Wednesday, January 20, 2016

Getting around Breck

Getting around Breck is one of the easiest things. There are a couple of options.

Ride free on the Summit Stage

Skiing, hiking, biking, shopping, eating, live music – it’s all just a short stroll away once you reach the streets of Breckenridge. If you want to explore further, take the Summit Stage, a vast network of free shuttle buses that deliver you to all four
ski areas with other stops at local shopping centers, medical centers, and other residential areas.
Download the Summit Stage app for bus schedules.

Bike Breck

Breckenridge is not just a ski town, in the summer it transforms into a bike town. Summit County features more than 100 miles of paved bike paths connecting the towns of Breckenridge, Frisco, Copper Mountain, Dillon, and Keystone. Plus, you’ll see cruiser and townie bikes everywhere from locals and visitors alike.

For mountain bikers, the off-road options are virtually endless, making this one of Elevation Ski and Bike rents bikes year round. They have FatBikes for your winter fun. With the wide (4"-4.5") tires, the adventure can be so much fun.
the premier biking destinations in the World.

One of the most popular and most easily accessed rides for recreational riders is the bike path along Lake Dillon. From Breckenridge, the loop around Lake Dillon is 31 miles round trip with 1,600 feet of vertical climb. And don’t worry if you tucker out. The Summit Stage buses have bike racks so you can always catch a free ride back to Breckenridge. Find more information on local rides and clubs at Summit Biking

Monday, January 18, 2016

5 Health Benefits of Skiing & Snowboarding

For too many people winter is a lengthy period when they prefer to stay at home and to spend time watching TV. In the meanwhile, there is a great way to get rid of the winter depression and improve one’s health. It is generally recognised that winter outdoor sports are able to enhance our mood and are extremely beneficial for our health. The researchers claim that engagement in winter sports relieves stress and makes us feel happier. Besides, it is a good way to switch off from the daily routine and look at your problems from another point of view. Let’s have a look at the key benefits of skiing and snowboarding which can make our lives better.

Improve your cardiovascular health

First of all, skiing and snowboarding, like any other activity involving a great deal of physical exercise, are known to enhance cardiovascular health. Physical exercise causing elevated heart rate, combined with high altitude, speeds up the blood circulation and thus provides a great cardio workout. Like all the muscles in our body, the heart needs to be challenged in order to become stronger. The increased blood circulation also improves the condition of vessels and tissues.

Burn the excess calories

Skiing and snowboarding are intense physical activities which enhance energy expenditure. Downhill skiing is known to use up more calories per hour than any other physical activity. You can burn more than four hundred calories during one hour of skiing or snowboarding. Thus, it is one of the most efficient and the most pleasant ways to lose weight. Overweight is known to increase the risk of a number of serious diseases, including heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes, so it is absolutely necessary to use this chance to become a little thinner.

Make your muscles strong

Skiing engages a lot of muscles and makes them work hard. The advantage of skiing is that it involves muscles that are hard to engage with other kinds of physical activity, like core muscles of the abdomen, which provide support for the back. Skiing and snowboarding also prevent muscle loss, which is age related. In addition, both sports definitely improve overall body strength and flexibility.

Develop your muscles evenly

Downhill skiing and snowboarding improve balance and coordination. If you have tried downhill skiing at least once, you already know how much coordination it involves. While skiing you have to control your core muscles and your leg muscles at the same time, which ensures balanced muscle development.

Lift up your mood

Finally, a great benefit of skiing and snowboarding is that they are able to enhance your mood, which is particularly important during a lengthy winter. Any physical activity promotes increased production of endorphins which in turn makes us feel relieved and happy. Outdoor sports give us a chance to forget about the problems and to understand that they are not as important as they seem to be. Whether you go to a ski resort or just hit the slopes in the neighbourhood of your city, you are able to take your mind off the daily routine and feel satisfaction and pride for your sport accomplishments. If you feel stressed out and exhausted, skiing and snowboarding is the easiest way to feel better.

Wednesday, January 13, 2016

Tubing in Breckenridge is a Great Winter Rush

When it comes to winter activities, the truth is, it’s all just inventing creative ways to have fun in the snow. Arguably the most fun—and the simplest—of all snowbound games is snow tubing in Breckenridge.

We’ve taken tubing in Breckenridge to a whole new level, offering thrills for more adventurous visitors and a whole lot of giggles for the tamer set. Read on to find out why tubing in Breckenridge is the ultimate winter rush…

Tubing is easy and affordable. Unlike other ways of zipping down a hill or mountain, tubing doesn’t require any athletic skill or special equipment. Skiing and snowboarding are awesome, but they can be intimidating. Ziplining is amazing, but the heights can be a turnoff. Tubing? It’s just you, the tube and the snow!
The whole family can get involved. Nothing can make you feel like a kid again the way tubing in Breckenridge can. If kids are in your party, you’ll be having a blast right alongside them.
It’s still an adventure. So you’re not doing any black diamonds while tubing in Breckenridge, but you still get the thrill of a speedy downhill descent—some places even have lifts in their tubing parks, just like for skiers.

