2015
B Rconnection ECK a colorado
classic CHECKING IN WITH CRAZY JOHN
SECRET HISTORY OF SKI RUN NAMES
SKIING, SHOPPING, FOOD AND FAMILY FUN — THE REASONS WHY WE LOVE BRECK
GETTING TO KNOW KERI HERMAN
OFFICIAL VISITORS' GUIDE TO THE TOWN OF BRECKENRIDGE, CO
NATIONAL REPERTORY ORCHESTRA Breckenridge Riverwalk Center SEASON FIFTY-SIX || JUNE 13 - JULY 31, 2015
Changing lives through music.
BRECKENRIDGE’S CULTURAL GEM! A great experience in the mountains includes thrilling performances by the National Repertory Orchestra (NRO) in the Riverwalk Center. The NRO is a classical music festival consisting of talented young musicians from around the world. Ticket prices start at only $25 and $7 for youth eighteen and under – so bring the whole family.
BRECKENRIDGE, COLORADO JUNE 13 TH to JULY 31 ST CARL TOPILOW, MUSIC DIREC TOR FOR TICKETS CALL THE BRECKENRIDGE RIVERWALK CENTER BOX OFFICE AT 970-547-3100 OR GO TO NROMUSIC.COM
MISSION & VISION The National Repertory Orchestra is a preeminent intensive fellowship that equips young musicians for orchestral music careers while providing the highestlevel of musical experience for all stakeholders. We pride ourselves on Changing Lives Through Music! In keeping with our dedication to equal rights and opportunities for all people, the National Repertory Orchestra is committed to fostering an organizational culture where all people are treated fairly, valued for their differences and given equal opportunities to maximize their success.
WHAT'S INSIDE
contents 07 08 12 13 20 22 24 26 28 36 38 39 46 48 50 54 56 57 76 78 80
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THE #BRECKBECAUSE MOVEMENT WHAT’S NEW IN BRECKENRIDGE A BRECKENRIDGE PICTURE SHOW THE CALENDAR OF EVENTS PEAK 6 ISN’T JUST FOR EXPERTS TRAIL MAP OF BRECKENRIDGE BRECKENRIDGE SKI RESORT HISTORY OF SKI RUN NAMES A DAYDREAM BELIEVER A ROUND OF GOLF AT BRECK WILDFLOWER PEEPING THE TOP WATERFALL HIKES A BRECK GUIDE TO BOOZE COOKING AND SHOPPING BRECKENRIDGE DINING MAIN STREET IS FOR FAMILIES CHRISTMAS ALL YEAR ON MAIN ST. THINGS TO DO WITH YOUR KIDS A FREE-SPIRITED FREESKIER BRECK’S FASTEST MAN MEET THE MAYOR
BRECK CONNECTION
A block of prepared snow before it is carved for Snow Sculpture. PHOTO BY CARL SCOFIELD
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features
BELOVED BRECKENRIDGE BACKCOUNTRY HUT TURNS 25 THE TOP THINGS TO DO IN SUMMER THE BIRTH OF A BRECKENRIDGE BREWERY
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NEW ARTS AND CULTURE CAMPUS DEBUTS SNOW SCULPTURE COMPETITION CELEBRATES 25 YEARS BRECK GETS A COMMUNITY HUB WITH HISTORY
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GOBRECK.COM
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Vol. 1 : No. 1 | Winter / Summer 2015 Published in partnership with
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Whether you’re hitting the slopes or headed out on the town, you can forego the hassles of traffic and parking. Summit Stage provides convenient, free transportation to towns and ski areas throughout Summit County. Buses on most routes run every 30 minutes.
Uncredited photos from Thinkstock
For maps, schedules and routes, visit > summitstage.com
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BRECK CONNECTION
WELCOME
BECAUSE, BECAUSE, BECAUSE, BECAUSE, BECAUSE
BECAUSE OF THE WONDERFUL THINGS BRECKENRIDGE DOES Share your stories on a classic ski town using social media and the #BreckBecause hashtag FR OM AF TE RNOON S UMMER R A INBOWS to the first snowfall alongside fall colors, scenery is just one of the many reasons people love Breckenridge. The list goes on to include endless backcountry powder, a charming Main Street and great friends, even on a powder day. To uncover more reasons why people love it here, GoBreck started the #BreckBecause movement. It began with chalkboards placed around town, and today you’ll find those stories online by searching #BreckBecause on your favorite social network. In just one visit, you’ll write your own story—and we encourage you to share, too.
@ ssb u h l er
@ cl ay_ od ell_
@ ch ar l i emou ntai n mu tt
@ b semb i c k
@ g aah l er s12
@ ch antal d enis e 2 1
WA N T L I VE ADVI C E? Swing by or call the Breckenridge Welcome Center. Part information center, part historical museum, the facility is staffed with knowledgeable locals who provide information on everything from dining and shopping to winter and summer activities in and around Breckenridge. 203 S. Main St., 877-864-0868
#Br e c k Be c a u s e ON THE COVERS Winter Edition
Summer Edition
W H O W E A R E : Breckenridge Marketing PHOTOS BY LIAM DORAN
Organization for the Town of Breckenridge GOBRECK.COM
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WHAT'S NEW
AROUND TOWN
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An ever-evolving mountain town adds new cultural, culinary and recreational options to the mix
R E STAUR A NT O PE NI NG S AN D R E M O D E LS A LO NG M A I N ST RE E T The all-new Czech it Out serves American- and Europeaninspired Czech cuisine for lunch and dinner – it’s the kind of hot, hearty food that hits the spot following a day on the slopes. Blue Stag Saloon took the place of Whale’s Tail with an updated interior and all-new menu, while new owners at The Crown refined the food menu and added craft cocktails. In the space that once housed Lucha, Montaña’s Mexican Cantina now serves up fresh fare from brunch through late-night.
The trio behind Breckenridge’s newest brewery settled on the idea of Broken Compass Brewing a few years ago. Since then, the beer’s been flowing and beetle kill wood flying – the new brewery off Airport Road features regional wood details and haul rope from the old Colorado chair at Breckenridge Ski Resort. Choose from Coconut Porter, Chili Pepper Pale, IPA, India Brown Ale, and more.
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BRECK CONNECTION
PHOTOS BY JESSIE UNRUH
BR O KE N COMPASS BREWING OP EN S I N BREC KE N R IDGE
breckenridge’s
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520 South Main St, Breckenridge below Liquid Lounge • 970.453.1341
2015
10
th
anniversary
520 S. Main St. Breckenridge • Open 11am-2am DAILY
Celebrating 10 Years! Thank you to our locals! here’s to 10 more! Draft beers -GUINNESS -SMITHWICKS -HARP -BURKE & RILEY’S OWN IRISH ALE -BLUE MOON -COORS -COORS LIGHT -FAT TIRE
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7 HD TV’S
BIG SCREEN
OPEN FOR LUNCH AND DINNER, KITCHEN OPEN LATE!
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BR EC KE N RI D G E ARTS D I STRI C T E X PANSI ON: SE V EN N E W AN D RE STORED ST U DI OS AD D E D FOR A RTS In September 2014, the Breckenridge Arts District opened the doors on seven additions – four rehabilitated historic structures and three new buildings. The expansion includes a stone amphitheater, a pit-firing area, and new guest and resident artist studios. The additions nearly complete a 2005 master plan of a pedestrian-friendly arts campus in the heart of historic Breckenridge. For travelers, it means added workshops and exhibits in printmaking, photography, textiles, ceramics, metalsmithing and more.
Huge, low-pressure tires make these specialty bikes perfect for riding all winter long. Join the staff at Breck Bike Guides for a snowy cruise from their downtown shop. Try out your winter legs on a mellow loop or go big with an all-day adventure. Weather just not cooperating? Breck Bike Guides’ brand-new spin studio is perfect for high altitude cycle training no matter what Mother Nature brings.
COLORAD O SU PE RC HAIR A N D PE AK 9 RE STAUR A NT R EN OVATI ON After launching Peak 6 for the ‘13-‘14, season Breckenridge Ski Resort upgraded the Colorado SuperChair from a quad express to a six-passenger express to provide a 30 percent increase in capacity for Peak 8’s most-used lift. For skiers and riders, that means a faster route from Peaks 6 and 7 to Peak 9, where a complete interior remodel of the Peak 9 restaurant, along with a new kitchen provides a warm, welcoming experience at the resort’s most scenic dining location (11,274 feet!).
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R OOM REMODELS A ND TH E TR AV ER S E RESTAURA NT DEBUT AT THE LODG E Work began in spring 2014 on full room remodels and the addition of The Traverse Restaurant at The Lodge at Breckenridge. Perched on a cliff with panoramic views of Breckenridge Ski Resort , the property comprises 45 rooms (nine of which are suites), two freestanding houses, a wedding and meeting room revamped with cozy wood details, two hot tubs, and a spa and fitness facility. Renovations, including the opening of the new restaurant, were completed in December.
A PRÈS HANDCRAFTED LIBATIONS S PECIALI ZE S IN CRAFT BEER A ND W H I S K E Y Sit back and enjoy a customized flight – Après offers some 30 brews on tap – or cruise the liquor cabinet for a selection of craft whiskeys, vodkas and more. Well spirits, just $5, are upper-shelf offerings from top Colorado
distillers. Opened in January 2014, this downtown bar lets patrons order food from nearby restaurants, and they’re always open to suggestions for the drink menu.
B I K E-I N/ B I K E-O UT: B R ECK E NR I D G E O PE N S PACE & TR A I LS TACK LE S NE W PR OJ ECTS For the last few summers, Breckenridge Open Space & Trails has continued to build new trails and sweeten the ride on existing favorites. Try out relative newbies Barney Flow (a downhill-only trail for almost any level of rider) and the steep berms on Slalom. Throughout summer, give back with trailbuilding days—it’s a way to improve the ride and help create new connections that link town- accessed trails into a major singletrack adventure.
TH E B I VVI B R I NG S HOST E L TO A W H O LE NE W L E V E L Inspired by hostels around the world, owners Worthy McCormick and Bond Camp renovated this sweet mountain lodge into The Bivvi. Six of the ten rooms are classic hotel rooms, while four are designed as a contemporary hostel. Cozy bunk beds (think high-end sleeper train) are custom-made from Norwegian Pine and provide each guest with a personal reading lantern and privacy curtain. Gather round the community fire pit (or in the hot tub) to share tales of big adventure.
Visit BreckConnection.com to see more on this and other stories.
PHOTO BY LIAM DORAN
N EW FAT BI K E TOU RS WITH BR EC K BI K E GU I D E S
o t o h p ry galle
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT:
Visit an ice castle, pull the kids down Main Street, enjoy the Torchlight Parade, attend a festival near the Blue River, take in historic sites or cast a line — the options are endless and unexpected in Breckenridge. PHOTO CREDITS: JESSIE UNRUH, LIAM DORAN, ARTHUR BALLUF, CARL SCOFIELD.
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FAMILY
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CALENDAR OF EVENTS
U L LR FE ST RO CKS B R EC KEN R ID GE
PHOTOS BY CARL SCOFIELD
JAN. 11-17, 2015
For more than 50 years, the Breckenridge community has paid tribute to Ullr (rhymes with cooler), the Norse god of snow. Grab a Viking helmet and join the town-wide snow dance, which includes the iconic Main Street parade, pond hockey tournament, Ullr talent show, Ullympics and more. FAMILY T I P: Plan for the Monday night family Nordic party, which offers free snowshoeing, Nordic skiing, a kid-friendly bonfire (with s’mores, of course), and indoor Ullr activities.
2 5TH ANNUA L INTERNATIO NA L SNOW S CULP TURE CHAMPIONS H I P S JAN. 27-31 , 2015
Snow carving in Breckenridge began as a local pastime; today, decorated snow artists from across the globe transform 20-ton blocks of snow into an outdoor art gallery. In honor of the event’s 25th anniversary, the new Breckenridge Creative Arts will feature live music performances, fire sculpting and more. Sculptures remain on display through Feb. 8, weather permitting FA M ILY T IP : Little ones can explore the snow and ice play area on the Riverwalk Center lawn. All ages can catch the light show, with the unveiling of colored lights, on Saturday, Jan. 31.
M OU N TA I N MARDI GRAS
FEB RUA RY 1 7, 201 5 Revel in the snow with fellow carnival goers this season as Breckenridge celebrates Mardi Gras. After a day on the slopes, head to the Blue River Plaza for a street party with New Orleans-themed food, music and drinks.
B R E CK E N R I D G E S P R I NG FEV E R MARCH 21 THROUGH APRIL 19, 2015
Breckenridge’s elevation – 9600 feet in town – makes the snow last longer and the bluebird spring days even sweeter. To celebrate, Spring Fever brings a month-long lineup of activities for families, beer drinkers (don’t miss Beer Fest April 11), music lovers, mountaineers and more. ALL AGES: Teens and older kids can drop by the free concerts at the base of Peak 8, while Easter activities tend to be better for younger kids.
GOBRECK.COM
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K I C KOFF TO SU M M ER
WEEKENDS, JUNE 12-21 , 2015 Breckenridge kicks off summer with the opening of the Breckenridge Fun Park, gold panning, a Breck bike festival and more.
J ULY 4T H CE L EB R AT ION JULY 4 , 2015
Small-town fun combines with mountain adventure each July 4 weekend in Breckenridge, Colo. On Independence Day, the party kicks off with a 10K trail run, followed by the Firecracker 50 mountain bike race. Arts events, family activities, live music, a performance by the National Repertory Orchestra, and an extraordinary fireworks display close out the weekend. WEBSITE: www.gobreck.com/ events/fourth-july
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EAT & DRINK B R E CK E N R I D G E I N T E R NAT I O NAL FE ST I VA L O F A RT S AUGUST 14-23, 2015
A celebration of adventure, play and creativity, the inaugural Breckenridge International Festival of Arts is a multi-arts program of extraordinary events in spectacular places and spaces across Breckenridge. Inspired by themes of environment and mountain culture, the 10-day festival brings together a variety of performances, installations, exhibitions, screenings, workshops, talks, and surprise collaborations, with an eclectic mix of music, theater, film, visual and street arts, and family entertainment. Presented by Breckenridge Creative Arts. WEBSITE:breckcreate.org
PHOTO BY LIAM DORAN
FAMILY
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GO BRECK USA P RO CYC LI NG CH A L L E NG E AUGUST 20-21 , 2015
PHOTOS BY LIAM DORAN
Referred to as “America’s Race,” the USA Pro Challenge returns to Colorado August 17-23, 2015 for the fifth chapter of professional cycling in the majestic Rockies. Once again, join us in Breckenridge to witness the world’s top athletes race in one of the largest spectator events in Colorado. Visit BreckProCycling.com for details.
AYS GOT WE’VE ALW
NG SOMETHIG... BREWIN We’ll be there, Shouldn’t you?
Discover Something New!
COLORADO ALES and FOOD Open daily at 11am 600 South Main Street • Breckenridge, CO www.breckenridgebrewery.com • (970) 453-1550
NEXT E TO TH H NORT FACE
324 SOUTH MAIN ST. BRECKENRIDGE 970 - 453 - 4534
MEN WOM ’S E CHILD N’S REN
www.JOYOFSOXINBRECK.com GOBRECK.COM
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3 5T H A N N UA L FE ST I VA L OF FI L M
LA B OR DAY W EEKEND
SEPTEMBER 4-7, 2015 Bid farewell to summer with the challenge of a mountain trail run or the fun of a fundraiser rubber duck race. Sidewalk Sale Days lets gear junkies get great prices on summer favorites and the Great Divide Arts Festival features more than 100 artists. WEBSITE: www.gobreck.com/ events/community-events/ labor-day-weekend
2 1ST ANNUAL OKTOBERFE ST SEPTEMBER 11-13, 2015
Going strong for more than twenty years, Breck’s Oktoberfest brings a weekend of parties, German cuisine and plenty of Paulaner beer. It’s one of the largest Oktoberfests in the Rocky Mountain region and offers collectible steins imported from Germany.
SKI BOOT HANDICAP excuse
put your
behind you today!
