This season, Breckenridge Ski Resort opens its first base area since the development of Peak 9 in 1971. Complete with high-end lodging at the new Crystal Peak lodge, skier services including ski school, ticket sales and rentals, and new sit-down dining experience at Sevens, the new Peak 7 base area will introduce visitors to a new level of luxury and service in Breckenridge.

BreckConnect links new base area with Main Street:
This year, the Breck Connect gondola will stop at the Peak 7 base area, allowing for easy access to coveted intermediate terrain on Peak 7 as well as to the expert above timberline terrain on Peaks 7 and 8, accessed by the T-Bar. As the resort steps into a new era of resort villages with the development of Peaks 7 and 8, the need for a first-class mass transit system that seamlessly moves all types of visitors is essential. The BreckConnect has transformed the way visitors access the town and mountain and sets a new standard in the role of mass transit in growth and development. The gondola represents a unification of the community as the public and private entities work together to build an environmentally progressive resort transit system that also creates a streamlined link to transport large numbers of visitors between the town and the ski resort’s Peaks 7 and 8.The gondola enables the town and resort to strike the ideal balance that maintains the character and vibrancy of Breckenridge’s Main Street and Downtown. 

Crystal Peak Lodge:
The Crystal Peak Lodge, the first lodge to open in Breckenridge’s newest master-planned development at the Peak 7 and 8 base areas, is scheduled to open in early winter with 46 ski-in/ski-out wholly owned residences. Located just steps from the BreckConnect Gondola and the Independence SuperChair, the Crystal Peak Lodge is designed to reflect the Summit County, Colorado environment with heavy timbers, moss rock and expanses of glass that contribute to the building’s rugged exterior. Inside, warm wood paneling, high-end fixtures and rich fabrics will welcome guests in from the slopes. The new lodge includes one- to four-bedrooms homes.

Sevens Restaurant:
Scheduled to open for Christmas 2008, the new Sevens restaurant represents a new approach to on-mountain dining in Breckenridge. Located in the new Grand Lodge at the base of Peak 7, Sevens will feature Mediterranean-themed sit down dining for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The only Mediterranean dining option in Breckenridge, Sevens will have a wood-fire pizza oven and a tapas bar as well as a quick service window for skiers and riders who just want to grab a quick meal.

New snowmaking means earlier opening on Peak 7’s popular intermediate terrain
To coincide with the opening the new base area at Peak 7, the resort will put in snowmaking on two of the popular Peak 7 intermediate trails. Angels’ Rest and Pioneer will feature state of the art snowmaking, guaranteeing exceptional top to bottom skiing and riding by Christmas. With the addition of the Peak 7 snowmaking, Breckenridge will offer more than 630 acres of terrain served by the snowmaking system, spread across Peak 7, 8 and 9. Peak 7’s snowmaking on idyllic rolling, intermediate trails compliments the new base area, making it easy for families to stay, dine and ski at Peak 7.

Breckenridge launches renaissance of Peak 8 with the start of One Ski Hill Place, a RockResort
One Ski Hill Place is part of Breckenridge’s newest master-planned development at Peak 7 and Peak 8 which features approximately 450 residential units and 75,000 square feet of skier services. Sales at One Ski Hill Place illustrate there is a continued demand for high-end luxury property in Breckenridge. Scheduled to open spring 2010, One Ski Hill Place will be ideally located at the base of Peak 8 at Breckenridge Ski Resort, the most popular ski resort in the United States. When it is completed it will include 88 luxury, ski-in/ski-out units that will range from studios to four-bedrooms and from approximately 500 to 2,000 square feet.

In keeping with the environmental philosophy and efforts of Vail Resorts, the construction of One Ski Hill Place will be built green using the Green Globes rating system. The building will use recycled materials, low energy windows, fiber cement siding, faucet and toilet sensors in the common areas, engineered hardwood flooring, native stone, Energy Star appliances and water-saving devices.   In addition to its Green Globes rating, One Ski Hill Place will be Breckenridge’s first RockResort property. RockResorts is known for offering a unique combination of informal elegance, legendary service, award-winning cuisine and a variety of outdoor adventures in some of the world’s most beautiful locations, and One Ski Hill Place is a perfect complement to the RockResorts collection.  Featuring high ceilings, natural wood and stone materials, stunning living rooms with fireplaces and large windows with breathtaking alpine views, One Ski Hill Place will be among the most deluxe accommodations in Breckenridge.

Park Lane becomes Breckenridge’s most popular park for locals and visitors alike
In the last five years, terrain parks have become big business. Twintip skis are the fastest growing ski equipment category with sales growing 70 percent in units and 65 percent in dollars over the last three seasons. Snowboarders continue to raise the bar on innovative features, pushing for 22 ft. pipes and bigger hits. And, Breckenridge is known for having the best pipes and parks in the world, continually ranked in the top three by industry leaders. Not a resort to rest on its laurels, Breckenridge developed a park progression system on Peak 8 that allowed the resort to offer a park progression system located in one place. In the past, the parks were located in several different areas across two peaks, making it difficult for guests to find Breck’s various levels of parks. By building parks for all three levels in one place, skiers and riders are able to move seamlessly from Trygve’s beginner park and pipe to Park Lane’s intermediate sized jumps and rails while watching the pros hit Freeway. With the intermediate park rider in mind, Breckenridge terrain park designers built street style hits and features along with two jump lines. The positive response to the new park was overwhelming from kids just starting to learn tricks to pro level skiers and riders. The popularity of Park Lane for all levels of skiers and riders illustrates and industry trend toward creativity of tricks. Park Lane allows skiers and riders to perfect tricks before trying them on Freeway’s much larger jumps. In addition to the system on Peak 8, beginners and intermediate park lovers can still ride County Boy and Eldorado on Peak 9.

Kids Mountains of Discovery Changes How Kids Learn to Ski and Ride
Nearly 60 percent of family travelers use children’s services offered, according to the Travel Industry of America. Breckenridge Ski Resort understands how important this aspect is to any family vacation and has developed programs that deliver what kids and parents both want during vacation. Breckenridge is turning children’s ski school into an adventure for kids 3 – 13. The new Mountains of Discovery gets kids out of the ski school yard and onto the mountain, exploring while learning. Combining elements of passion and creativity, instructors are able to teach the fundamentals of the traditional ski and ride school while building a sense of passion for the sport. This differs from the conventional method that uses a very specific lesson plan that is taught in a designated teaching area or run for teaching all levels of kids. Mountains of Discovery divides students into four groups based on ski or snowboard level – Mt. Quandary, Mt. Massive, Mt. McKinley and Mt. Everest. Each category is given a list of things to “discover” over the course of the lesson that incorporates both the passion and skills of skiing or snowboarding as well as the concept of making learning fun. For example, the Mt Quandary or beginner student is challenged to ski or ride one of Breckenridge’s peaks, ski or ride one designated kids trails such as Ripperoo’s Forest or Sidewinder Junction and then ski or ride 3 trails at the resort. The list of goals changes with each level and is designed to teach skills in a way that conveys the adventure to be had with snowsports.