R&R in ski country

[Pilgrim]

The recent travelogue with pix inspired me to share a few photos...all taken with my cell phone, so don't expect anything like the great photos in that thread.

Things have been really nuts at work and JoAnn and I finally got a few days away - we're in Breckenridge, Colorado.  The town is at 9600 feet, surrounded by mountains and a ski area that gets up to over 12,000 feet in many places.  (The highest peaks on the right side of the map are over 12,900 feet.) It's one of the top ski destinations in the US, but it's also popular in summer.  

Like most Colorado mountain towns, Breckenridge originated as a mining town but after most mines closed, it was left with a huge environmental cleanup, and a greatly reduced population. It has re-invented itself into a top recreational destination in summer and winter.

Here's a look at the ski trail map, which covers multiple peaks:



I thought I'd throw in a few photos while regaining some semblance of sanity.

A shot of some ski runs up the hill from the pond marking the spot of one of the main 1800's dredge areas - now thoroughly cleaned up and transformed.  One of the large ski lifts is the curved roof visible on the right side of the photo:



Main street and some of the typical late 1800's / early 1900's buildings (hey, in this part of the west there weren't any buildings before 1859...)



Another main street shot:



One of the local restaurants dressed up with summer flowers...



Tourist transportation:



Art show going on this weekend with ski runs visible in the background:



A very old building under renovation:



The stream going through town - 80 years ago, it was a rock-choked, desolate mess, but it has really been cleaned up:

[SKATE RAT]

beautiful. i went snowboarding there a few years ago. awesome! Breckenridge, Arapahoe basin was incredible and we did some great back country riding with some locals. 60 degree weather and it snowed 2 feet of fresh powder every night for the week i was there. i couln't have picked a better time. but we got snowed in and stuck at the airport at Colorado springs for 2 days.luckily they had a good bar.

[Highlander]

That's my kind of blue...

Nothing wrong with those pics, Al... nothing at all...

[Pilgrim]

There's a Fun Park at about 10,000 feet on Peak 7 - along with a new coaster ride on rails.  I rode the coaster, which features 2500 feet of drop...and decided to shoot video with my cell camera.

[Highlander]

I rode the coaster, which features 2500 feet of drop...

Not all in one go...

Not many of us have brown underwear in the draw...