The weekend is a mix of traditional (with Munich’s Paulaner, one of the six breweries who provide beer for the German festival) and local flavor (with Breckenridge Brewery providing local brews). WEBSITE: breckenridge oktoberfest.com
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114 Lincoln Ave. Breck 970-453-7600 | Open 8-8 daily www.aracersedge.com 16
For over a quarter century BFF has celebrated the art of filmmaking. Each fall a unique and varied array of independent films, premieres, receptions, educational programs and retrospectives honoring featured guests takes place high in the Colorado Rockies. WEBSITE: www.breckfilm fest.com
BRECK CONNECTION
Menu online
@ www.northsidebreck.com
315 N. Main St. Breckenridge 970-547-5050
PHOTOS LEFT TO RIGHT: JESSIE UNRUH // BILL LINFIELD
SEPTEMBER 17-20, 2015
COMMUNITY
CULTURE
B R EC KEN R I D GE C R AF T SP IRIT S F E ST IVA L : STILL O N T HE HILL
PHOTOS COUTRTESY THE BRECKENRIDGE RESORT CHAMBER
OCTOBER 23 - 25, 2015
Craft distillers each year gather in Breckenridge for the Craft Spirits Festival, which features a grand tasting, restaurant specials, a downtown pub crawl and historic saloon tours. Born of Colorado’s – and the nation’s – rapidly growing artisan spirits industry, the Breckenridge fest is the first of its kind in Colorado and last year added a new judging format to highlight tip distillers and products. WEBSITE: www.Breckenridge CraftSpiritsFestival.com
GO BRECK
LIGHTING O F BRECKENRI D G E, R ACE OF TH E SANTAS KICK S OF F HOLIDAY S EAS ON IN BRECKENRI D G E DEC. 5, 2015
Town “officially” transforms into a holiday scene on Dec. 5 with the Lighting of Breckenridge and Race of the Santas, when runners and walkers don Santa suits to benefit Adopt an Angel. Events continue all month with Santa visits, New Year’s Eve parties and more.
Breckenridge’s Favorite Family Sports Bar Delicious pizza, juicy burgers, tasty sandwiches, fresh salads, spicy wings and more. 20 beers on tap and 100 beers by the bottle. 14 flat screen HDTV’s, satellite coverage of all of your favorite sports and an arcade with over 25 games. Open daily 11 a.m. – midnight.
Breckenridge’s FavoriteSports Bar Breckenridge’s Favorite Family Delicious pizza, juicy burgers, tasty sandwiches, fresh salads, Family Sports Bar spicy wings and more. 20 beers on tap and 100 beers by the bottle. Delicious pizza, juicy burgers, tasty sandwiches, fresh salads, spicy
14 flat screen HDTV’s, satellite coverage of all of your favorite sports wings and more. 20 beers on tap and 100 beers by the bottle. and an arcade with over 25 games. Open daily 11 a.m. - midnight.
14 flat screen HDTV’s, satellite coverage of all of your favorite sports and an arcade with over 25 games. Open daily 11 a.m. – midnight. 970.453.1401 111 S. Main St. in Breckenridge downstairsaterics.com GOBRECK.COM
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snow
I LOVE BRECKENRIDGE BECAUSE:
RECREATION skiing!! golf! HIKING!! wildflowers
!
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3 tips
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FOR FAMILIES SKIING BRECKENRIDGE’S PEAK 6
W HI L E BREC K E NRI D GE S KI R ESORT’S latest addition, Peak 6, offers some incredible hike-to extreme terrain, one of its major draws is above-treeline blue runs. Breckenridge’s wide-open bowls are typically limited to runs rated black and harder; however Peak 6 opens that highalpine experience to families who are happy sticking to blues. Check out these tips for skiing Peak 6 with kids, courtesy family travel expert Eileen Ogintz from TakingTheKids.com.
Those not used to high alpine terrain will quickly discover that visibility can drop quickly when it gets windy, cloudy, or snowy. If it’s the first time for bowl skiing, venture out on a nice, sunny day.
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BR ING S NACKS
Coffee, cocoa and basic goodies are available in the Peak 6 warming hut; however you’ll still want to stash some snacks in everyone’s pockets for that extra burst of energy on the traverse back to Peak 7.
3
BE PREPARED TO EXPLO RE
Don’t let the sway of Peak 6 pull your family too far from Peaks 7-10. The other 2,893 acres includes 8 magic carpets for beginners and one run – Four O’Clock – that is 3.5 miles long. Overall the mountain includes a huge mix of terrain for families of all levels, and it’s an easy place to explore.
Visit BreckConnection.com to see more on this and other stories. Read the original story or check out Eileen’s Breckenridge trip diaries at TakingTheKids.com. 20
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PHOTOS BY LIAM DORAN
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M I N D T HE W E AT HE R
SKI & SNOWBOARD RENTAL
Alpine Sports now has four convenient locations for all your ski rental needs! Our newest location is en route to the Gondola on N. Park Ave.& Airport Rd. And we still offer a Ski Rental Shuttle directly to your holiday home. We will pick you up and take you to Alpine Sports and deliver you back to your door. If you are in need of accessories and ski clothing, we have a huge selection to choose from.
FOUR LOCATIONS –At the intersection of Main St. & Ridge St., in the City Market Shopping Plaza, in Valdoro, and our newest location at the intersection of N. Park Avenue & Airport Road.
970.453.8100 Main St. & Ridge St.
Make a reservation at www.alpinesportsrental.com
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877.871.4455 NEW N. Park Ave. & Airport Rd. / Toll-Free
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GOBRECK.COM
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BRECK TRAIL MAP 2014 / 15
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COMMUNITY
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GO BRECK
GOBRECK.COM
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Breckenridge Ski Resort has
SOMETHING FOR EVERYBODY
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parks, a 22ft Superpipe, 11 bowls, the highest chairlift in North America, family friendly terrain and a world-class ski school, all situated above an authentic, hip mountain town with
awe-inspiring views, there are good reasons why “Breck” is one of the most popular ski resorts in the Western Hemisphere. In 2014, Breck welcomed Peak 6, the biggest resort expansion in the last decade with 400 acres of lift-served terrain and 143 acres
PRIVATE LESSON
U LTI M AT E FOU R
The ultimate customized experience. Breck’s pros will take up to six students and cater to the needs/wants of the participants. A private lesson is a sure way to accelerate skills and progress with as much individual feedback as requested.
The Ultimate 4 lesson is designed specifically for a small group-learning environment. The groups max out at a 4:1 ratio for personalized treatment. This is an all-day group lesson which will provide plenty of feedback to progress quickly.
BRECK CONNECTION
of hike-to terrain, representing a 23 percent increase in resort’s skiable acres. This new peak features high-alpine, intermediate bowl skiing – a rare find in North America. Need help navigating Breck, now with five unique peaks? The
pros at Breck can help. From a first-time skier who's never been to the resort to an expert snowboarder who knows the right line in the terrain park, Breckenridge Ski & Ride School has a variety of options including private lessons and specialty camps.
C AMP S This season guests can choose from several specialized camps: Women’s camps — for women, taught by women; a Steeps camp — to help you conquer Breck’s black diamond and hike to terrain; and a kid’s park and pipe camp, which presents a safe and fun learning environment in the park for ages 7-16. Lessons and camps can fill up, so book in advance and check specific dates at Breckenridge.com or call 1-888-LRN-2SKI.
PHOTOS COURTESY BRECKENRIDGE SKI RESORT // TOP: CARL SCOFIELD // BOTTOML: AARON DODDS
WITH FIVE HUGE PEAKS, 2 ,908 ACRES, FOUR TERRAIN
COMMUNITY
CULTURE VACATION RENTALS AND FULL SERVICE CATERED HOMES IN BRECKENRIDGE
• Beautifully appointed homes & condos • Great locations • Small personal team
• Locally owned for 20 years • Catered home private chefs
www.summitdreams.com | 970.453.2575
BOOK COLORADO’S #1 TRIP!
PHOTO BY DANIEL MILCHEV
IN TH E SU M M E R Did you know Breck is one of the top winter resorts to visit in the summer? The Breckenridge Fun Park at the base of Peak 8 is one of summer’s top attractions in town and serves up major action with the Ten Mile Flyer Zip Line, Gold Runner Coaster, the legendary alpine slide, miniature golf, 4X4 drive tours, kids’ summer day camps and more. The free BreckConnect gondola offers easy access from town to the mountain during summer operating hours, mid-June through mid-September. For more information on all things summer at Breckenridge Ski Resort, visit the summer tab at Breckenridge.com or by calling 800.842.8062.
Visit BreckConnection.com to see more on this and other stories.
PARK & PADDLE 2 THRILLS 1 LOCATION
NoAhsArk.com/BRECK | 866-479-2617 | Code:Breck15 GOBRECK.COM
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TRAIL TALES Each ski run at Breckenridge Ski Resort has a name and a story all its own BY RICK HAGUE
W H EN I T COME S TO S KI RUN names at the Breckenridge Ski Resort there’s no meaningless Heartbreak Hill or Whoopee! — more like Briar Rose, Silverthorne, Springmeier and C.J.’s. Breck is somewhat unique among U.S. ski areas in that most of its run names actually mean something and came from somewhere. Many came from local history, many from early ski area characters or events and some from the personal whims of early locals. THE OR I G I NA LS Let’s start with some of the original runs, plus their lower run-outs, when the Peak 8 Ski Area (its original name) opened in December 1961. All of these names refer to the early ski area history. Four O’Clock was probably the first run cut through the woods. It ran in its current location from about the present Vista Haus down to Park Avenue. Its name, appropriately enough, derived from the fact that it was the way down to town at closing time, 4 p.m. Springmeier (the correct spelling was actually Springmeyer) was named — for reasons only the forest knows — after a colorful local 26
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character of the 1940-60s: Alva Springmeyer. His origins are shrouded in mystery, except that he came from Oklahoma and had made quite a bit of money in oil. Springmeyer married Agnes Adams, who owned a millinery shop in the current location of the Skinny Winter gift shop on Main Street. Springmeyer kept his herd of goats in the rear of the building in the winter. The couple lived in the log cabin next to the Gold Pan Saloo. Springmeyer also invested big time in local real estate and probably made a killing when the ski resort developers needed space for ski-related lodging, retail and similar facilities. Maybe that’s why his name graces one of the runs. Rounders and Callie’s Alley were named after the resort’s
EVENTS
P EA K 8 RUN S Most of Peak 8’s names relate to early ski-area persons. Duke’s, just to the south of Northstar, was originally named Tenderfoot (when cut in the mid-1960s) but was renamed in 1972 after Paul Duke, mountain manager in the mid-1960s. Duke was also a local hero after he rescued two employees, despite being badly burned himself, from the explosion and fire disaster that took place on Jan. 10, 1966, in the main ski-area building and ticket office near the current lift ticket and ski/ride school signup office at the base of Peak 8. On the southern side of Peak 8, besides Southern Cross, we find names such as Frosty’s Freeway and Tiger. Frosty was an actual person — Frosty Cooper — who
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Dyersville was named after the 1880s mining town — located in the woods to the southeast of Breckenridge — founded by local evangelist Father Dyer as his retirement home near the Warriors Mark Mine. LO CA L FAVO R I TES Longtime local CJ “Crazy John” Mueller — a three-time world-record speed skier and participant in the 1992 Winter Olympics demo debut of speed skiing — tells of many backcountry ski outings in the North Bowl and Imperial Bowl areas between and around the peaks that he made with friends in the early to late 1970s. For ease of reference, they came to informally name some of the bowl areas where they skied — our future runs. This was long before the bowls were a
BRECK I S SOME W HAT UN IQ UE AMO N G U. S. SKI ARE AS IN T H AT MOST OF I TS RUN N AM E S AC T UALLY M E AN SO ME T HIN G AN D CA M E F ROM SOME WHE RE . M AN Y C AM E FRO M LO C AL HISTO RY, M AN Y F ROM E A RLY SKI ARE A C HARAC T E RS OR E VE N TS AN D SOME F R O M THE PE RSONA L W HIMS OF E ARLY LOC ALS. first developer — Bill Rounds (nicknamed “Rounder”), owner of Rounds and Porter, a Wichita, Kan., lumber, oil and real estate development firm, and his wife, Carolyn (whose nickname was Callie). Callie still lives in the Denver area, while Bill passed away some years ago. And then there is Little Johnny, named for Johnny Sheron, a fiery, party-loving, height-challenged lifty of the mid to late 1960s who lived in Fairplay. Who knows where Little Johnny is today, but his name lives on in the snows of Breckenridge.
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was an early snowcat driver in the winter and one of the crew that cut new trails in the summer. Alas, Frosty is no longer with us — he passed away a number of years ago in Grand Junction, but his widow lives today in Canon City. And we can’t forget the learning areas on lower Peak 8. Trygve’s is named after Trygve Berge, one of the two original ski school co-directors. Berge and his partner, Sigurd Rockne, were Norwegian Olympic skiers and were instrumental in designing and developing the early ski area. Both are still alive and well in the Breck area.
part of the ski area, of course. Fellow hiker Wacky Tim Tucker loved extremely steep and narrow runs with rock walls on each side, hence Wacky’s Chute. Wacky Tim was a house painter who removed snow and ice from rooftops during the wintertime. He currently divides his time among Breck, Wisconsin and Chamonix, France. Tough life. CJ, as many readers know, is alive and well and living in Breck; he works as a heavy equipment operator and is very active in the community. Among CJ’s group was a girl named Deb Mason. Having vanished shortly after her
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mid-1970s skiing adventures, Deb Mason Thorlakson recently re-surfaced. Turns out, Deb went on to cooking school, traveled the world with her husband Thor and enjoyed a career as a professional chef. Now retired, Deb lives in the Methow Valley of Washington state, has two grown children and is still a very active outdoor sportswoman. Debbie’s Alley bears her name to this day. (The group decided that “Debbie’s Ally” sounded better than “Deb’s Ally,” for some reason.) And then there is Art’s Bowle on the north end of the ski area. This was named after Art Bowles, mountain manager between 1977 and 1991. Art now lives in Basalt, and, at 83, is still skiing several days a week at Snowmass (which he used to manage, as well). And did you ever notice that two of Art’s runs are named Tele and Sadie? They were Breck’s original avalanche dogs, who did their time on the slopes looking for avalanche victims. The group ventured farther out into the bowl and skied what is now called Y-Chute due to its shape. The group originally named the southern-most of the two chutes CJ’s. Meanwhile, Mike Priest, a fellow backcountry skier, had named a chute further to the north My Line. When CJ presented his initial map to the patrol for naming purposes, management had a problem with CJ naming a run after himself. But then the powers-that-be saw My Line and thought that CJ had claimed that run for himself, not realizing that Mike Priest had actually named the chute. So management decided to let CJ have his run and renamed My Line CJ’s. Y-Chutes became Y-Chutes. True story — from the lips of CJ himself. Many thanks to Maureen Nicholls, Robin Brown and CJ Mueller.
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CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: BRECKENRIDGE HERITAGE ALLIANCE // Trygve Berge is featured on an early Peak 8 Ski Area poster; SPECIAL TO EXPLORE SUMMIT // A portrait of Father Dyer. Angel’s Rest run was named after a notorious saloon in the now-ghost town of Dyersville, in the woods southeast of Breck. The saloon was the bane of evangelical preacher Father Dyer, well known for his fire and brimstone prohibitionist crusades, who had built a cabin (prior to the saloon’s arrival) nearby; COURTESY ROCKNE COLLECTION/WENDY WOLFE // Sigurd Rockne in action in the 1960s. One of the unsung heroes of the earliest days of the Ski Area is Sigurd Rockne. He, along with Trygve Berge, was instrumental in assisting Bill
Rounds in the 1960-61 planning and development of the Breck ski area; SIGURD AND CAROL ROCKNE COLLECTION // Sigurd Rockne prepares for a ski run in the 1960s; COURTESY LAURIE ROUNDS AND BRECKENRIDGE LANDS LLC // Bill and Callie Rounds in about 1958. Bill was a principle in Rounds and Porter of Wichita, Kan., and was the main force behind the development of the ski area in 1960-61. Callie was his wife; COURTESY OF ART BOWLES // Art Bowles, mountain manager at Breckenridge from 1977 to 1991, in about 1989. Art is alive and well, living in Basalt, and, at 83, still skiing several days a week at Snowmass (which he used to manage, as well); COURTESY ALDEN SPILLMAN AND ROBIN THEOBALD // Little John (Johnny) Sheron in the early 1970s. Sheron was a high-living, party-loving lifty in the 1960s.
