Growing up, my family took ski vacations every winter; mostly Spirit Mountain, Lutsen Mountain, or Giants Ridge. Now that I’m ‘all grown up’ I’ve gotten a taste of the mountains and there is no going back. Lucky for me, Vail Resorts offers the Epic Pass. There are lots of pass options to choose from, and along with the Rocky Mountain resorts, most include skiing at Afton Alps right at home in the Twin Cities!
My most recent adventure was on a whim as a last ditch effort to prolong the season. In a classic ‘long weekend’ trip, I flew to Denver on a Thursday night. My go-to stop along I-70 is Evergreen, CO, about 20 miles West of Denver. I’ve stayed at the Comfort Suites Golden West a handful of times and it has not disappointed. After a good nights sleep, I got on the road at 6 am and made my way to Beaver Creek. This was a new destination for me, and I was excited to go down these runs for the first time. It’s also the furthest Epic Resort along I-70, which is why I hadn’t made the trek before. After a couple hours on the road I found myself in the ‘Bear’ parking lot and got shuttled over to the Lower Beaver Creek Mountain Express Lift. The shuttle to and from the lot is free and was fairly easy to navigate for a first-timer like myself. I started off with the runs on Arrowhead Mountain, and throughout the day made my way through Larkspur Bowl and over to Beaver Creek Mountain. I quickly found my favorite spot at the top of Larkspur Bowl (pictured). While it’s not the highest point at the resort, it’s wide open, less crowded, and provides gorgeous views. It was the end of March, the sun was out, and the snow was melting. By mid-afternoon I was skiing through slush. That was my cue to make my way back across the mountain. I ended where my day began, only having to wait a few minutes to catch the shuttle for the short ride back to my car. My condo rental for the weekend was a ski-in-ski-out in Breckenridge, about an hour drive back East, so it was nice to get on the road during day light and get settled in for the weekend.
I checked-in to a newly renovated studio in 4 O’Clock Lodge Friday evening, this rental was perfect. One block down from the Snowflake lift on Peak 8, it was a short walk to hop on the chair and hit the slopes. At the end of the day, 4 O’Clock run took me to the back door of the condo, could not be any easier. What I really loved about this location was the quick walk (just over 0.5 mile) to main street and downtown Breckenridge. I parked my car on Friday night and didn’t get back in until it was time to head home. After a late night traveling and skiing all day I was ready to relax for the evening. My one stop before settling in was Sauce on the Maggie for a wild mushroom pizza, it was well worth the trip.
Saturday was another full day of skiing. Breckenridge has become my favorite resort out West (so far) due to its size and variety of runs. Based on my location, I started out in the middle of the resort on Peak 8 and branched out from there. I have a soft spot for the runs on Peak 7, but have also found this to be one of the busier areas. A real gem on this side of the mountain is Peak 6, up the Kensho Superchair. Above the treeline, these runs start out a little steeper than most but turn into groomed runs after the initial drop. I haven’t made it up to any of the true bowls Breckenridge has to offer, so this is a nice constellation for me. From Peak 6 I made my way back across the mountain and ended my day on Peak 10. The Falcon Super Chair takes you up, and the only way down is via black diamond runs. Still lots of variety and people on this side of the mountain, but not as busy as the major peaks. When it was time to call it a day, I found 4 O’Clock run and crossed my fingers hoping I would recognize the back of my rental. My second night in the condo was spent relaxing by the fireplace with a good book and a glass of wine. After a full day of skiing, I was happy to curl up and call it an early night.
The final day of my ‘long weekend’ started early, like 5 am early. My destination was Estes Park, about a three hour drive from Breckenridge. It felt like I traveled through four different seasons during those three hours. The trip started in a snowstorm, not my idea of a good time when driving through the mountains. When the snow passed, a dense fog rolled in. This was followed by rain showers, and finally bright blue skies filled with sunshine when I reached my final destination. The parking lot at the trailhead to Gem Lake was pretty full. I welcome this when I’m hiking solo, it gives me some peace of mind knowing I’m not completely alone on the trail. The hike to Gem Lake is uphill – it’s an out and back trail, about 1.5 miles one way. Not too strenuous, but walking over a mile on an incline does take some time, especially when stopping to appreciate the gorgeous views of Rocky Mountain National Park. I enjoyed my lunch while overlooking Estes Park and took some time to catch my breath. With a few hours to spare before my flight I decided to continue on another two miles to Balanced Rock. This portion of the trail was snow covered and icy in some areas, I put my hiking spikes to good use. Only a couple people decided to make the trek past Gem Lake, this made for a peaceful hike through varied terrain. When I set out on a hike, I’m all about the reward. Trying to focus more on the journey every day, but a beautiful destination is so fulfilling after a long hike. Balanced Rock didn’t really do that for me, but it was an enjoyable hike on a beautiful day.
The drive back to the airport, marked the end of my weekend. It was a quick trip, but filled with gorgeous views and unforgettable experience. Breckenridge will always be a favorite, but Gem Lake was just the tip of the iceberg. Next stop, Rocky Mountain National Park?
Related post: check out what I wore
