Breckenridge

If one word sums up the challenge of Breckenridge skiing, that word is moguls. Big ones, deep ones, curvy ones, you name it; here they are. Peak 10 offers the toughest terrain. It has steep, groomed runs on the face of the mountain with tree skiing on the north side, called The Burn, along with the difficult and challenging bump trails of Corsair and Spitfire.

The south side of Peak 10 is a hidden paradise for bump-skiers with spectacular views of the valley. Try that out before moving onto the even steeper and tougher Lake Chutes—the best challenges for experts with pitches of up to 51 degrees and some areas accessible only from cornices or by going off-piste or into one of the bowls. Also try Horseshoe, Cucumber or Contest—all three are worthy double black diamond trails.

With over half the ski area given over to experienced skiers, advanced terrain is to be found on each mountain. Peak 9 offers many diverse trails, from the steep, groomed American run to the more difficult face of Volunteer. For those wishing to try the expert terrain, the north side of Peak 9 drops off into trails that offer no escape to easier slopes. With runs named Inferno, Devil’s Crotch and Hades, you can imagine what the topography is like. Advanced skiers can warm up on Peak 8 with the groomed blue-black trail of Spruce, then progress to Dukes or Rounders.

Bowl skiing
Breckenridge offers many in-bound bowls for expert skiers. Most are accessible by short hikes. Hiking is allowed above the highest lift to access bowl skiing with a summit elevation of
12,998 feet (3,963 m) and a total vertical rise of 3,398 feet (1,036 m). Breckenridge’s Chair 6 has plenty of back bowl skiing and is a local favourite spot on powder days. If wide-open bowl skiing with plenty of snow is what you desire, then you should head to Horseshoe Bowl, which is accessed by Chair 6 and the T-bar lifts. As for the best powder, that’s definitely to be found on the bowls of Peak 8, but this means you must be willing to hike above the tree line.

If you want to go beyond the ski area boundary and access the backcountry, use the designated gates only. Areas beyond the ski area boundary are not patrolled or maintained. Avalanche slopes, unmarked obstacles and other natural hazards exist. Rescue in the backcountry, if available, is the responsibility of the Summit County Sheriff, and your wallet. It will be costly and may take time. What's more, the backcountry avalanche hazard may be extreme. Also there’s no sponsored guiding available for off-piste adventures.