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A DAYDREAMER’S GUIDE TO EXPERT TERRAIN
BY JENISE JENSEN
YOU ’ RE STAN D I N G ON THE top of a mountain. The air is crisp, with a subtle breeze that embraces your face. All you see is blue and white: bluebird skies above you and pristine white, silky snow below you. A bird soars through the skies, circling to see your next move. You look around at the beauty and serenity of being above tree line, as you inch towards the edge of the cornice, testing the snow beneath you. It’s perfect – not too firm, not too soft. You flex your knees as you contemplate the moment you will launch down the mountain and you anticipate the soft, supple landing as the phone on your desk rings. Wait. Rewind. 28
The phone on your desk rings? Uhm, you’re not on the top of the mountain, you’re at work? Bummer. Your office isn’t in Summit County? Major bummer. But you’re daydreaming of this, aren’t you? Luck must be with you, it’s ski season at Breckenridge Ski Resort, and you have vacation days that are calling, dare I say shouting, your name. And is that a slight sniffle I hear that could warrant the use of your sick days? Located to the skier’s right of Horseshoe Bowl, Contest Bowl offers a few quick turns in steep terrain. While you contemplate, here are 5 trails for expert skiing and riding that will make your dreams turn into reality: H O R SE SH O E B OW L – P E A K 8: When friends ask if you’re skiing “the Bowl”, typically they mean Horseshoe Bowl, which
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remains a timeless favorite. Horseshoe can be accessed via the T-Bar or a traverse in from the top of 6 Chair. With wide-open expanses of snow, there is a line for everyone. I MP ER I A L B OW L – P EA K 8: Imperial Bowl provides some of the finest terrain and views for both expert and extreme skiing and riding. Those that like traditional bowl skiing will enjoy coming down the middle of the bowl. Those looking for more adventure can take the hike from the top of the Imperial Express Chair and try their skills down one of the Lake Chutes. W HA L E’ S TA I L – P EA K 8: Whales Tail offers stunning views of, well, just about everywhere. Also accessed from the Imperial Express Chair, the highest lift in North America. Simply take approximately
Visit BreckConnection.com to see more on this and other stories.
10 steps uphill to your left and traverse through the gate. At the top, take a moment to enjoy the views before dropping in over the cornice. I N FER N O – P EA K 9: A favorite of locals, Inferno is just plain fun for bump skiing. Accessed via E-Chair, follow the signs past Tom’s Baby to the entrance of Inferno. Pick your line and light the snow on fire! B EYO N D B OW L & SER EN ITY B OW L – P EA K 6: Those that like adventure have multiple hike-to terrain choices with the opening of Peak 6. Exit the chair and hike up to your left for Serenity or to your right for Beyond. Or have the best of it and do both! You can also take the lazy hike and step just above the Patrol Hut to drop into Beyond Bowl with less than 20 steps of hiking.
PHOTO BY LIAM DORAN
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HUT AWAY FROM HOME
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one of the cabin’s 20 beds, and because the cabin doesn’t have running water, they melt snow. This winter Francie’s Cabin turns 20 and continues to bring people together around the backcountry hut experience. AN UNLIKELY TURN OF EVENTS The skiers and hikers who spend the night at Francie’s every year might not realize they’re sleeping in a monument. The cabin is named for Frances Lockwood Bailey, a former Breckenridge resident who died 25 years ago in a plane crash 600 miles away. On July 19, 1989, United Flight 232 was traveling from Denver to Chicago when the DC-10 lost all hydraulic power after the rear engine exploded. The crew used the remaining two engines to steer a winding course to Sioux City,
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Iowa, where the massive plane crash-landed, cartwheeling down the runway and bursting into flames before breaking apart in a cornfield. The crash still is considered one of the most impressive life-saving efforts in aviation history. Of the 296 people onboard, 184 survived. That day, Bailey was traveling with two of her three sons, and both 6-year-old Brandon and 3-year-old Spencer survived. Brandon Bailey, now 31, said although the hut began as a tribute to his mom, it has since evolved and taken on life of its own. Staying at Francie’s Cabin unites people, he said. The hut sleeps 20 people and is almost always fully booked. A couple backcountry explorers who share the cabin’s common space with more than a dozen others for a weekend often walk away with a
bunch of new friends. Summit County locals and visitors alike bond over the shared experience of staying at Francie’s. “That’s ultimately what the hut is about,” he said. “It’s all about bringing people together.” INSPIRED BY THE ALPS The Summit Huts Association, which built and manages Francie’s was started in the late 1980s by Breckenridge Mayor John Warner, Tim Casey, Abbie Cobb and other residents, said Leigh Girvin, the nonprofit association’s former executive director. The nonprofit operates four huts on a fee-based reservation system. People staying at Francie’s last season paid $35 a night. The idea was inspired by huts in Europe, where the largest shelters in the Alps can sleep 100 people and are staffed by full-time care-
PHOTOS COURTESY SUMMIT HUTS ASSOCIATION
T
he most common route to Francie’s Cabin is uphill, about 2 miles, wearing skis or snowshoes and carrying a pack full of everything needed for an overnight stay. People visiting the backcountry hut just south of Breckenridge on winter afternoons pass lodgepole pines and spruce trees as they travel through the White River National Forest. They’re more likely to see wildlife than other people as the sun approaches the western mountains. After an hour or two, visitors on what may be their first of many “hut trips” arrive at Francie’s. Inside, they notice light-colored wood everywhere they look in the large, rustic log cabin. They see cozy couches, huge bay windows and a wood-burning stove. They set up their things at
popular breckenridge backcountry cabin celebrates 20th anniversary || by alli langley A view of the area where Francie’s Cabin resides.
takers who sometimes serve meals. In 1990, the association built a hut, Janet’s Cabin, near Copper Mountain, then decided to build one on land managed by the Forest Service south of Breckenridge Ski Resort. Francie’s namesake had deep family roots in Breckenridge, and the project was funded by her widower, Brownell Bailey. Several sites within a half-mile of the Crystal Lakes drainage area were considered for the hut, said Paul Semmer, community planner at the Dillon Ranger District, who was involved with the Forest Service permitting process. Officials ultimately chose the hut’s current location because the other sites looked like they might be home to Canada lynx. Breckenridge resident Kent Sharp, who also worked on the project from the Forest Service
The kitchen at Francie’s Cabin.
side, said the hut’s construction was a community effort. “We all worked together to make sure that the footprint for the hut was really kept to a minimum,” he said. Mike Zobbe, now the association’s executive director, remembered dragging tools behind him on a sled to build the hut. He said construction was challenging after a couple tough winters, but the hut was completed in 1994 and hosted its first visitors in January 1995. Planners thought Francie’s would be an overnight shelter for people traveling through the backcountry from hut to hut. It quickly became a place where people wanted to stay for several days. Now Francie’s is the busiest hut in the Colorado system, which includes about 60 huts and yurts. Thousands visit every year.
A view of the interior of Francie’s Cabin.
FAMILY FRIENDLY Though its supplies are basic, Francie’s 20 single and bunk beds have mattresses and pillows, its lights are solar-powered lights and its kitchen is well equipped. The cabin is heated and even has an attached sauna. Unlike other huts, where users have to bundle up and trek through the cold to an outhouse, Francie’s has indoor composting toilets. “That’s the kind of thing that would’ve gotten Francie on a hut trip,” Brandon Bailey said. She also would’ve liked the cabin’s short distance to trailheads, a draw for everyone from hardcore skiers and backcountry enthusiasts to people putting on AT skis or snowshoes for the first time. “One of the great things about Francie’s is that it’s relatively easy to get to compared to other huts in state,” Girvin said.
That makes it great for families. Shelly Grail Braudis, the Dillon Ranger District’s snow ranger, said she once went to the hut with several families for Easter, and they left the toys and electronics at home. The kids enjoyed wandering around with their skis on, she said, “having the sort of adventures kids like to have.” It’s not unusual to see three generations of a family at the hut. Visitors still need a good degree of avalanche awareness, but Francie’s is perfect for introducing kids and beginners to backcountry skiing because of the wide variety of nearby terrain. Because the hike to the hut isn’t as far as others, the hut also draws more people snowshoeing in to snowboard. Brandon Bailey, who now lives in Boulder, said he’s spent a weekend with friends and family there GOBRECK.COM
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That’s ultimately what the hut is about. It’s all about bringing people together.” BRANDON BAILEY, SON OF FRANCIE LOCKWOOD BAILEY, THE CABIN’S NAMESAKE
every year for the last eight years. “It’s been really fun for me to see or hear about friends going on hut trips or their very first hut trip, especially,” he said. BEYOND RECREATION For some people, the trek to the hut might be one of the hardest physical and mental things they ever do. Zobbe said he’s glad the hut can provide that challenge. “It’s more than just recreation,” he said. “People really come to learn that they can do different things.” Girvin agreed about the hut’s psychological benefits. “There’s a great sense of accomplishment and reward when you arrive at the hut under your own power carrying your own stuff,” she said. Because the hut sits at around 11,300 feet in the middle of national forest, Francie’s also gives people a chance to appreciate the nature around them. “This is a way of slowing people down a little bit,” Semmer said. A few years ago, the association hosted an avalanche awareness clinic, and participants saw a lynx right where the Forest Service vetoed a location for the hut. That was like a nice pat on the back, Semmer said. Like nature was saying, “You made the right decision 20 years ago.” It’s also proof that people staying at Francie’s have plenty of opportunities to see wildlife. “We’re moving into Mother 32
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Nature’s backyard,” he said. “If you wait long enough, she’ll give you a present.” In the summer, the cabin has a different feel but is still busy with reservations. People sometimes have intimate weddings at the cabin. “It really is a beautiful place to just go and enjoy the outdoors,” Grail Braudis said. 20 MORE YEARS The hut’s popularity makes it feel well used and well loved. Francie’s draws plenty of families with young children, and the cabin’s large windows have taken abuse over the years. “They’re just old,” Zobbe said. “Some of them don’t close completely.” In July, Summit Huts Association held a 20th anniversary celebration and window replacement fundraiser. The group raised about $1,500, but the fix could cost $20,000 or more. In hindsight, Girvin, who directed the nonprofit for 14 years and oversaw Francie’s construction, said she wished the organization had spent more money on the original windows so they wouldn’t need to be replaced so soon. Though she wouldn’t call it her favorite of the huts, “Francie’s is definitely one of my babies,” she said, and she breathes a sigh of relief every time she visits. “It’s kinda like coming home again.” “Francie’s Cabin, at 20 years old, she’s an enduring girl,” she said, “and I hope she’s around for many years to come.”
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TOP SUMMER ACTIVITIES IN BRECKENRIDGE When it comes to summers in Breckenridge, the days are longer, the sun shines brighter and the lists of activities is endless. Breckenridge prides itself on the variety of adventures suitable for all ages. Now picture yourself doing these: 1 . FLY FISHING There is nothing like being one with nature, on the river fly fishing. photo by liam doran
2 . HIKING IN THE BACKCOUNTRY Take advantage of the trails throughout Breckenridge. They’re perfect for a day on foot. photo by liam doran
3. MOUNTAIN BIKING There are a hundred plus trails in Breckenridge. Explore the backcountry of Breck on two wheels. photo by liam doran
4 . GOLFING Breckenridge is home to one of the world’s only Jack Nicklausdesigned municipal golf courses.
5. TRAIL RUNNING Whether on a path or on the dirt, running will get your heart racing. Take in the views and the fresh air on your next jog. photo by liam doran
6. TAKING IN THE VIEWS Head up Baldy Road on Bald Mountain, where you’ll find great hiking trails and easy access. Check out some of the scenic trails on Boreas Pass while you are over there. photo by liam doran
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7. FAMILY BIKING Get the family together and take a scenic bike ride. photo by liam doran
8. HORSEBACK RIDING Horseback riding at Breckenridge Stables is a unique way to explore all that Breckenridge has to offer. p h o t o b y c a r l s c o f i e l d 9. DOWNHILL BIKING Go fast and get dirty downhill biking on some of the most well groomed trials in Breckenridge. photo by liam doran
10. ROAD BIKING Your road bike can take you anywhere. Hit the road and head toward Swan Mountain Road for a steep climb to Sapphire point. p h o t o b y l i a m d o r a n 11 . PADDLEBOARDING Head over to Alpine Sports and ask them about paddleboarding. photo by jessie unruh
12 . WHITEWATER RAFTING Hit the rapids with a rafting trip, available for all levels. Learn more about rafting at BreckConnection.com. photo by kodi rafting
13. TENNIS Carter Park is the perfect park for any age — and even man’s best friend. It provides tennis, sand volleyball, a fenced area for dogs and access to several hiking and biking trails. photo by jessie unruh
14 . FINISH THE DAY WITH APRÉS Breckenridge is full of dinning and nightlife, and one thing we do know is aprés! p h o t o b y l i a m d o r a n
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FAMILY
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TAKE A SWING AT BRECKENRIDGE'S GOLF COURSE B R EC KE N RI D G E G OL F COURS E is one of the world’s few Jack
Nicklaus-designed municipal golf courses. Whether you’re an avid golfer or a never-ever, Breckenridge is a great place to learn, not only because of its surrounding beauty and course design, but also because of its pros.
TAKE A LE S SON The golf pros at Breckenridge Golf Course truly make a difference in your swing. Mike and Linda Hessel, Breckenridge residents, paid for one lesson for their daughter when she was 8 years old, and head golf pro Eroll Miller fixed her swing in an hour, Mike said. I took a beginner lesson because nearly the only thing I knew about golf was of the plastic windmill, fake-volcano-spewing, Eiffle Tower type found in mini-golf courses. So, I knew how to interlace my fingers to hold a club, but that was about it.
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Without Eroll’s help, I wouldn’t have stuck out my butt so far. I wouldn’t have lined up the ball correctly. And I certainly wouldn’t have realized how important it is to follow through with my swing. Once my instructor pointed out I wasn’t following through with my whole body and I began to continue to move my body in the direction the ball was going, it made all the difference in the world. Instructors offer group lessons on Mondays and Thursdays, and private lessons are also available.
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THE CO UR SE The 27-hole course meanders through one of Breckenridge’s most scenic mountain valleys. At approximately 9,325 feet, golf balls soar farther, due to less air resistance, which makes the game a bit more exciting. And, with cool temperatures ranging from 65-80 degrees in the day, you won’t sweat a whole lot ó unless it’s your swing you’re sweating over. Breckenridge offers three nine-hole courses, with the newest, the Elk, providing more elevation change than the Bear and the Beaver nines. Five sets of tees allow any type of golfer to challenge themselves, and each set of tees plays to a par 72. From the farthest tee the course measures 7,266 yards and holds a rating of 73.9, with a slope rating of 147. "Golf Shop" awarded
Breckenridge Golf Club America’s 100 Best Golf Shops eight separate times, so it’s a great place to gear up. The Clubhouse Restaurant offers a full menu and well-stocked bar and also accommodates weddings and special events. The course typically opens around Memorial Day weekend and closes in early October. Fees for 18 holes walking start at $67, with carts starting at $18 per person. Check out twilight or happy hour tee times for the best discounts. If you just want to practice your swing with a bucket of balls, you can enjoy the greenery and the scenery on the range for $7 anytime during the season. Visit BreckenridgeGolfClub. com for a detailed description of tee times, green fees and more in Breckenridge.
PHOTO COURTESY OF GOBRECK
BY KIMBERLY NICOLETTI
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flowers gone wild BY GREGG DAVIS
GO FOR A WALK ANYW H E R E A R O UND B R ECK E NR I D G E in the summer, and you’ll see a rainbow of wildflower colors everywhere you turn. The local trails, sidewalks around town, and woods provide a wild colorful experience for you and your camera. Most of these photos were taken on an easy walk down the Pence Miller trail, from the Ski Hill road overlook, under the gondola, all the way to town. The Wild Iris and Golden Banner were spotted at the Riverwalk Center sidewalk right in the middle of town, growing wild, and not in a landscaped garden. While the flowers change and bloom at different times during the summer, you’ll always be able to catch a bright colorful show. If you take the same walk a couple weeks later, you’ll notice new blooms and a different scene. Enjoy wildflower season! The Breckenridge Welcome Center in town at the Riverwalk has local info about trails. For an extensive resource on day hiking, see the forest service page on Breckenridge hiking in the Dillon Ranger District.
PHOTOS BY BOB WINSETT
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ACTUALLY, DO GO CHASING WATERFALLS
HIKE 2B
MO HAW K LA KES – B ETWEEN THE LA KES
Breckenridge hikes with big payoffs at the end BY GREGG DAVIS
W H EN TH E SNOW BEGINS TO MELT IN BR ECKENRIDGE , TH E rivers start to roar. It’s a peaceful sound that fills town. The trails start to peek through and this marks the start to summer. You don’t have to go to far to see the majestic sights and hear the noises of the cascading waterfalls. But depending on the time of year, you’re in for some very different experiences. Here are three hikes around Breckenridge to get your toes wet in a waterfall, and the best times and ways to see them. If you’re reading this in the season I’m writing it, in the early spring, you’ll need some sort of snow flotation device like skis or snowshoes to check out these waterfalls. But in the summer or fall, these moderate hikes are great for a nice day’s walk.
