a Luxury Year-Round Outdoor Destination Snow Before You Go: Where to Find the Best Snow this Week The Best Destinations in North America for Spring Skiing The Best Ski Resorts in the Rockies and Beyond for Spring Skiing