| winter
season |
| |
| summer
season |
| |
| resort height |
| Breckenridge 2926m |
| Keystone 2835m |
| highest lift
|
| 3664m |
| snow range |
| 9,600 - 12,215ft |
| snow
probability |
| excellent |
| transfer
times |
| Denver 2hrs |
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resort map |
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queues **** | scenery *** | resort charm *** |
restaurants ** | convenience *** |
| Breckenridge,
famous for snow, service and sunshine, is the number 1 choice in the
US for British skiers. Breckenridge
has maintained its 'Old West' charm of the gold mining era and
successfully combines a fun and friendly atmosphere with a fantastic
ski area. It is very popular with first-time visitors to Colorado.
Keystone, located a short distance from
Breckenridge, is a sprawling resort of condominiums. There is no clear
centre but a division of neighbourhoods linked by buses. At River Run,
at the base of the main gondola, a new development is set to become
the focal point of the resort.
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| At
9,600ft, Breckenridge is the highest resort in America, with a huge
ski area and slopes runs down into the village.
Situated in the heart of the Rockies, its one of the
closest resorts to Denver Airport. |
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Breckenridge has good snow conditions, but Keystone's natural snowfall
is low by Colorado standards. Shortage of snow is rarely a problem
however, especially because Keystone has one of the world's
biggest snow making system.
The altitude could
course health problems, such as dehydration, nausea and headaches.
Visitors should drink lots of water and abstain from alcohol. |
|
Breckenridge |
|
There are four main ski areas- Peak 7, 8, 9 & 10. There
is a a great network of tree-lined blue and black runs across all the
peaks. |
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The town is renowned as a lively town with lots of
pubs and restaurants. There are a couple of nightclubs for partygoers.
There are plenty of boutiques, art galleries and ski shops.
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Christmas lights and decorations remain throughout
the season and there are a number of winter festivals, including an
ice-sculpture competition. |
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Longer-term, there are plans to build villages at
Peaks 7 and 8 and to link them to town by gondola. |
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Keystone |
|
Since Keystone's slopes are impressive, its
unfortunate that there is a
lack of a real village at their base. Keystone's snow making
facilities usually allows it to be one of the first US resorts to
open- usually in October! Keystone is less compelling, but
probably more friendly than Breckenridge. |
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Price is probably its main advantage. There is good
value accommodation, but a hire-car is recommended to compensate
the lack of shops if you're self-catering, or plan to eat out more
often than not. |
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There are three main interlinked mountains, however
only one, 'Keystone Mountain', is accessible directly from the
village. Lifts serve 'North Peak' and 'The Outback' from Keystone
Mountain. |
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ü good points |
û
bad points |
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ü |
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reliable snow |
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ü |
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wide choice of restaurants and nightlife |
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ü |
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attractive town centre |
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ü |
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good base to visit other resorts in area |
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ü |
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efficient lifts |
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ü |
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range of ski school courses |
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ü |
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Keystone opens in October |
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û |
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high altitude could lead to sickness |
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û |
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peak period overcrowding |
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û |
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advanced slopes can be windy |
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û |
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main street is busy with traffic |
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aprés ski |
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a good choice of lively bars. try The Brewery. |
|
activities |
|
snowmobiling * sleigh rides * dog
sledding * ice
skating * balloon rides * snowshoe tours * cross country skiing *
racket ball * indoor tennis * night skiing * line dancing |
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eating out |
|
over 100 restaurants. prices from about $10. try the
Alpine Cafe and Rasta Pasta's |
|
other amenities |
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shopping with western arts and crafts* swimming pools,
sauna, jacuzzi * massage * video rental |
|
children & teenagers |
|
children 7-12 years, teenagers 13-17 years |
| tourist
office |
|
Breckenridge, CO 80424 |
|
tel 001 970 453 5000 |
|
fax 001 970 453 3202 |
|