HIKE 1
PHOTOS BY BOB WINSETT
MCCULLOU G H G U LC H
From the classic book, The New Summit Hiker by Mary Ellen Gilliland, “The trail splits below the falls, one branch leading to the lower deluge, and the other to a series of falls and alpine tarns….Just 45 minutes or less of pick-your-way walking (1.2 miles) brings you to a series of eight or so gushing cascades which stair-step down from a glacial lake.
A broad, limpid watercourse across smooth rock alternates with a torrent, percolating, bubbly white water from a narrow chute.” There are two trailheads you can use to access McCullough Gulch. The newer, lower access parking lot is located about 7 miles south of Breckenridge, on the right side of highway 9 opposite the Skier’s Edge lodge. From here you can access a beautiful woods trail, turning into the old road that leads up into McCullough Gulch following the rock-strewn stream. Starting here makes the hike about twice as long, being that it starts 1.5 miles down the mountain from the upper access. Park at the end of County Road 851, and you can access the McCullough Gulch falls with just a 1.3 mile hike. Drive south out of Breckenridge, a couple switchbacks up Hoosier Pass (7.9 mi), and take a right on Blue Lakes Road (CR 850), and another right on CR 851. This hike is pretty high in elevation, starting at about 11,000', so the snow usually clears sometime in July.
HIKE 2A MO HAW K LA KES – CO N TI N EN TA L FA L L S
Spruce Creek Trail is one of the most popular hiking spots in the Breckenridge area. Just south of town about 2.4 miles, opposite the Goose Pasture Tarn, take a right on Spruce Creek Road (CR800). Follow signs to the main trailhead parking lot, where low-clearance vehicles must park. You can opt for the rough 4wd road and continue another 1.5 miles to park closer. From the lower parking lot, the hike all the way up to Upper Mohawk Lake (2.8 mi round-trip) is usually rated as moderate, but some might find it pretty strenuous at the steep points. Before climbing the steep switchbacks beside Continental Falls, however, there’s beautiful Mayflower Lakes with its quaint set of cabins and a view of the falls. It’s a good spot to rest before the push to the lakes. Continental Falls is the largest waterfall around Breckenridge, tumbling through three chasms in its deeply eroded gully down the rocky face. On several switchbacks, small side trails lead to the edge of the falls for not-to-miss views of the white water and cliff faces.
Once you crest the hill and see Lower Mohawk Lake at eye level, you’ll realize it was worth the uphill slog. Walk around the lake to its other end and find a trail ascending the rock, following the water to the upper lake, the true Mohawk Lake. Spruce Creek churns into a skinny whitewater cascade as it hurls down over the rocks from the upper lake. Gilliland mentions that the Forest Service requests you walk on the rocks here to avoid disturbing the fragile alpine tundra. This is also a high-elevation area, the upper lake 12,100 feet. In most years the hike clears of snow in July.
HIKE 3 B LUE LA KES – MO N TE CR I STO G ULCH
From Blue Lakes Road (CR850) you can continue straight instead of turning right into McCullough Gulch, and access Monte Cristo Creek. Upper Blue Lake is a reservoir water source for Aurora and Colorado Springs, and the gulch is spectacular. There’s more hiking above the upper lake too. Keep your eye out for a small waterfall visible from the road as you drive up through Monte Cristo Gulch. You can explore the Granite cliffs and wildflower meadows between the lakes after parking in the lot below the upper dam. These three zones south of Breckenridge offer some great waterfall viewing and hiking after the snow melts. For more details and other great hikes, get the 2013 edition of The New Summit Hiker, available at local bookstores.
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I LOVE BRECKENRIDGE BECAUSE:
THE FOOD!! THE DRINKS!
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The Broken Compass Brewing tap handles are made from welded metal and chairlift cable.. PHOTO BY KRISTA DRISCOLL
S N I G E B Y A D W E R B A eer s craft b in jo g in w pass Bre m o C enridge k n c e e r B Brok nt in moveme
by krista drisc
I T ’ S T H E I N AU G U R A L B EER - M A K I N G DAY AT B RO K EN CO M PA S S B R EW I N G , and the mash tun is emitting an aroma that smells like something between a barnyard and heaven — the perfect perfume of malted grain. Friends and staff members have been coming and going all day, taking turns turning mash or just throwing their support behind a venture that is the long-time dream of co-founders David Axelrod and Jason Ford. The duo, affectionately referred to as little beard and big beard or Ax and Ford, could occasionally be caught caressing the shiny, stainless-steel
exterior of the tank, like mothers cherishing a new child in the womb. And who can blame them. Summit County’s newest brewery didn’t come together without a lot of dedication, a lot of love and a lot of perseverance. GETTING STARTED Broken Compass wouldn’t exist without Jo, Ford’s wife, who is responsible for bringing business sense to brewing savvy. “I came into the county in ’97 and taught skiing until 2008 and raft guided,” Ax said. “At that point, I was doing a business degree, an MBA in sustainable
oll
business, and met Ford’s wife, and we’ve been friends every since.” Originally from Wyoming, Ford hopped from Oregon to Denver, taking a job in research and development with a biofuel company. His first commercial fermentation was 7,500 gallons of biofuel, Ax said, a massive batch compared with the brewing set-up at Broken Compass. “Ford’s always dreamed of doing this,” Ax said. “He’s been a home brewer and helped his friend Jason Wiedmaier start Lone Tree down in Denver — helped him set up the system, did some assistant brewing, moonlighting with his full-time job.
He decided a couple of years ago, I want to do this and wanted my help. I told him I’d love to help him but only if it’s in Breckenridge.” Ax told Ford he loved the town of Breckenridge and the community of Summit County, and being a mountain boy from Wyoming who was itching to get back into the hills, Ford agreed. “We started putting together a business plan a year ago January and pretty quickly decided that we were going to do it,” Ax said. “We jumped off completely blind, just saying we’re going to put everything we have into it. Ford cashed in his retirement; I put everything
Co-founder David Axelrod. PHOTO BY KRISTA DRISCOLL
David Axelrod, left, and Jason Ford, co-founders of Broken Compass Brewing. PHOTO BY NICK YOUNG
A trio of tasters, Chili Pepper Pale Ale sandwiched between two Coconut Porters, stands proud at Broken Compass Brewing in Breckenridge. PHOTO BY KRISTA DRISCOLL
in the world I have into it. We found some partners who have come along, and kind of nickel and dimed our way to where we had enough to do it.” FACING CHALLENGES They had a plan and they had some savings, but every project faces its own challenges. For Broken Compass, the first major hurdle was getting a federal permit. Unfortunate timing meant they were trying to get federal approval right when the government shut down last fall. “The lead time went from 60 days to 113 (for a federal permit), and ours was outside that range,”
Ax said. “We finally got it March 31; initially, we intended to open sometime around Ullr Fest. So that was a big one. That was super challenging.” Equipment lead times were also a massive hurdle, Ax said. The original plan was to source as much used brewing equipment as they could, but because of the huge growth in craft brewing in recent years, tanks and other gear were hard to find or priced not much differently from brand-new. “We couldn’t find any used equipment in the sizes that we wanted, and the used equipment wasn’t even less expensive than the new,” Ax said, adding that Broken
Compass got a break when it came to local approvals. “Everybody talks about how difficult it is with building permits and all that, but we really haven’t had many challenges there; the county has been fabulous. They have been super helpful — everybody in the planning and building department has been up front and super helpful for us.” Additional expenses — an extra grand or two here to ship equipment, a couple more to vent the boil kettle — also added a bit of stress. The new gear ended up coming from Canada, and because of the cold, snowy winter, five different trucks broke down trying
to get equipment to Breckenridge. “You know when Canadian trucks are breaking down, it’s cold. Unexpected costs give me lots of heartburn these days, but fortunately, I have plenty of beer to ease that,” Ax said with a laugh. PULLING IT ALL TOGETHER Despite the ups and downs, Ax said building a business and the response from the local community has been rewarding. “We’ve had people coming out to the tasting parties,” he said. “The support from the community, all of that has been fabulous, and making beer — come on, making beer is just fun.”
Let the Wild Game Begin GAME SEAFOOD WOOD FIRED PIZZA WHISKEY & BEER
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Broken Compass is situated on Continental Court, just southeast of the intersection of Coyne Valley Road and Airport Road. Ax said the location is perfect because most of the brewery staff lives on Peak 7. “We can ride our bikes to work and get in a little exercise to work off the beer,” he said. “That’s great, and it’s just really neat being out here. I like this location more than I thought I would. We had a lot of people stopping by asking when we’re opening and coming in and trying some of our small-batch stuff, and a lot of locals looking forward to having a local hangout.” The first bath of beer brewed as an India brown, followed by their staff-favorite chili pepper pale ale, an India pale ale and a Belgian wit. For their Memorial Day opening day they also offered the Summit County collaborative black saison, which Ford had been aging in bourbon barrels since February. “Currently, we are working night and day to finish out the construction, get ready for prime time,” Ax said. IT’S ALL ABOUT THE BEER Ax said he and Ford have no ambitions to take over the world with their beer; their focus is on creativity and being a part of the community. The current brewing
set-up at Broken Compass could produce up to 2,000 barrels a year, but the co-founders are aiming for something around 500 barrels the first year to feel successful. Initial distribution will be limited to retail from the taproom and a few restaurant accounts around town, and they are already stocking pints and tulip glasses around the unfinished bar. A self-described hophead, Ford said he’s looking forward to developing his craft, honing in on his favorite hop strains and having the original 15-gallon system to fall back on for experimenting. “One of my personal things is I want to get much better at knowing all the different types of hops,” he said. “I’d like to make a single-hop IPA just to be fun, and lagers, I’m looking forward to expanding and getting into good lagers. To get good at lagers is something else I’m really looking forward to — they’re completely different beers in the aroma and the finish.” “We don’t have plans to be massive distribution,” Ax said. “Just to be a community hangout where people can come and cook their own food and relax and taste some different beers, take them out of here in growlers and half-growlers and they can even do kegs to take home for their home kegerators.”
David Axlerod, co-founder of Broken Compass Brewing, stirs the mash on the brewery's first brew day.
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SETTING A HIGH BAR Breckenridge Distillery liquid chef Billie Keithley shares her passion for cocktails BY KRISTA DRISCOLL
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and I knew that was what I wanted to do after that.” She paused and took a deep breath, feeling that first surge of passion all over again. “Phew, I almost cried.” Career paths A few years after her revelation, Keithley was slinging drinks at Cecelia’s in Breckenridge when Breckenridge Distillery founder and CEO Bryan Nolt, master distiller Jordan Via and marketing manager Maya Berthoud walked through the door. “I was bartending, and I made them some cocktails and took them into the walk-in humidor,” Keithley said. “They told me they were thinking about opening up a distillery. I didn’t know what to think of it at the time. When someone says they were opening a distillery, back then, there were only six or seven licenses in the whole state of Colorado, so I was like, we’ll see.” The hooch purveyors persisted, and when their plan for the distillery came to fruition in 2009, Via invited Keithley to spend some time there and take a tour, ultimately recruiting her to the team. ON THE ROAD If you come across Keithley at a festival, you’ll
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Billie Keithley, liquid chef for Breckenridge Distillery, adds an allspice dram to a cocktail glass to make her Winter Warm Up.
experience her powers of persuasion when it comes to hawking Breckenridge Distillery products. “When people meet me, they have no choice; they’re going to try it,” she said with a laugh. “As far as a neat sample goes, I pour a little bit, educate them on it and then follow up with a cocktail. Also, if someone refuses to try bourbon, I mix up something that I know will be pleasing at first to break them into it. And they say, oh, that’s not what I thought it would be, then they try the bourbon by itself and they are blown away by it. “I like when people try our stuff neat, by itself, but I like to enhance everything by making craft cocktails, to show
people the versatility of it.” By the end of her spiel, she almost always inspires a new fan, and with the distillery’s award-winning bourbon, vodka and bitters now available in bars, restaurants and liquor stores in more than 40 states, it won’t be hard for those new customers to find a follow-up cocktail or pick up a bottle for their next soiree. IN THE BAR Between social gigs, Keithley said she’s most at home in a bar or restaurant, educating her colleagues across the country by rolling up her sleeves and demonstrating her craft. “Usually when I’m on the road, I’ve just met people behind the bar, but I’m behind
PHOTOS BY KRISTA DRISCOLL
B I L L I E KE I TH L E Y LOUNGED against the front bumper of the Breckenridge Distillery’s iconic green Land Rover, soaking up the sun on an unseasonably warm fall day on Airport Road. The door to the distillery was propped open, and a tour group could be heard shuffling through, sipping samples and scooping up souvenirs. Chico, the resident Chihuahua, stretched out on the pavement at Keithley’s feet as she started her story, saying she didn’t intend to become a bartender when she arrived in Breckenridge more than 15 years ago. “It really grabbed me with the different smells and colors and flavors, and I was just like, wow, like a raccoon seeing a shiny thing,” she said, her eyes lighting up at the memory. “I knew then I wanted to learn more and I was not really going to stop.” After pouring drinks for five or six years, she thought she knew everything there was to know about bartending — until she attended a seminar in Vail led by Francesco Lafranconi, one of the world’s foremost masters of cocktails. “I was blown away,” Keithley said. “I had my head down taking 10 pages of notes. I wanted to take it to 100 times more. I was looking into bar tools I had never seen before,
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Still Broke II is a winter cocktail made with Breckenridge Bourbon and Broken Compass Black IPA.
Served hot or cold, Fall into Breckenridge is a cocktail featuring Breckenridge Bourbon and Sipping Bitters.
the bar making cocktails by the time I leave,” she said. “I’m very comfortable with the scene and talking with people about bartending and cocktails — you can’t shut me up. I’m definitely a geek about it.” Whether it’s constructing imaginative recipes, creating pairings for a dinner event or getting a restaurant started with a barrel-aged cocktail program, Keithley tailors her input based on the degree of comfort the staff has with the products and their knowledge of mixology. “That goes from very new bartenders, where I don’t want to overwhelm them with crazy concoctions, just two or three ingredients, on up to let’s start flaming this and foaming that,” she said. “I will work with the bartenders and work with the cocktail menu to balance it out with the food menu. I love working with chefs because I learn just as much from chefs as I do bartenders about flavor profiles and building drinks.”
been in full support of me to get this thing rolling.” Breckenridge Distillery has given her the title of liquid chef, but Keithley said she’s still proud to be a bartender and that’s how she refers to herself when acting as a brand ambassador for the distillery. She said when she looks back on being a full-time bartender, there were times it was stressful and she felt burnt out, but she was always able to take a step back and realize that she loved what she was doing — and she still loves it. “I’m very passionate about my job,” she said. “I always want people to know that. My biggest thing is making sure that person is happy with the cocktail I made for them and putting a smile on their face. I’m very serious about it. I feel like it’s my craft.”
Served warm, the Winter Warm Up showcases Breckenridge Bourbon, with only an allspice dram and orange zest for accompaniment.
I T RE A L LY GRA B B E D M E W I T H T H E DI F F E R E N T S M E L L S A N D CO LO R S A N D F LAVO R S, A N D I WA S J U ST L I KE, WOW, L I K E A RACCO O N SE E I N G A SH I NY T HI NG . I K N E W T H E N I WA N T E D TO L E A R N M O R E A ND I WAS N OT R E A L LY GO I N G TO STO P.” — BIL L IE KEITHLE Y, MI XOLOGI ST WI T H BREC KE NRI DGE DI ST I LLE RY DOWN THE ROAD When the Breckenridge Distillery first opened, there were only about seven other distilleries in Colorado, Keithley said, and as the industry has grown, so has the little distillery on Airport Road. Keithley said she’s become good friends with the members
of her little hooch-making family, and like any good family, they have returned the love through support of her newest endeavor. “Hopefully for the start of the holiday season, I’m going to be launching Psycho Billie’s Cocktail Syrups, Shrubs and Bitters, and the distillery has
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EAT GLUTEN FREE IN BRECKENRIDGE BY ERIN OPSAHLI
M O R E PEOPL E AC ROSS the U.S. are living a gluten free lifestyle and restaurants here have noticed; below is just a taste of the many gluten free options in Breckenridge. Call ahead for current hours and selection, as this may change throughout the seasons. GLUTEN FREE BREAKFAST Amazing Grace Natural Eatery offers wheat- and dairy-free options perfect for breakfast and lunch. They’ve got breakfast burritos that can be enjoyed with either corn tortillas or in a bowl, plus a wide sandwich selection made on gluten-free bread. (970) 453-1445 Blue Moose Restaurant, a breakfast and early lunch spot offering diner-style fare, has great gluten-free options. Note to self – they only accept cash. (970) 453-4859 The Mug Shot Café offers gluten-free tortillas for their yummy breakfast burritos. They also have gluten-free bread options for whichever sandwich strikes your
ON THE GO Breckenridge’s local grocery stores offer an excellent selection of gluten free ingredients as well as grab-and-go items such as granola bars, cookies, burritos, pre-made soups, and more.
