My husband and I went on an overnight trip to the Rocky Mountain ski town of Breckenridge, Colorado, a couple weeks ago, and I thought you might like to come along for a virtual ride with us! Here we are traveling west on Interstate 70, which is a ten to fifteen-minute ride from our house. (All photos in this post will enlarge if clicked on)
As you can see, here in the foothills of Colorado, we have not had that much snow this winter. When it has snowed. the temperature goes up enough to melt it rather quickly. March is supposed to be our snowiest month, and so far we've had one 4 inch snowstorm. The mountains. meanwhile, have had plentiful snow--Breckenridge has had 300 inches of snow this winter! Great for skiing and all winter sports.
One of the first milestones we passed along I 70 is the town of Idaho Springs. You can see the historic Argo Gold Mine in my photo collage in the lower left corner. As you can see, snow is beginning to become visible in the distance.
We pass through the Eisenhower-Johnson Memorial Tunnel--a dual bore, four-lane vehicular tunnel approximately 50 miles west of Denver, Colorado. The tunnel carries Interstate 70 under the Continental Divide in the Rocky Mountains. Completed in 1979, with an elevation of 11,158 feet above sea level, it is one of the highest vehicular tunnels in the world. The tunnel is the longest mountain tunnel and the highest point on the interstate highway system.
As soon as we exit the tunnel the Rocky Mountains appear!
There are severe grades all along this road which makes me feel as if we are driving on a roller coaster---no gas required as we drive down this steep grade---whee!
We soon see the sign to turn off Interstate 70 to Route 9 towards Frisco and Breckenridge.
Frisco has some beautiful scenery! It is close to four ski towns: Copper Mountain, Breckenridge, Keystone, and Arapaho Basin.
Continuing on, we see the Breckenridge ski trails come into view!
Aren't they beautiful?
Breckenridge Ski Resort is one of the most visited ski resorts in the western hemisphere.
With five huge peaks spanning 2,908 acres, skiing in Breckenridge is for all abilities. It also has North America's highest chairlift, the Imperial Express, which brings one up to the high alpine bowls for unforgettable views. and steep skiing.
Some more views of the ski peaks and lodging.
Considering this area has had over 300 inches of snow this winter the streets and sidewalks are very clear.
The charming town of Breckenridge is comprised of many authentic buildings that over a hundred years old. There are many options for shopping, dining, and nightlife.
The visitor center in town had a few exhibits about Breckenridge's history. Click on to enlarge the photo above, and then click on again to make it full size, to read this letter from a miner to his wife about Breckenridge, written in 1860.
Imagine finding this 20-pound gold nugget? Click on photo to enlarge it. The gold rush days brought many speculators to Colorado. Now winter and summer sports are the biggest draw of most old mining towns.
This was the view we had outside on our hotel terrace. We watched as skiers walked to a lift.
I zoomed in to see a few on the lift ready to begin their adventure.
We were not staying in Breckenridge to ski, however. We were going to enjoy a few other adventures. This is my husband beginning to walk into one of them. Check back next post to see more!
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