Breckenridge

By The Stu Crew

1961 – Breckenridge Ski Area opens for skiing with a double chair lift and a short T-Bar. The population of Breckenridge was only about 400.

1970 - The number of Breckenridge housing units was only 325.  

1971 – Peak 9 of The Ten Mile Range is opened for skiing with 2 double chairs and 12 trails. Compared to 1961-62 skiers visits of 17,000 the 1971-72 season boasts 221,000.

1973 – Eisenhower Tunnel on I70 is completed improving the drive time to Summit County by a half hour.

1978 – Peak 8 has Colorado’s first Alpine Slide installed & operated.

1981 – The world’s first high speed quad chair lift is installed on Peak 9.

1984 – Breckenridge is the first major ski resort in Colorado to allow Snowboarding.

1985 – Peak 10 opens, interconnecting three mountain peaks of ski terrain. The resort hosts the world’s first Snowboarding World Cup race.

1993 – Peak 7 is opened for skiing access by hiking adding a fourth peak to it’s resort.

1997 – Vail Resorts with Beaver Creek buy Breckenridge & Keystone becoming the largest ski mountain resort company in North America for the time being.

1998 – Vail Resorts invests $18 Million into Breckenridge Ski Area improving the terrain and adding two high speed quad lifts.

1999 – Vail Resorts invests another $14 Million to construct the Ten Mile Station on Peak 9 and other improvements. With 1,392,242 skier visits the Ski Area is recorded as the most popular ski resort.

2000 – The first double loading six passenger chairlift named the Quicksilver Super 6 replaces the world’s first high speed quad chair which is by The Village at Breckenridge Resort in town. For the second year Breckenridge is recorded with the most visits at 1,441,000 skiers & boarders.

2002 – With the addition of the six passengers Independence Chair on Peak 7 intermediate terrain is increased 30 percent with 7 new trails. The Peak 8 Super Connect is added to transport skiers from Peak 9 to Peak 8 quickly and efficiently. Vail Resorts reported 1,425,000 skier/snowboarder visits.

Breckenridge housing units increased to 6,351 by the end of the year.

2003 - 04 Vail Resorts reported 1,402,000 skier/Snowboarder visits.

2005 - The Imperial Express chair was installed making it the worlds highest chairlift taking skiers up to 12,840 ft. Skier/Snowboarder visits were reported at 1,471,000.

Imperial Express Chair Breckenridge Ski Area

2006 - Breckenridge opened it's 8 passenger Gondola from town up to Peak 8 with stops at Shock Hill Subdivision and the new Crystal Peak Lodge at Peak 7 opening in 2008. Skier/Snowboarder visits were reported at 1,620,000.

Breckenridge Gondola from Town to Peak 8

2007 - A new terrain park on Peak 8 designed to help novice skiers and riders gradually build freestyle skills was installed. Crafted by the resort's award-winning terrain park team, the multi-level park pod has a beginner park and pipe, an intermediate park and an expert superpark and pipe. Breckenridge has also added a snowmaking system on Peak 8's Park Lane and will turn the entire run into a mid sized, intermediate terrain park. Breckenridge has a strong reputation among snowboard and freestyle industry leaders and consistently ranks among the top three resorts for providing the best half-pipes and terrain parks in the world. Skier/Snowboarder visits were reported at 1,650,000.