CITY MARKET 400 N. PARKWAY, BRECKENRIDGE 970-453-0818 This big-box option offers a wide selection, usually with the best
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fancy. Gluten-free muffins and cookies are ready to grab. As the name suggests, they are located across the street from the county Justice Center. (970) 423-8821 GLUTEN FREE LUNCH Cool River Coffee House and Bakery offers up homemade gluten-free bread, which means you can order all or most sandwiches sans gluten. A rotating mix of soups is perfect following a chilly morning, and salad options make a light summer lunch. (970) 453-1716
EVENTS
EAT & DRINK
GLUTEN FREE DINNER Giampietro Pasta and Pizzeria offers up classic Italian dishes, and the gluten free menu includes staples such as polenta Bolognese. Starters include salads, mussels, and antipasti, while the panna cotta shines for dessert. (970) 453-3838 Mountain Flying Fish sushi bar and Asian kitchen offers many gluten-free items on their menu. Chef Tetsuo Shimoda trained in Japan, where he was licensed as a certified sushi and fugu chef in 1984. (970) 453-1502 South Ridge Seafood Grill has a great menu and everything with a star next to it is available gluten-free. (970) 547-0063
Fatty’s Pizzeria, a locals’ lunch favorite, has a gluten free salads and pizza crust. Choose from a wide variety of toppings, or consider the specialty pizzas. (970) 453-9802 Mi Casa Mexican Restaurant and Cantina specializes in fresh fare in a cozy hacienda atmosphere. The gluten free lunch and dinner menus offer up appetizers, soups, salads, fajitas, enchiladas, house specialties and even dessert. (970) 453-2071
prices. If you can, avoid hitting it after skiing; that’s when hungry skiers roam the aisles in packs, sometimes slowing the flow at checkout. PRICE: $-$$$ CONVENIENCE: On the bus route, large parking lot, but located on the north side of town.
BRECKENRIDGE MARKET & LIQUOR 311 S. RIDGE ST., BRECKENRIDGE 970-453-2398 For a small-town grocery store, Breckenridge Market & Liquor truly is like walking into a gem. You may pay a bit more, but the in-town convenience is worth it. Easy to grab gluten free items include sandwiches, burritos, brownies and cookies.
PRICE: $$-$$$ CONVENIENCE: On the bus route, right in town, large parking lot.
LOCAL MARKET AND LIQUOR SHED 116 N. MAIN ST., BRECKENRIDGE 970-453-3091 This small market specializes in natural foods and quick must haves—keep an eye out for locally-made brands such as Bee Nut Free and Toosie’s
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30 Craft
Featuring Certified Angus Beef Burgers, Steaks & Brisket
Beers on tap
We Also Offer Fish, Vegetarian, Gluten Free & Vegan Dishes
HAPPY HOUR SPECIALS EVERYDAY FROM 3PM-6PM
Open at 11:30 am daily | 970.453.7313 Call ahead seating
www.kenoshasteakhouse.com 301 S. Main St. Breckenridge
PHOTOS COURTESY MI CASA MEXICAN RESTAURANT & CANTINA
Gluten Free. Perhaps one of the coolest elements of the store lies in its historic value; the building originates in the 1880s, and the attached liquor store was once a shed. The hallway between the two showcases original wood and newspapers (used for insulation), brought by settlers from Boston, New York, and other parts of the country.
PRICE: $$-$$$ CONVENIENCE: On the north end of Main Street, in town, parking is limited to only several cars behind the store.
specialty margs taco bar 970-453-7313 301 S. Main Street • Breckenridge Downstairs from Kenosha Steakhouse
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THE REFINED SIDE OF BRECKENRIDGE DINING BY RACHEL ZEROWIN
WE LOVE OUR PIZZA, AND let’s face it, a heaping plate of ooey-gooey nachos (with a cold beer, of course) tastes great after a long day in the backcountry. But as both locals and visitors seek out more refined meals, restaurateurs have responded. The best part? Upping the ante has not meant upping the attitude. Try these favorites for top meals blended with Breckenridge’s laidback atmosphere. At the Blue River Bistro,
rustic American classics combine with artisanal cocktails for an incredible dinner. Also open for lunch and weekend brunch, the Bistro offers up live jazz and blues on a regular basis. And unlike some restaurants in Breckenridge, you won’t find them closing their doors come May. When steaks and game suit your fancy, head to Briar Rose Chophouse & Saloon. The dining room offers an elegant atmosphere, and for those that prefer
EVENTS
casual, the historic back bar serves both the full menu and small plates. Family-style sides encourage diners to dig in and share. Internationally inspired, the menu at Ember has been known to feature everything from lamb osso bucco to chicken fried goose breast and barramundi bass. A full gluten-free menu (appetizers and entrees) makes this an easy go-to for those with special dietary needs. Hearthstone Restaurant, a Breckenridge classic, serves naturally-raised beef and game, sustainably-caught seafood, and Colorado produce in uncomplicated fashion. Be sure to try their seasonal special cocktails and take in the details of the building, a historic home constructed in the early 1880s. Understandably, many recognize Modis for the prohibi-
EAT & DRINK
tion-era cocktails (Pimm’s Cup, anyone?). Still, don’t overlook the contemporary cuisine—make a light happy hour meal from starters or go all in with a threecourse dinner. The world sandwich selection dominates the lunch menu at Park & Main. Come sunset, the international flavors remain and entrees of elk, seafood, and steak steal the show. Be sure to check out the small pours wine list and daily food and drink specials. Billed as Colorado-inspired cuisine, Relish blends chef and owner Matt Fackler’s culinary experience with regional influences. The result: a seasonally-changing menu full of exciting combinations. Consider Relish for dinner, or for a more refined après experience. Twist, another offering from Matt Fackler, serves up a fresh
FOOD find your local favorites here
summitdaily.com/restaurants/breckenridge
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PHOTO BY LIAM DORAN
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take on classic comfort food and drinks. The menu changes seasonally, but past dishes have included veal and rabbit layered meatloaf, and chicken and dumplings (duck fat fried, of course). It’s a casual setting with high quality standards. Unmatched sunset views will be the first thing you notice at the Traverse Restaurant and Bar, located in the recently-remodeled Lodge at Breckenridge. Once the food arrives, Chef Brent Turnipsede’s (and his team’s) skill and creativity become clear. Comfort is the scene at The Warming Hut, located in a historic Main Street home. Strike up a conversation with your neighbors at the bar or community table, or settle in a cozy corner spot to sample from the kettle (soups) and refined comfort foods like the Colorado sausage medley.
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NO NEED TO STRAY FROM MAIN STREET
Head over to the Breckenridge Welcome Center conveniently located in the heart of town in the Blue River Plaza at 203 S. Main Street. The restrooms are located one level down from the Main Street entrance; make your life easier and take the elevator inside. When tummies start to rumble, head over to Fatty’s Pizzeria and enjoy a local favorite for a casual and family-friendly atmosphere. You can also order family buckets of food to go. Located at 106 S. Ridge Street or call (970) 453-9802. Once the family is fed and rested, head over to Peak-A-Boo Toys. Offering an indoor play area and tons of unique and fun toys, the kiddos will be entertained as they enjoy this great shop. Located at 117 S. Main Street. Time for an afternoon chocolate treat at the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory. Located at 226 S. Main Street, Suite G4. When it comes to dinner plans leave the kiddos with a trusted babysitter from Mountain Tot Sitters and make a romantic date night at the Hearthstone. Enjoy a lovely evening out kidfree and call (970) 453-1148 to make reservations. Located at 130 S. Ridge Street.
Breckenridge’s downtown core offers weeks worth of food and fun for visiting families BY ERIN OPSAHL
GOT KIDDOS AND HEADED TO Breckenridge? We’ve got a great lineup of family fun activities that will keep everyone enjoying their Colorado winter vacation. Main Street is packed with everything from our rich mining history to creative explorations and fun family enjoyment. Choose one or all three of these itineraries and make some memories to last a lifetime.
ITINERARY 1:
FAMILY WITH YOUNG KIDDOS First things first, do you have all of the items that you need for traveling with your kiddos? Whether it be a highchair, pack-nplay, jogging stroller or anything in between, check out MountainTot Gear and rent the equipment that will make your life easier by calling 888-478-6974. Begin the day off right with a hearty breakfast at the familyfriendly Columbine Café. They open at 7:30 am and are located at 109 S. Main Street or call (970) 547-4474. Depending on your nap schedule, plan to bring the whole family to Mountain Top Children’s Museum either midmorning or afternoon and get some creative play time in. Every exhibit encourages your curiosity and imagination to run wild! Admission is $7 per child, $5 per 54
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ITINERARY 2:
FAMILY WITH OLDER KIDDOS
adult and children under 1 and seniors are free. Questions? Call (970) 453-7878, or check it out at 605 S. Park Ave. Make your coffee stop at Cool River Coffee House and Bakery. This local favorite also has a great variety of baked goods as well. Located at 325 S. Main Street. Need a diaper changing station?
Have a breakfast to remember at Daylight Donuts. They open bright and early at 6 a.m. and with a full breakfast menu, sausage rolls and over 20 varieties of donuts, you can’t go wrong. Just remember to bring your cash for this no-credit-cards restaurant. Located at 305 N. Main Street, Unit C. Plan a morning exploration by setting up a historical tour with the Breckenridge Heritage Alliance. Their guided tours include the French Gulch Gold Mine and Dredge Snowshoe hike or if the paranormal and spooky fits more with their taste, schedule a Breckenridge Haunted Tour for later in the evening. Reservations
PHOTOS COURTESY OF GOBRECK
FAMILY
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are highly recommended by calling (970) 453-9767 x2 or swing by the Breckenridge Welcome Center at 203 S. Main Street. Get your coffee fix at Clint’s Bakery and Coffee House. This local favorite serves coffee and ice cream, and breakfast and lunch sandwiches downstairs. Located at 131 S. Main Street. Lunch time is calling and Downstairs at Eric’s not only boasts as Breckenridge’s favorite family sports bar, but also has 14 flat screen HDTV’s, satellite coverage of all your favorite sports and an arcade with 18 games. Located at 111 S. Main Street. In the afternoon, head on over to Ready Paint Fire and get ready to bring out your inner artist. This paint-your-own art studio offers ceramics, canvas parties and glass just waiting for your kids’ artistic touch. Give them a call at (970) 453-5765 or swing by the studio located at 323 N. Main St. Grab a sweet snack at Mary’s Mountain Cookies and indulge in some of the yummiest cookies around! Located at 128 S. Main Street. Dinner is waiting at Mi Casa Mexican Restaurant and Cantina. The chips and salsa are excellent and that is just the beginning of a great night of Mexican food. Located at 600 South Park Avenue. Call (970) 453-2071 for reservations.
ITINERARY 3:
WE’RE ALL KIDS AT HEART!
Eat breakfast where the locals eat at Amazing Grace Natural Eatery. They open at 7 a.m. and serve a variety of breakfast options including vegan and vegetarian. Located at 213 Lincoln Avenue. Call (970) 453-1445. Get your morning exercise in while strolling down Breckenridge Main Street and shopping. Shops like Nature’s Own bring out the child in everyone as you discover mineral specimens and fossils from around the world. Also stop by
the Breckenridge Hat Company to find the perfect crazy silly hat to remember your Breckenridge experience. Both shops are located in the Four Seasons Plaza at 411 S. Main Street. Grab your mid-morning coffee at Cuppa Joe. This locally-owned coffeehouse puts love into everything they make! Located at 118 S. Ridge Street, Unit 7. With over 70 crepes to choose from, Crapes a la Cart will meet your hunger needs in a way no other hand-held full meal can. Swing by the shop at 307 S. Main Street and try either the sweet, savory or breakfast crepes as you continue your walk down Main Street. The Breckenridge Arts District is the new happening place in town where you will want to check out the upcoming events, exhibits, classes, workshops and open studio times on their website. Located at 150 W. Adams Ave. Get your sweet tooth on at Fuzziwigs Candy Factory. With over 400 varieties of candy, they’ve even got hard to find nostalgic candy that is sure to transport you back to a time that was much simpler. Located at 216 S. Main Street (just across the street from the Breckenridge Welcome Center). If you are 21 years or older, check out the Breckenridge Distillery tours and tastings. They have tours on the hour and half hour from 11:00 am to 6:00 pm Tuesday through Sunday at 1925 Airport Road. Their tasting room at 137 S. Main Street is located across from the Breckenridge Welcome Center and underneath Relish Restaurant. Questions? Call (970) 547-9759. If you do what your mamma says, make dinner plans at Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. Located at 231 S. Main Street call (970) 547-9000 for reservations. However you plan to spend your days in Breckenridge, make some memories with those you love.
LOCAL’S CHOICE
BEST SHOPPING
Breckenridge 970-453-9383 Avon 970-748-5008 Edwards 970-926-5007 Aspen 970-920-4475
www.ValleyGirlBoutique.com
Visit BreckConnection.com to see more on this and other stories. GOBRECK.COM
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AROUND TOWN
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TOY STORY
Main Street is full of attractions, not least of which are the shops geared toward kids. PHOTO BY LIAM DORAN
Find the perfect gift for your children on Breckenridge’s Main Street
Annie’s Alpine Kids is an amazing children’s outdoor clothing store providing quality winter and summer gear for your mountain kid needs. Offering items for ages zero to six months all the way up to age twenty, Annie has you covered! Find brand names including Obermeyer, Burton, Volcom, Spyder, Hi-Tec, Kelty, Smart wool and Camel Bak. Located at 132 S. Main Street. Call (970) 547-2997. Conveniently offering rental strollers and baby backpack carriers, Breck Kidz is a treasure trove you must visit. From fun toys to cute clothing, accessories and souvenirs, your kiddos will love exploring this great shop. Located in the Blue River Plaza at 137 S. Main Street. Call (970) 453-7917 to reserve your rental equipment. Wherever you plan to run around and enjoy Breckenridge with your kiddos, MountainTot Gear has you covered for any baby and toddler equipment you may need to rent. Providing the latest clean and affordable gear for your family, they have everything from portable play yards and jogging strollers to high chairs, baby monitors and baby baths. Servicing the Breckenridge area 7-days a week, definitely give them a call (970) 368-4447 if there is something you need. With so many options to shop small for children's items in Breckenridge, we've got you covered for even the cute and adorable things you didn't realize all of the kiddos in your life needed!
BY ERIN OPSAHL
WHATEVER THE SEASON, when you are ready to spend some fun time walking around town, we’ve got a great selection of children shops that will entertain the whole family. So put on your walking shoes, grab yourself a favorite beverage and get ready to enjoy some Breckenridge retail therapy family time! An absolute must-see, stayand-play indoors location is Peak-A-Boo Toys. It's one of the coolest toy stores in Breckenridge with more toys than you ever even knew existed — and it's sure to please all the kiddos (young and old) in your family. Enjoy some time at the indoor playground and check out the puzzles, games, educational toys, science, books, art and much more. Gift wrapping and shipping is available for any treasures you find. Located at 117 South Main Street. Call (970) 453-4910. If you're looking for adorable handmade clothing and accessories, check out Magical Scraps Boutique and Studio. With unique designs and a wide variety of handbags, belts, baby items and sweet little dresses, you are sure to find a one-of-akind gift for yourself or cutie pie. Located at 310 S. Main Street. Call (970) 453-6023. Visit BreckConnection.com to see more on this and other stories. 56
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One of the newest family attractions in Breckenridge is the happening at the STEVEN C. WEST ICE ARENA outdoor rink. They’ve got 18 holes of mini-golf, two bounce houses, basketball hoops, lawn games and more. Open daily from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. this is the perfect place to bring the whole family. For current rates call (970) 547-9974.
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PHOTO BY LIAM DORAN
If you’re looking to view Breckenridge from a horse-eye view, BRECKENRIDGE STABLES offers horseback and carriage rides that are sure to please the whole family. They’ve got over 100 horses to choose from for their trail rides that explore the Ten Mile Range. Whether you’re looking for a historic tour or a quick trip around town, their carriage rides take you back in time and provide 19th century taxi style like no other. Head over to the corner of Main Street and Washington for your no-reservations-needed carriage.
