Industry News
Thanks to great temperatures and productive snowmaking, plus 14 inches of fresh snow over the weekend, Breckenridge Ski Resort, CO, will open for the 2022-23 winter season two days earlier than planned on Wednesday, November 9th. In addition to skiing and riding, guests can look forward to a vibrant atmosphere featuring the Rockstar DJ Cat (a snowcat that transforms into a DJ booth) with local DJ, DJDC, fresh waffles, and free Oakley goggles awarded to those who snag the first chair.
“We are thrilled to kick off the winter season early this year thanks to cold temperatures and great progress on snowmaking at the resort. While Mother Nature has provided the temps, I want to give a huge shoutout to all of our resort employees for making this possible. We can’t wait to welcome back our Breck community to the mountain for the 2022-23 winter season.”
– Jody Churich, vice president and chief operating officer at Breckenridge Ski Resort
For Opening Day, skiers and riders will have access to approximately 54 acres of terrain on Peak 8, accessed by the Colorado SuperChair and 5-Chair. In addition, learning terrain and carpets will be available in the Rip’s Ride learning area. The Rip’s Ride chairlift is planned to open for the season and debut as a new high-speed quad on Friday, November 11th.
The free BreckConnect Gondola will begin running for the season on Wednesday at 8 a.m. to provide access to the base of Peak 8. Skiers and riders can take advantage of free parking in the North and South Gondola lots on Wednesday and Thursday before moving into paid parking operations on Friday.
Starting Wednesday, Breckenridge Ski Resort will be open daily from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., with plans to operate into May as long as the snow lasts.
Following Keystone’s successful opening last month, skiers and riders will now have access to two Summit County resorts on the Epic Pass. Additionally, with Keystone opening in October and Breck skiing and riding through May, the two resorts offer one of the longest winter seasons of any major resort in the country. Epic Passes are available now, and prices go up on November 20th.
Wake Up Breck – Thursday, November 10th
Join Breckenridge Ski Resort and the Town of Breckenridge at participating coffee shops to collect a FREE commemorative coffee mug and a free cup of coffee. Thursday’s event begins at 7 a.m. and lasts until all mugs run out. Breckenridge Ski Resort will collect cans of food and non-perishable items during Wake Up Breck. Participants are encouraged to bring ‘Cans for Coffee’ to the event for donation to the Family & Intercultural Resource Center (FIRC) local food bank. For more information, including participating coffee shops, visit the resort’s event listing.
Rip’s Ride Grand Opening & Ribbon Cutting – Friday, November 11th
On Friday, November 11th, the opening week party will continue at Peak 8 with the Rockstar DJ Cat and free waffles again, plus the grand opening of the newly upgraded Rip’s Ride chairlift. The resort will host a ceremonial ribbon cutting and first chair at 8:30 a.m. with eight pairs of Oakley goggles up for grabs for those who get the first chair and those who are lapping the lift within the first two hours of operation. Formerly a fixed-grip double chair, the new high-speed quad will provide skiers and riders with faster access to Peak 8’s primary beginner terrain, allowing for more time spent on the snow and easier and more convenient access to Peak 9. The chairlift was upgraded over the summer and fall in preparation for the upcoming winter season. Parts of the former Rip’s Ride chair were upcycled and reused on the resort’s 6-Chair, an effort that helps towards zero waste, while 85 of the former chairs were auctioned off to benefit the local community. The Rip’s Ride chair auction raised more than $100,000 in total, with $50,000 going to the Summit County Rescue Group and the remainder of the proceeds being split between the Summit Foundation and the Epic Promise Foundation.
Early Season & Uphill Access
Please be reminded that limited terrain and early-season conditions exist. Breckenridge Ski Resort requires all skiers and riders to observe all posted signs and warnings. Closed trails may contain hazards due to limited natural snow coverage and snowmaking operations. For the safety of all guests, please keep off closed trails and out of closed areas. Due to early-season mountain preparations and snowmaking, uphill access at Breck is currently not open. The resort will announce when uphill access is available to guests once early-season operations are complete and adequate terrain permits these activities safely.