The BRECK SUMMER FUN PARK has tons of activities that will keep your kids smiling and wishing the summer wouldn’t end. From the Gold Runner Coaster to the Alpine Superslide, Superputt Mini Golf, Mineshaft Maze and Ripperoo’s Bounce House, there are so many ways to enjoy the mountains minus the snow. Save yourself some time and park in the Gondola lots in town and ride the scenic BreckConnect Gondola up to the park for free. Toddlers and children of all ages will get a thrill out of this breathtaking ride up the hill.
GO BRECK
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GONDOLA up to the park for free. Toddlers and children of all ages will get a thrill out of this breathtaking ride up the hill.
LET YOUR KIDS CHOOSE THEIR OWN ADVENTURE BY ERIN OPSAHL
S UMMER I S S UCH A B E AUTI FUL TI M E to relax in Breckenridge. If you’ve got kiddos in tow we’ve got some great options to keep the family enjoying their summer break as well. Visit BreckConnection.com to see more on this and other stories.
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Have some skateboard fans in your life? Check out Breckenridge’s very own SKATEBOARD PARK located at 880 Airport Road directly beside the BRECKENRIDGE RECREATION CENTER on the North side. The park is free and open to youth and adults during daylight hours seasonally as weather permits.
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For the slightly older kids, a historic tour by the BRECKENRIDGE HERITAGE ALLIANCE might be the perfect fit. Have fun taking a guided tour around town and learning about the amazing history surrounding us. They’ve got everything from gold mine hikes to haunted tours. School might be out still, but the learning never ends when you visit Breck!
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The BRECKENRIDGE MUSIC FESTIVAL has a fun and family-friendly lineup for their BLUE RIVER CONCERT SERIES. Plan a night out with the family and expose them to well-known artists like Bela Fleck and Jerry Jeff Walker. The BMF also has a Festival Orchestra, Tuesday Chamber Series and Sunday Champagne Series featuring beautiful and timeless classics.
The COUNTRY BOY MINE offers mine tours and gold panning to the adventurous of heart. This historic restored mining site also provides the opportunity to pet burros, slide down a 55-foot ore chute, visit the general store and check out the exhibits and equipment used when the mine was in operation. How often do you get the chance to explore what a real Colorado miner saw, heard and felt? This is your chance to time travel.
Adventurous kids tend to love the thrill of WHITEWATER RAFTING. Breckenridge sits within easy distance of several rivers, each of which offer different experiences and levels of difficulty. Visit BreckConnection.com for tips on planning and raft trip and much more. GOBRECK.COM
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DOG PARK: THE MUSICAL
THE HOUND OF BASKERVILLES
November 25 - January 3, 2015
March 12 - April 4, 2015
CURVES AHEAD January 9 - 25, 2015
THE LION, THE WITCH and THE WARDROBE: TBD, 2015
THE ROADHOUSE
RUDYARD KIPLING’S, THE JUNGLE BOOK
February 6 - March 1, 2015
at Riverwalk Center, September 3 - 12, 2015
$5 OFF ADMITTANCE FOR ONE ADULT INTO ONE OF OUR 41ST SEASON’S SHOWS Must present coupon at time of ticket purchase. One time discount.
121 S. Ridge Street • Breckenridge For Tickets, call 970.453.0199 | www.backstagetheatre.org
I LOVE BRECKENRIDGE BECAUSE:
THE ! E R U T L U C
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CULTURAL HUB IN THE HEART OF BRECKENRIDGE
Historic structures provide backbone for new Breckenridge Arts District campus by krista driscoll
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hat started with the purchase of some land and a few historic buildings 13 years ago has finally become a fully realized vision with the new Breckenridge Arts District campus. Located at the corner of S. Ridge Street and E. Washington Avenue, the new campus is home to a combination of new and restored historic structures that have been adapted into artists’ studios for a variety of mediums from ceramics and metalsmithing to painting and photography. The vision for the Arts District is to create an additional layer of cultural activity for the local community and visitors, to strengthen existing arts organizations and galleries and, ultimately, to make Breckenridge an arts destination. “It’s so amazing to work for a town council that believes in a vision like this,” said Jenn Cram, manager of the Breckenridge Arts District and public art program. “They understand the importance of having a vibrant downtown, historic preservation and making our Main Street a unique place and vision to support cultural arts, understanding that people want to come here and ski and hear the orchestra and take a painting workshop and express their creative side. “To have a town council that believes in this and makes it happen is amazing. I feel so honored to have worked on this project and work for such a wonderful town council.” Here’s an overview of the new campus, with a brief history of the historical buildings, their new floor plans and how each location has been imagined or reimagined into a piece of the new Arts District.
PHOTO BY LIAM DORAN
1 . FUQUA LIVERY STABLE (110 E. WASHINGTON AVE.) According to literature from the Breckenridge Arts District, this false-fronted livery and feed stable building was built for P.S. and Emma Bailey in 1880 for $600. The building was quickly rented to liveryman and namesake J. P. Fuqua, who stabled horses for pay and also had carriages for hire. The barn, which was constructed with vertical pine board-and-batten siding, boasted a characteristic hayloft opening above the wagon and pedestrian entrances, where feed and grain were stored for Fuqua’s four-legged boarders. “There was kind of a neat set of doors on the south side where he was able to back in the carriage for overnight storage and in the back three sections was where the actual horse stalls were,” said Jeff Herbertz, of Quandary Carpentry, a historic rehabilitation specialist hired by Base Building Solutions Inc., the general contractor. “We found a handful of six, seven artifacts in there. There was a certain amount of value to that stuff, so when people found that stuff, they collected it and passed it along to family. That’s how we lose a lot of history.” The town of Breckenridge purchased the property in 2002, and the rehabilitated historic Fuqua Livery Stable opened in August 2008. The project received $129,000 from the State Historic Fund for the restoration, which consisted of taking the structure apart, pouring a new foundation with in-floor heat, erecting structural steel and then putting the structure back together within 1 inch of historic configuration. An innovative glass storefront system was also installed on the interior to exhibit all of the historic walls and allow for year-round use. “That was a pretty unique building,” Herbertz said of the restoration. “It had rotted into the ground two feet; the wood studs were resting on the ground like they did in those days. We took it apart in 13 different sections that were all in tact, including the roof, then stored here on the Arts District property. That was about a 15-month restoration. It’s all glassed interior, so they can actually heat the thing and look through the walls and see what it was and how it was built.” The Fuqua Livery Stable is the planned home for painting, drawing, beading and a studio space to rent to local artists, currently occupied by local photographer Liam Doran.
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The Randall Barn is the home for printmaking and textiles, with a studio space to rent to local artists.
John J. and Zetha Randall moved to Breckenridge after World War II and purchased this false-fronted barn built in 1902, using it to store the antiques from their Main Street shop, the Finding Store, the Arts District said. Daniel A. Mikolitis purchased the property in 1978, and the town of Breckenridge bought it in 2002. Herbertz said the building is actually three different sections and wasn’t in nearly as a dilapidated state as the Fuqua when restoration began. “It was somewhat inhabitable,” he said. “There’s been some local color in and out of that thing through the hippy era of mountain towns. … They added a couple of other wings on the backside of it that were a dead giveaway that it wasn’t all original building. “Whoever was owning it was using it for storage. The roof was intact, which kept it relatively dry on the inside. The floor was independent of the walls and the roof, but there was a beam down the middle. With erosion of the roof dripping down, when it was taken apart, the floor was like a giant teeter-totter, with the beam in the middle.” The Randall Barn was also taken apart in panels, about eight pieces, Herbertz said, and the roof disassembled. The panels were marked to be reassembled in their original locations, but there was only enough intact material to rebuild the west and north walls with the historic, turn-of-the-century wood. “That’s always been somewhat of a landmark in town because it was down in an eroded hole and the city streets had enveloped it in different heights,” he said. The Randall Barn is the planned home for printmaking and textiles, with a studio space to rent to local artists.
BRECKENRIDGE ARTS DISTRICT TIMELINE
2001
Town of Breckenridge and Backstage Theatre Company purchase Shamus O’Toole’s Saloon to renovate into small theater
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2001
Town purchases properties on corner of S. Ridge Street and E. Washington Avenues
2002
Shamus O’Toole’s Saloon opens as Breckenridge Backstage Theatre
PHOTOS BY KRISTA DRISCOLL
2 . RANDALL BARN (114 E. WASHINGTON AVE.)
with a big crane. We got a large flatbed trailer and shored it up on the inside so when we picked it up with the floor and everything it didn’t implode on itself or collapse. “The yahoo crane operator was pretty spunky that day. We had all these big straps, had it all rigged up, so we could lift it up slowly and didn’t crack any glass. We’d lift it up slowly, four or five inches, then he pulled the lever, and that building shot up 70 feet above the treetops, like the ‘Wizard of Oz’ when the building was flying through the air. What do you tell a crane operator? ‘Slow down, you’re going to lose this building.’ The building is completely out of control.” The Quandary Antiques Cabin eventually landed safely on the trailer and was puttered slowly from its original home to its new foundation in the Arts District. The cabin was first remodeled into a small ceramic studio and is now a studio for children’s workshops.
PHOTO BY LIAM DORAN
3. QUANDARY ANTIQUES CABIN AND CHILDREN’S STUDIO (133 S. RIDGE ST.)
Breckenridge Arts District manager Jenn Cram stands outside the Hot Shop, which is used for metalsmithing, glasswork and encaustic painting.
Volunteer firemen with the Breckenridge Fire Department originally built this small log cabin on land donated by Mr. and Mrs. Charles Perrin, according to the Arts District. The department raffled off the cabin, and Dorothy Reibold, of Glenwood Springs, purchased the winning ticket. Riebold and her family spent a few summers and one winter in this cabin. In later years, Luna Shumacker, of Texas, used it as a rental house until her death in 1979. Jim and Maureen Nicholls purchased the cabin from her estate in 1980, and in 1983, Maureen moved Quandary Antiques into the building. The cabin was donated by the Nicholls in 2007 and was relocated from its original location two blocks down Ridge Street, across from the post office, to the Arts District in 2008. “It’s a D-style log,” Herbertz said. “Gravity keeps it all together. There aren’t any fasteners in between it to really hold it together. When it was across the street from the post office down there, they had to prepare it to pick it up
2003
Town begins to plan arts campus with help of Harry Teague Architects, Mathew Stais Architect and Jenn Cram, manager of the Breckenridge Arts District
The exterior of the Ceramic Studio was given an industrial look.
4 . HOT SHOP (123 S. RIDGE ST.) AND 5. CERAMIC STUDIO (125 S. RIDGE ST.) New structures that were built to fit with the historic character of the Breckenridge Arts District campus have also been constructed, including the Hot Shop, used for metalsmithing, glasswork and encaustic painting, and the Ceramic Studio, which includes a studio area on the lower level that will be rented to a local artist.
2003
Arts District begins offering art workshops at Robert Whyte House
2004
Breckenridge Arts District Master Plan adopted as a correlative document to the town’s Master Plan and Development Code
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6. TIN SHOP (117 E. WASHINGTON AVE.) The Tin Shop is the result of a partnership with the Saddle Rock Society and the town of Breckenridge. According to the Arts District, artists are invited to stay at the Tin Shop and work on their medium of choice from one week up to one month. The main floor provides a studio space, while the upstairs has a fully furnished studio apartment, where artists live during their stay. Artists are selected based on the quality of their artwork and proposed public participation program. Artists have open studio hours, where the public is welcome to drop in and see what they are up to, and they also host a workshop during their stay. The current artist-in-residence at the Tin Shop is Elise Brewster (see page A15 for more information on this artist).
The Tin Shop provides a studio space on the main floor, while the upstairs has a fully furnished studio apartment, where artists live during their residencies.
This privy was braced and restored. It's a two-seater.
The Burro Barn, behind the Robert Whyte House, is home to the Breckenridge Arts District campus’ public restrooms.
Robert H. Whyte, the former manager of the Grand Central Hotel, and his wife, Mary, built this small frame house on Lot 9 as their home in 1889, according to the Arts District. The burro barn and privy, located to the rear of the dwelling, were built at the same time. After passing through many hands over the next century, the property, house and barn were sold to the town of Breckenridge in 2002. “That’s the original trademark, landmark building here on this street,” Herbertz said of
BRECKENRIDGE ARTS DISTRICT TIMELINE
2006
August, guest artists begin working in the Tin Shop
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2007 2008
BRECK CONNECTION
Quandary Antiques Cabin donated by Jim and Maureen Nicholls and relocated from original location two blocks down Ridge Street to the Arts District
2008
August, rehabilitated historic Fuqua Livery Stable opens
PHOTOS BY KRISTA DRISCOLL
7. ROBERT WHYTE HOUSE (127 S. RIDGE ST.)
the Robert Whyte House. “They had a house mover pick that thing up, jack it up with timbers, slide it over and excavate an eight-foot foundation where all the mechanical stuff is at.” A lot of the siding on the exterior of the house is original, Herbertz said. “They still make that dolly varden style of siding, where it’s kind of like a V-shaped board, thin on the top, thicker on the bottom,” he said. “It gives you that fishscale effect.” The Arts District began offering art workshops at the historic Robert Whyte House in 2003 in a variety of mediums for children, teens and adults. The finished floor plan features a studio area on the lower level and a fully furnished studio apartment upstairs for visiting artists. Behind the house, on their original sites, the Burro Barn and Privy still exist — albeit in new forms. The barn, now home to the campus’ public restrooms, had complete fallen in on itself. “The roof was all completely gone,” Herbertz said. “It was made for holding livestock and animals, so they didn’t put a lot of effort into making it hold up. It had a crazy roofline; you just build on when you get another animal. It was full of junk, primarily
cardboard boxes. That was the joke around here for years, once the cardboard boxes dissolve, the whole thing’s going to fall in.” The Burro Barn was deconstructed into panels, but once again, there wasn’t enough material to completely reconstruct it with turn-of-the-century wood, Herbertz said. “So we amassed it all into the one south wall with the doors,” he said. “That south wall turned out to be pretty unique. It’s almost like a living organism on its own, all those crazy angles and just enough good wood to pull that off. The shapes and lengths of those boards was a challenge, but it was kind of the direction I had no choice but to follow on how to pull that thing off — all the square-cut nails, original boards of the walls and the roof.” The district wanted to retain a certain state of dilapidation with the privy sandwiched between the house and the barn. Herbertz said. “If you try to go too far, it’s not going to be anything like it was and it won’t look old,” he said. “The outhouse was in shambles; it was like the three pigs, ‘I’ll huff and puff and blow your straw shack over.’” There were three separate holes dug into the ground, and the privy had been moved about as the holes filled up with “compost,” Herbertz said. An archeologist was called in to dig into the holes and search for artifacts, but all that was found were some pieces of broken glass. Herbertz said he wasn’t surprised, since mining folk who may have accidentally dropped valuable things into the holes were likely to just go in after them. “What’s funny about the privy, it’s a two-seater,” Herbertz said. “What the heck? Didn’t people like privacy back then? I don’t get it. I guess if you really had to go you’re going to go. There’s one seat bigger than the other, maybe his and hers? The funnies thing I could come up with was if you’ve got to go, and the flies are still suck on one seat, you could use the other one.”
Breckenridge’s only locally owned and operated Hot Air Balloon Ride Company Serving Summit County for over 17 years
Come think outside the box with us at the Mountain Top Children’s Museum! Hours
December 14th - April 21st Open every day 10:00 am - 4:30 pm Closed Christmas Day and New Year’s Day (Hours are subject to change) Please call for Spring and Fall hours
Admission
$7 per child/$5 per adult Children under 1 and Seniors FREE (Children must be accompanied by an adult)
Kid’s Day Out
Get out on the slopes, to the spa or just spend a day without the kids. Drop off your children at the museum and they will have a blast with one of our certified camp instructors. 9:00 am - 4:30 pm • Ages 5 - 12 • $100/child & $80/sibling
2009
February, Fuqua Livery Stable received the prestigious Steven H. Hart Award for outstanding efforts in historic preservation
Includes: Lunch, activities, outings and tons of fun. Space is limited. Call to reserve your spot.
Kid’s Night Out
Enjoy a night on the Town — we’ll take care of the kids! Kids will enjoy an evening program packed full of projects, art antics, and crazy experiments. Drop off your children with us for dinner and a fantastic time at the Museum. Tuesday, Friday and Saturday nights (New Year’s and other nights too!)
Reservations required • Fees: $40/1st child, $25/sibling For more information regarding the Museum and Programs please call: (970) 453-7878 or visit us Online at: mtntopmuseum.org
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ADVENTURE
AROUND TOWN
Teams began chipping and carving away on 20-ton blocks of snow as the Budweiser International Snow Sculpture Championships got underway in 2012.
SNOWMEN ON STEROIDS Breckenridge celebrates 25 years of international sculpture competition BY JESSICA SMITH
and
FIRST COME THE GIANT BLOCKS of snow. When the 12-foot-tall, 20-ton giants appear in Breckenridge’s Riverwalk Center parking lot, they look like a strange, icy Stonehenge. Then the snow carvers arrive with their tools and get to work. Over the next five days, the blocks transform, growing appendages, caverns, textures, developing depth. The teams work through the night, squinting in the harsh strung-up electric lights, racing to make the deadline by morning of the fifth day. 66
BRECK CONNECTION
KRISTA DRISCOLL
This is the Budweiser International Snow Sculpture Championships, a competition with global pull that takes place each winter in Breckenridge. This year, the event celebrates an important anniversary — 25 years of artistic creation, fierce competition and international acclaim. ROB NEYLAND, AKA CARVIN’ MARVIN Every year, sometime in mid-winter, Rob Neyland’s mind is taken over by his alter ego, his evil twin, Carvin’ Marvin — Marvin calls the shots, and Marvin is smitten with
EVENTS
whittling away at piles of white gold. “Oh my god, he is totally focused and pushes aside and makes a complete mess of the rest of my life because he figures the snow sculpture is the most important, so I have to stuff him kicking and screaming back into the closet after each competition,” Neyland said. Neyland has been feeding Marvin’s obsession with sculpting snow in Breckenridge since 1980, when the championships were still a no-name event, a sidebar to the town’s annual Ullr Fest. “The whole thing came from a coin toss from Ullr Fest in 1980,” Neyland said. “We flipped a coin to decide if we’d do a snow sculpture, which we’d never done before, or do a float for the Ullr Parade. It came up heads, so we did a snow sculpture.” Neyland and his team from Breckenridge Associates Real Estate continued to compete in the small, local competition, winning back-to-back awards with different pieces. “We won quite a few years in a row,” he said. “Then one day in 1985, a gentleman came along while we were working on our piece out in front of what is now Ember and he said, ‘Hey, you guys are pretty good. Have you ever thought about going to the nationals?’ And we said, ‘Holy crap — there are nationals? That, then and there, was when we were set on the course of: We need to elevate this art form for Breckenridge to make Breckenridge become known for this art form.” Bringing an international-level snow sculpture competition to Breckenridge was no small task. In order to drum up support, Neyland and his team — dubbed Team Breck — spent four or five years establishing Breckenridge as a name associated with world-class snow sculpting. The piece Team Breck constructed in 1987 for the newly
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sanctioned Colorado State Championships was titled “Earthlings” and depicted a woman swimming with a dolphin. A similar piece was constructed in 1988 at the U.S. National Championships, but with temperatures in Milwaukee hovering around freezing, the snow collapsed 20 minutes before the judging deadline. “That was a crushing blow, I have to say, because we were in a dead-on lock to win the nationals with that piece,” Neyland said. “We dragged our sorry butts on back to Breckenridge and said next year we’re going to go back.” The following year, in 1989, Team Breck again won the Colorado event and returned to nationals with a new sculpture concept titled “The Frozen Moment,” featuring a watch with exposed gears. The piece won a gold medal and the artists’ choice award, sending the local sculptors to the Carnaval de Québec, one of the largest and oldest snow art festivals in the world. Word of the team from the little town in the Colorado Rockies spread, bolstered in the following years by gold-medal wins at the Sapporo Snow Festival in Japan and the world championships in Finland and a silver medal at the world championships in Moscow. “All the while, we’re wearing Breckenridge from head to toe and telling everyone that we’re putting together a competition in Breckenridge and y’all need to come so we can whip up on you in Breckenridge,” he said. “We were out to establish Breckenridge as a liable venue for an international competition. We were on the march to collect names and numbers to build a database.” After years of compiling resources and contacts, Team Breck was ready to bring the international competition home. They put together a slide show of their work and presented it to “every organization that would sit still for it,” Neyland said, from realtors
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Sculptors work into the evening as viewers make their way to the venue for the Budweiser International Snow Sculpture Championships at the Riverwalk Center in Breckenridge, Colorado.
BRECKENRID GE INTERNATIONAL SNOW S CULP TURE CHAMPIONSHIP S Carving dates: Jan. 27-31, 2015 Viewing dates: Jan. 31 to Feb. 8, 2015 Location: Riverwalk Center, Breckenridge For more information, visit www.gobreck.com
and lodging properties to the town council. All the hard work paid off in 1991, when Breckenridge hosted its first International Snow Sculpture Championships. Though the sculptures are self-supported, it still takes an entire community to hold them up. The gigantic event wouldn’t have gotten off the ground without the initial help and continued support from the people of Breckenridge, Neyland said. “It is a tremendous tribute to this community that everyone steps
up to do that — the ski area gave us the snow, the town gave us the machinery and the machine time, the concrete company gave us the concrete forms, the crane people gave us the cranes, the lodging people and restaurants all weighed in,” Neyland said. The International Snow Sculpture Championships have become imprinted on the identity of Breckenridge, which was precisely the goal from the very beginning. “You can’t see any story or brochure or electronic imagery about Breckenridge in any venue in the world that does not include some sort of image of the snow sculpture that happens in Breckenridge every year. It’s become indelibly associated with Breckenridge, and I think that’s just splendid,” Neyland said. TOM DAY, THE ARTIST In 1996, five years after the championship began, co-founders
Rob Neyland and Ron Shelton asked Breckenridge local Tom Day to join Team Breck based on his artistic background. Day agreed and that year the three of them created “Cold Fusion,” a sculpture of a man and a woman rising out of a coil, leaning in for a kiss. That sculpture kicked off Day’s love affair with the art form, and from that date on, he competed in every Breckenridge championship except one. “I love it,” Day said. He estimates that he’s created around 23 snow sculptures during his 18-year-career. He loves the fact that competition doesn’t get in the way of making friends and having a good time. “That’s the best thing about this competition, is we don’t offer big money for first, second and third place,” he said. “You do that,
people don’t talk to each other.” Tool sharing is commonplace at the Breckenridge championships. Competition rules prohibit power tools; everything must be done by hand. There really aren’t any official tools for snow sculpting, so sculptors need to get creative. Day has modified everything from floor scrapers to cheese graters to create just the right effect. Working alongside other teams is a great way to pass on or pick up tips on techniques. In fact, the atmosphere of the event is his favorite part of the sculpting process. “The camaraderie of everybody out there working to achieve what they have set forth, and just hanging out with the people and sharing the tools,” he said. “It doesn’t really matter if I win or not or place whatever. I just enjoy the whole process of the competition. It’s really fun.” GOBRECK.COM
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'Great Expectations,' went on to win gold at the 2012 International Snow Sculpture Championships in Breckenridge.
KEITH MARTIN, THE CAPTAIN When Keith Martin moved to Breckenridge in 2001, his balcony looked right onto the parking lot where the snow sculptures go up every winter. “I told my wife — we were sitting right there on the patio, overlooking the parking lot, and I said, ‘I’m going to do that someday,’” Martin said. Not only has he kept his word, but Martin is also the captain of Team Breck. Martin’s love affair with snow and ice sculpting started even before he arrived in Summit County. He can recall exactly the moment when he knew he wanted to be a sculptor. While attending culinary school in Pennsylvania, he was given a block of ice to carve as a table decoration. Having been drawn to the culinary field by its artistic opportunities, the icy challenge intrigued him and he was hooked. “I knew it right then,” he said. Martin spent years working for Hearthstone Catering, improving 68
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his artistic and presentation skills and keeping an eye out for ways to follow the passion that was calling to him. In 2006, he got his big chance. The team from Germany that year had only two people, and needed a third to have any hope at competing. A colleague connected them with Martin. “The dynamics just clicked,” said Martin. It turned out that it was the first snow sculpture for the Germans as well, so everyone started out on equal footing, working together and finding a rhythm. “None of us had ever sculpted snow before and we won a bronze medal,” said Martin of the result. “What a great accomplishment!” Working with the Germans jumpstarted Martin’s snow sculpting career. Not long after his debut, the town revived the Breckenridge Snowflake Challenge, a snow sculpting competition for amateurs. Ecstatic, Martin teamed up with a friend to enter. They shoveled out a
stranger’s driveway for snow and got to work. They won. The next year, as winner, Martin was able to make his sculpture in the middle of downtown, and won again. It was then that he was approached by Neyland and asked if he’d be interested in joining the team. ”Thanks to them for having that competition, because I’d never have been able to get my name out there,” Martin said. Working with Team Breck was Martin’s dream, and allowed him to join in on competitions all over the world. “It opened the door of why I loved it,” he said. “It gives me a great way to travel and see different parts of the world. I had never been to Japan and would never had had a reason to go there.” Now, Martin’s winters are nearly entirely taken up by snow and ice sculpting. He does a couple competitions each year, and spends the rest of his time doing sculpting for events, such as the ice podium for an ice-climbing
event in Ouray, Colorado. Creating a snow sculpture, especially for an international competition, is a team effort. “Dynamics of the team really make a big difference,” Martin said. “I think we all respect each other’s talents.” Being able to explain his artistic vision for the sculpture is a key component, he added. In a way, giving directions for the sculpture is like giving directions as a chef. “You have to make the people in the kitchen envision what the thing’s going to look like out on that banquet table.” And, in the end, minor details “really make the difference between the gold and the bronze.” Martin’s favorite part of the process is the beginning, before any snow is packed or tools readied. “Coming up with the ideas might be the most fun, and at the same time it is the most challenging,” he said. The design not only has to evoke the right emotions from
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Team Breckenridge snow sculptor Tom Day faces his work head-on while carving on his team's piece, '8 Seconds' for the Budweiser International Snow Sculpture Championships in Breckenridge in 2013
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Team USA Breckenridge secured third prize in the 2011 International Snow Sculpture Championships with 'Underwater,' a piece that used the shape of the 12-foot-tall starting block to act as a frame for a below-the-sea scene.
colored LED lights. “It gave it that underwater feel and that look,” said Martin. “People walked up to it and felt like they all of a sudden stepped out of where they were standing and got into this underwater cave. There were so many aspects of it that I really really loved.” Martin hopes to do more with his sculpting in the future, whether it be for competitions or as involvement with winter sporting events like the X-Games or the Olympics. He also expressed interest in working with some of the nearby parks on creating some interactive designs for people to ski and ride over. “I’ve got a gazillion ideas for designs in my head,” he said. Whether he’s sculpting at home or abroad, Martin is happy. “I think it’s awesome to get out there and tell people what we’re doing and inspire other people,” he said. When spectators tell them that he has the coolest job ever, he responds that it’s not a job. “This is truly just love.”
HISTORIC WALKING TOUR Take a tour through Breckenridge’s Nationally Recognized Historic District. Along the way hear stories of the gold seekers, rough individuals, and other hardy souls who lived in Breckenridge over 100 years ago. Allow 90 minutes to complete the tour.
about a private tour. r needs, please inquire you fit ’t esn do le edu If our sch
the viewer, but also stand up against designs from some of the best snow sculptors from around the world. Breckenridge also provides snow of a very high quality, which allows sculptors to become more creative and daring with their designs. The most successful sculptures are not only artistic, but challenging in an engineering aspect as well. “You want people to actually get into it, so they’re feeling what you’re trying to put into that sculpture,” Martin said. “In our sculpture there’s emotion. We want people to see that and feel that and relate with it to work with the story that we’re portraying.” Martin’s favorite sculpture that he’s done with Team Breck is the underwater sculpture they carved for the Breckenridge competition in 2011, winning them a bronze medal. “It was something different that no one else had come up with before,” he said. It was also the first time competitors could use
BARNEY FORD VICTORIAN HOUSE TOUR Home of escaped slave turned prominent Breckenridge businessman, and black civil rights leader.
TOUR OFFERINGS
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BEHIND SWINGING DOORS SALOON TOUR Taste the spirits of the Breckenridge Distillery and learn about the historic saloons of Breckenridge. Tour includes Distillery tasting when available. Reservations required, space is limited. BRECKENRIDGE HAUNTED TOUR The eerie, the unexplained and the creepy will be experienced as you stroll the historic streets of town. Upon entering the homes of Breckenridge’s former citizens, you’ll wonder…was it a draft or did you just meet Mrs. Briggle? SUMMIT SKI EXHIBIT Celebrating the first ski town in Colorado and the first 100 years of skiing in Summit County. The Summit Ski Museum is a colorful look into the history of skiing in Summit County. Watch a ski documentary, see vintage skis, and read about sitting at its root. The museum features time period clothing, equipment, and a special exhibit about the 10th Mountain Division.
Seasonal tours also available. For more information or to make a reservation, call 970-453-9767 x2 Tickets may be purchased online at
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EAT & DRINK An early photo of the 1909 schoolhouse building.
A CASTLE IN THE KINGDOM RESTORED
BY KRISTA DRISCOLL
Workers gather outside the schoolhouse building in 1908 during construction.
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TH E B R ECK E NR I D G E G R A ND VACATI O NS CO M M UNI TY C E N T E R and South Branch Library renovation project, a collaborative effort between the town of Breckenridge and Summit County, is completely transforming a century-old building on Harris Street in Breckenridge, creating a new gathering space for the Summit County community. The original brick schoolhouse structure was built in 1909, with an addition at the rear of the building added in 1921, including an auditorium, gymnasium and an indoor swimming pool. Since then, the building has been home to Breckenridge Town Hall and Colorado Mountain College, accumulating various layers of history as part of the town’s National Historic District. CO MB I N I N G PA ST, P R ESEN T It’s not always simple to seamlessly meld the past and the present, but that is the goal with the community center renovation. Due to be completed in early December, the architectural firm in charge of the new design, Anderson Hallas Architects, PC, describes the project as “a stateof-the-art blending of historic preservation and sustainability.” Once thought to be mutually exclusive, these two philosophies are actually quite complimentary, the firm said. The building was originally designed to utilize assets such as daylight for lighting and natural ventilation and to minimize energy consumption. The project aims to reclaim these historic techniques and enhance them for modern needs. From reusing materials to tearing out walls and floors to improve airflow, the architects and contractors have slowly brought the building back to its former glory.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE SUMMIT HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Community center in Breckenridge will combine architectural history with modern-day conveniences
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The finished community center will have three levels. The lower level is home to the new Speakeasy Theater and includes an addition housing the theater’s concessions, restrooms and a new entrance. The majority of the remaining space on the lower level is consumed by a general-purpose room, which can be used for events and receptions and has its own set of restrooms, a catering kitchen and a coffee shop. On the main level of the building is the Summit County Libraries’ South Branch Library, with book stacks in the large, open portion of the room that used to be home to the gymnasium, plus study rooms around the edges and access to the mezzanine level. The mezzanine is divided into office spaces for The Summit Foundation, the Breckenridge Heritage Alliance and the Breckenridge Film Festival, as well as a few nooks and crannies for small lounge areas and causal meeting places. REDUC I NG C A R BO N FO OT P R IN T Reusing the existing schoolhouse building, rather than creating a new structure from scratch, not only celebrates a vital piece of the community’s history,
but also eliminates the need to manufacture and haul new materials to the site. This allowed the project to reduce its environmental impact from the start. “The greenest building is one that’s already been built, and this project in particular already speaks to that in many ways,” said Liz Hallas, of Anderson Hallas, principal in charge of the project. “The fact that the building is being reused is reducing the carbon footprint of demolishing a resource and building from the ground up.” Graham Johnson, assistant project manager for Spectrum General Contractors and project engineer for the Harris Street renovation, said gutting the building and removing interior walls opened it up and brought back some of its original efficiencies. “It’s pretty typical of a lot of historic buildings — ones that were built before air conditioning had been invented or anything like that — they were built with features to keep the buildings comfortable,” he said. “Operable windows, natural ventilation, high ceilings that allow for natural air flow through the building —
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THE FACT THAT T H E BU I L D I NG IS BEING RE U S E D I S RE D U C I NG THE CARB ON FO OT PRI NT O F D EMOLIS HING A RE SO U RC E A ND BU I LDING FRO M T HE G RO U ND U P.” — L IZ HA LLA S, O F AN D ERSO N H AL LAS, PRI NC I PA L I N C HA R GE O F TH E PROJECT windows were sealed shut or closed shut, and you have a mechanical system to make up for what you’ve taken away from the original building.” With the new design, the windows are operable again to allow for ventilation, and the removal of the drop ceilings and the second floor over the main library area provides more airflow. “You’ll get back the historic volume, an accurate historic representation of the space, but it’s also practical and functional for helping keep it comfortable,” Johnson said. “It’s a very common thing when renovating this kind
those are all characteristics of older buildings.” Over the years, as the building went through its many iterations, it was easier to add drop ceilings to run new wiring and piping, rather than running it through the walls, and the structure lost many of the features that made it efficient. “In doing that, you lower the original ceiling and you lost some of that height that allows for good air flow,” Johnson said. “For a long time, there’s been a really big push for not having operable windows, to control temperatures in a sealed environment. Those
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of building where changes made 20, 30, 40 years ago hurt the original design.” HO L DI N G O N TO HI STO RY After the initial abatement to remove hazardous materials such as asbestos in the drywall, other elements of the existing structure were evaluated to see where materials could be reused or recycled. Where possible, areas of stone walls at the lower level that were in good condition were exposed, which helped contribute to the character of the building, as well as reducing the drywall, paint and trim materials needed, the architects said. Additional materials were also retained to add to the historic look and feel of the new community center, including a tin ceiling from one of the old classrooms, flooring from the original school built in 1909 and elements from the theater. Most of what the architects intended and planned has been pursued, said Liz Hallas, of Anderson Hallas Architects, PC, principal in charge of the project. “The tin ceiling, that work is starting to proceed,” she said.
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“We’re putting that back into what will be the Breckenridge Heritage Alliance space.” The tin squares formed the ceiling of the northeast classroom in the 1909 section of the building and are some of the only intact, historical ceiling materials that could be saved. “We asked Spectrum to carefully remove, salvage and inventory it,” Hallas said. “Due to the acoustical properties, we’ll put it back in the second floor, a different classroom. The story can be told a little more easily in that space. The Breckenridge Heritage Alliance can point to it as a salvaged item. “It’s currently getting cleaned up and will be repainted and reinstalled in that area. We’re using creative strategies to retain as much as possible. There’s a little bit of a soffit at the perimeter, a smaller footprint that will be installed, because there were some pieces that weren’t able to be salvaged.” The historic windows, which were in fairly good shape for this climate, are being restored for reuse with all new weather stripping for energy efficiency, the
The schoolhouse on Harris Street originally contained a gymnasium. Pieces of the gym floor will be used in various locations in the new library and community center.
An addition at the rear of the building in 1921, included an auditorium, gymnasium and indoor swimming pool. 72
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architects said, and several of the Speakeasy murals were salvaged for reuse in the new theater, as well as other bits and pieces, said Graham Johnson, assistant project manager for Spectrum General Contractors and project engineer for the Harris Street renovation. “The old stage curtain rigging was shared with a local theater for reuse, and old theater chairs were shared with interested parties for reuse in a variety of places,” Johnson said. REFINI S H I NG FLO O R I NG Part of the gym floor will stay right where it is in the teen area on the north side of the main library room by the main elevator, Johnson said. “It will be repaired and refinished,” he said. “It was pulled up and salvaged, reinstalled as a border all the way around the main room of the library; it’ll be going back in its original place as a border with carpet in the middle so foot traffic is quiet. Upstairs in the fireplace nook, we’re using a small section of the floor up there to differentiate that space.” All the carpets and steel are made of recycled-content
materials, and the sheet flooring is also a sustainable material, the architects said. Hallas said adding the gym flooring to the fireplace area is a recent update to the building plan. “We’re going to be able to reuse some of the existing maple floor up there to highlight that as a special zone within the building,” she said. “It’s a new opportunity to use some of the existing materials that were salvaged.” Other flooring will also be reused, such as the Douglas fir from the second floor of the original 1909 school building, which will be refinished and reinstalled in the nonprofit offices and the flex space conference room. The maple dance floor that people remember from the Colorado Mountain College dance studio has also found a new home. “It’s in the Robert Whyte House in the Arts District project,” Johnson said. “We have some extra maple floor from the gym that will be leftover, also. Not sure if there are plans for it, but we’re certainly not going to get rid of it.”
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Many of the original railings in the 1909 section of the building are being refinished.
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GETTING TO KNOW KERI HERMAN Breckenridge Olympian adjusts to life after Sochi Olympics
AFTER A QUICK “LET’S DO IT” at the top of the slope, it doesn’t take long before Olympic slopestyle freeskier Keri Herman’s gone, weaving in and out of some of Breckenridge Ski Resort’s tightest tree lines at speeds most on the mountain would find unsettling. But for the 10-year Breckenridge resident it’s more like second nature, even if she leaves the mountain’s terrain park only for the occasional powder day. Minutes earlier a ski patroller had dropped the ropes to open the resort’s double-black diamond “Windows” run — a heavily gladed portion of Peak 9 — granting access to the 7 fresh inches of snow that had fallen overnight. Occasionally a glimpse of Herman’s purple ski pants and black jacket peaked through the trees and then were gone again. She was off at her own pace, in her own world — keep up if you can. “She’s always been that way,” Herman’s mother, Diana, said, busily preparing dinner in her Minnesota home but still insisting on taking the time for a phone interview. “She’s always kind of liked to march to her own drum.” As a kid that meant anything from climbing trees in the backyard to joining the first girls’ hockey team in her hometown. “I’d just about die seeing how high up she was,” Diana Herman said, recalling looking out the window into the backyard and seeing her daughter climbing a tree at age 4 or 5. “She says she’s afraid of heights. I have a 76
hard time believing that. She’s always been a daredevil.” Herman’s father, John — also an avid skier who once also called Colorado home — echoed the sentiment. “If there’s something crazy and fun to do she’ll be the one to do it.” Back at the bottom of E-Chair, Herman headed straight for the line to jump back on and do it again. “That was sick,” she said with the signature smile that rarely leaves her face when she’s clicked into her skis. On the chair the multiple Dew Tour and X Games medalist already was thinking about the next line, one that doesn’t usually get tracked right away on a powder day. After a morning of charging fresh lines — stopping only to buy a coffee to drink on the chair — it’s hard to imagine that the longtime pro skier once had her sights set on a finance or marketing career on Wall Street. “I never thought that would match with her personality at all,” Herman’s mother said. Her father agreed. “She wasn’t the personality to be a CPA.” Something in marketing maybe, he explained. But when Herman came to her parents and told them she was going make a career of skiing, Diana didn’t exactly see that either. “When she said she wanted to be a pro skier I rolled my eyes,” she said, adding that in her mind the cartoon thought bubble said, “Re-
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ally? Why don’t you get a real job?” John on the other hand, a self-described ski nut whom Herman clearly seems to take after, said go for it. “I had no idea that she was going to turn into an Olympic skier,” he said, looking back at a time when X Games and Dew Tour weren’t the spectacles they’ve become. “I just thought why not go for it, try your passion.” Diana has since come around. “When I saw how happy it made her, that’s all I cared about.” She said. “I’m her biggest fan (now). I’m so happy she did it. I was wrong, she was right.” With an appearance in the inaugural Olympic slopestyle com-
petition earlier this year in Sochi, Russia, it’s been a crazy season for the 31-year-old Herman. But as the 2013/14 season drew to a close, she said not a whole lot has changed — a trip to the White House to meet the president and first lady and invite them to Breckenridge not withstanding. “I was there (in Sochi) the entire time, so I felt like it didn’t even happen when I came home. When I got back all the hype was done. Life just eased back into normal Keri living.” That normal also included a quick trip to Italy for the annual Nine Queens women’s slopestyle competition, where she took third. But around town she
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BY SE BASTIAN FOLTZ
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PHOTOS BY SEBASTIAN FOLTZ
said she doesn’t get recognized any more or any less. “It doesn’t feel like anything’s really changed. People around town say what’s up, but that’s how it was before. It’s just stayed pretty mellow.” While she didn’t come back from Sochi with a medal, that didn’t seem to matter much. She finished 10th in the finals in Sochi — a mistake on her first run, followed by two rough landings on her second, cost her a higher placing. But money, competition results, that’s not what skiing is about for her.
“That’s not why she does it,” Herman’s mother said. “She does it because she loves it.” For Herman, it’s just fun. “You always have to have fun. I try to have fun every single day of my life. As long as skiing is helping me do that, I’m going to continue. It keeps a smile on my face all day long, and all night waiting for the next day. Skiing is just the best,” she says with a big smile.
GO BRECK
And she continues to take the same approach to training. “I don’t train,” she’s quick to respond. “I try not to train, or call it training, or act like it’s training. To me that takes the fun out of it. I want to just keep that easygoing fun-loving attitude, cruising around having a blast at all times, without the serious aspect. It’s just another day with your friends. It’s just playtime; it’s like recess at
I T D O E SN ’T F E E L L I K E A NYT H I NG’ S R E A L LY C H A N GE D. PEO P L E A RO U N D TOW N SAY WHAT ’ S U P, B U T T H AT ’S H OW I T WA S BE FO R E . I T ’S JU ST STAY E D P RE T TY M E L LOW.” — KE RI HE RMAN
school 100 percent of the time.” Before qualifying for Sochi she told the Summit Daily News that if she managed to make it and medal, great, and if it didn’t happen she was just as happy about the opportunity. That seems to have rung true through the Olympics, according to her mother. “I think I took it harder than she did,” Diana Herman said of her daughter not medaling. “She seems just fine with it.” Herman’s so at ease with it that she elected not to compete in the Association of Freeskiing Professionals World Champion-
ships held this April in British Columbia, even though she was ranked No. 4 in the world in slopestyle — a ranking she wasn’t even aware of. She decided instead to enjoy some time with friends. “I have no clue what I am,” she said of her ranking. “It’s the end of the year. I’ve had a good season. It’s important to have some you time.” As for the future? While some past sponsors might not have much faith in the seasoned star coming off of one of her best years in competition, she’s already got her sights set on 2018 in South Korea. “I’m going… oh, yeah, for sure.” After a pause, she repeated, “For sure.” She tensed noticeably at the mention of her age, clearly frustrated at the notion that it’s even an issue. “I hate having to always talk about it. I don’t see my age as a challenge at all. I think it’s stupid. I mean our sport’s so young, you don’t know how old you can be. Look at BMXers in the Dew Tour, skateboarders in the Dew Tour. They’re in their 40s and still on top of the podiums. That’s going to be me.” And she’s right. Last year at age 40, skateboarder Bucky Lasek won his fourth consecutive X Games gold medal. Herman’s mother said that’s been the hardest part in the last year. “Unfortunately, the sponsors don’t see it that way. They don’t seem to embrace that.” Time will tell, but betting against Herman wouldn’t appear to be the smart choice. She thrives on challenges and said she plans to show people they shouldn’t count her out, and that she hopes to set a precedent for future skiers going forward. “I’m going to ski forever. I’m going to ski till I’m a hundred,” she said with conviction. “That’s just the facts. As long as I’m having this much fun skiing, there’s no reason to do anything else. I’ve found my place.” GOBRECK.COM
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C.J. Mueller was recently inducted into the Colorado Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame.
THE LEGEND OF CRAZY JOHN Breckenridge’s C.J. Mueller reflects on career and Hall of Fame induction BY SEBASTIAN FOLTZ
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the 1992 Winter Olympics as a demonstration sport, speed skiing all but disappeared from the mainstream winter sports realm. Why hurtling straight down a hill at well over 100 mph — the current record is 156.8 mph — didn’t stick around when that year’s other demonstration sport, curling, did is up for debate. Athlete deaths certainly may have made for a compelling argument to drop it, or it could simply have been a popularity issue. While the International Ski Federation (FIS) still sanctions speed skiing as a World Cup-level discipline, the limited number of events are primarily in Europe, with a few in Canada. The United States no longer has a team or domestic competition. However, for more than 20 years during what was the sport’s peak — leading up to the 1992 Olympics — one Breckenridge resident was continually at the top of the list of the world’s fastest men on skis. Today, he’s the guy who annually leads the Breckenridge Fourth of July parade dressed as George Washington, but in the 1970s, ’80s and early ’90s C.J. Mueller was breaking world records — eventually topping out at 137 mph on skis — and was continually among the top five in international and later World Cup races. ONLY U.S. SPEED SQUAD His feats earned him a spot on the U.S. Ski Team’s only Olympic speed team squad, and more recently a place in the Colorado Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame.
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Three times he broke world records. He also finished 10th in the 1992 Olympics, in Albertville, France, and yet the quiet 63-year-old describes himself as having never been much of a risk taker. He said skiing at those speeds was actually very safe, if you knew what you were doing. His friends, who dubbed him “Crazy John” in the early ’70s, might offer a different take on his approach to the sport. “Everyone had a nickname,” Mueller said of his early time in Breckenridge, when most of the town’s roads were still dirt. “The guys decided I was ‘Crazy John’ and it stuck.” Mueller said he earned the name from the days when he and his friends would borrow shovels from the lift operators and build jumps on Peak 8, back before terrain on Peaks 6, 7, 9 or 10 existed. When Mueller moved to Breckenridge in 1970 there were only four chairlifts on Peak 8. “I really miss the camaraderie of skiing back then,” he said. “For the most part everybody knew each other, and if you didn’t know people, you met them.” Looking back at the ’70s and ’80s, he said it was also common to find fresh lines as much as a week after a storm. While appreciating the past, he welcomes skiing’s evolution over the years, with faster chairlifts and much more terrain to cover. After starting his career in local downhill races, where he and his friends wore old baseball uniforms, Mueller got into speed skiing almost by chance in 1981 while visiting friends in Val d’Isere,
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France. His first time out he said he reached 100 mph and was hooked. “I don’t know what it was about skiing and going fast,” he said, looking back. “I just really enjoyed being in a tuck and going fast.” At his home outside of town, Mueller proudly pulled out one of the nearly 8-foot-long skis that he used to become the first skier to crack 130 mph. It still sits in his ski closet in the house’s entryway with a quiver of more modern models. Trophies from any number of races are prominently displayed down in his study. And just the thought of his racing days still brings a smile to his face, as he demonstrates a tuck position with his custom aerodynamic poles. As to what goes through your mind at those speeds, the answer was simple. Absolutely nothing. You tense up and point downhill. He likened the feeling to being a stone skipping across a pond. “Developing the mental capacity to do that was the big key,” he said. “It’s being so focused that you don’t have a conscious thought. That was the really satisfying part of it, the mental training.” Mueller said he was humbled by his recent induction into the Colorado Hall of Fame. He said he was most proud that both his 88-year-old father and 90-year-old mother could attend his ceremony.
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C.J. Mueller competed in the now-defunct Olympic sport of speed skiing.
I T WA S J UST A G REAT F EELI NG G O I NG FA ST.” — C . J. MUEL L ER
“Speed skiing is just not very well known. I didn’t think it was a big enough deal that I’d ever be elected,” he said, adding that he was speechless when the news came.
But for him the sport was never about accolades anyway. It was just the joy of skiing, and most who participated were more concerned about personal bests than overall wins. “It was just a great feeling going fast. That was the big draw for a lot of people. Most of the people weren’t there to win. There were guys just trying to go faster than they’ve ever been before.” RETIREMENT PLANS These days Mueller is just another man around town, in a town full of athletes — except that he’s got County
Commissioner Dan Gibbs planning surprises for him at parties in his honor. Mueller also said he still gets plenty of days on the mountain; they’re just shorter than they used to be and not quite as fast. Perhaps more than anything he’s looking forward to taking advantage of the lifetime Colorado ski pass that comes with entrance to the hall. A trip to Telluride is one of the first items on his bucket list. Because, while he’s skied and competed across the globe, he’s never skied the San Miguel County resort that’s just a few hours away.
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h t e e T f o s u t u t d n a er Warner
N AM E: John Gre AG E: 63 ridge ayor of Brecken Dentist and m : ON SI ES OF PR ’80s, Warner ay back in the W G? N RI EA W H AT IS H E W volved with a P TA Halloween
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in ee the giggling gl was asked to be dge. Much to ri s, en nt ck re re pa B g in in carnival of attend ed d amusement an nn n do re t is ild nt ch de e of th ustachioed m d un po e 0th 20 as rushes the 6-foot-2, nded out toothb ha d an t tu ou e tu m a a wig and stume has co nce then, the co eded, Tooth Fair y. Si g skills were ne tin gh -fi er rt ta r’s ne staff, skiing whenever War with his dental s he nc lu n ee g the Imperial be it Hallow Buffet, tacklin p um B t nc fu port Road to the now de g a sign on Air in ut to or e ng Challe ion initiatives. ildhood educat ch y rl ea e ot prom es to delight e costume serv th id sa r ne ar W H Y TH IS ? W ne who sees it. “It’s a way to show out er yo le thinking ab and disarm ev ile and get peop sm to nd le ha op I’d pe off, get would ski, said. “W hen I om, and their teeth,” he tu on the bott tu y m e or w I sion . es sh as quite the vi out toothbru y knees, so I w m t a ec d ot an pr n to kneepads n, harmless fu It ’s good, clea king then, as well. … al health and ta nt people on de ng si cu fo of way lves.” care of themse
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