You can technically go snow tubing in Breckenridge wherever there’s a hill and you’ve got a tube, but some of our resorts really take it to the next level. Here are some suggestions:

Adventure Point at Keystone Mountain

Keystone Mountain, Keystone
During the day or under the lights, snow tubing is a winter rite of passage. Enjoy our multi-lane hill, complete with a convenient lift for more laps per hour. The smiles and giggles are totally free and uncontrollable during this classic family activity that truly is fun for all ages. A free children’s tubing area adjacent to the hill allows those under 36 inches to enjoy excitement perfectly sized just for them. Get ready for some serious fun. Tubing sessions run one hour long.
Dates: Open Daily starting November 25, 2015
Times:
Monday & Tuesday: 10:00am – 3:00pm
Wednesday-Sunday 10:00am – 2:00pm & 4:30pm – 6:30pm
Early season hours vary. Extended hours available 1/8, 2/15, 3/2-3/27.
Reservations: Reservations are required. To reserve call 970-496-4386 or 800-354-4386

Breckenridge Carter Park

High Street, Breckenridge
While you can’t actually tube at this public park, you can absolutely go sledding.

Never fear. Some sources say, “Sledding is tubing with an attitude,” which is all we need to hear! In fact, it’s all the more reason to grab your sled and winter-weather gear head to Carter Park. In no time, you’ll be gliding down a snow-covered hill at speeds guaranteed to bring a smile your face!
Dates: Open daily

Frisco Adventure Park

621 Recreation Way, Frisco
The Frisco Adventure Park tubing hill is a great place for kids to be kids (36” or taller) and adults to be kids again! The hill features lengthy 1200-foot tubing lanes with lift service up the hill for tubing day or night under the lights. With evening hours of operation, you can enjoy an hour of tubing, have an adventure after a day of skiing, spend a full afternoon enjoying a beginner ski or snowboard lesson with an hour of tubing, or bring the whole family for a custom adventure!
Reservations: Reservations are highly recommended (required during peak times). You can register online or you can call 970-668-2558 to register by phone.

Rainbow Park

430 Rainbow Dr, Silverthorne
The Rainbow Park Sledding Hill in Silverthorne is the perfect place for families to play together. The sledding hill offers a variety of pitches and heights for all ages and wraps around the multi-purpose field, which is an ideal place for snowman building or throwing snowballs.
The Recreation Center is right next door with public restrooms, a warm lobby, and a variety of low-priced snacks on sale at the pro shop. For the more adventurous, many features at the Rainbow Park playground are accessible in the winter. The giant slide is a lot faster with snow pants, so hold on tight!
Parking is available adjacent to the hill and can be accessed via a driveway behind the Recreation Center. Or, simply park on the north side of the Recreation Center’s main parking lot at 430 Rainbow Drive.

Saturday, January 9, 2016

Ullr Fest Jan 13-16, 2016

Ullr Fest celebrates 53 years this Jan. 13-16, 2016 and Breckenridge invites snow lovers of all ages to join the party. During Ullr Fest in Breckenridge, don’t be surprised to see horned Viking hats adorning the heads of skiers and snowboarders, Ullympic competitors flinging frying pans for prizes, more than 12,000 Ullr enthusiasts filling the streets for the Ullr Parade and crazy
float participants skiing off jumps on Main Street or gliding along town in a hot tub. Join us to rejoice with Ullr himself. Ullr is ready for a good party. In Norse mythology Ullr (pronounced Oool-er) was the winter god. He was the son of Sif and the stepson of Thor, the "God of Thunder." Ullr loved the cold, and delighted in traveling over the country on his skis or skates. He also delighted in the chase, and pursued his game through the Northern Forests.

Friday, January 8, 2016

5 Reasons To Start Snowshoeing

There’s just something about snow that’s fun, whether you’re building a snowman, sledding, skiing or just having a snowball fight. Another great activity for the snow is snowshoeing, and if you haven’t tried it yet you’re missing out. Here are five great reasons to start snowshoeing:

1. Snowshoeing is easy to learn

If you can walk and hike, you can learn to snowshoe. This makes it great for the entire family, from kids to grandparents. It will take a little getting used to, but after a few steps you’ll definitely be on your way to enjoying a new sport. Contrast this with skiing or snowboarding, which can take multiple days to learn and much longer to master.

2. You can enjoy the landscape

A snow covered landscape is beautiful and breathtaking. With snowshoeing you can really get out and enjoy it. You can hike to areas of pristine beauty. It’s easy to get away from it all, including away from crowds of people. Many areas that are inaccessible in the warmer months become navigable in the winter, like areas that are marshes or covered in water. You’ll need to be careful out in the backcountry though, so make sure someone knows where you are and that conditions are safe.

3. It's great exercise

Snowshoeing provides excellent exercise while enjoying the outdoors. The crisp winter air is invigorating and healthy. Snowshoeing provides a lot more fitness than a typical walk does. You can burn from about 420–1000, calories per hour depending on the terrain, the weight you’re carrying and how fast you are going. And since it gets you outside and active in the wintertime, you’re way ahead of most people who stay sedentary.

4. Snowshoeing is affordable

One of the nicest things about snowshoeing is that is much less expensive than other winter sports, such as skiing. There is less equipment, and no lift fees. In fact, it’s about 20% of the cost of skiing. For equipment you just need a pair of snowshoes, some boots and proper winter clothes. Once you have them, snowshoeing is essentially free. Another benefit to having less gear is that it easily fits into the trunk of a car without the need for expensive racks like those often required for skis and snowboards.

5. Snowshoeing is social

Snowshoeing is a fantastic way to spend a day with family and friends. You could organize a group hike for the day with a stop for lunch. Or you could meet new people with similar interests by forming a club or your own, or joining one that already exists. If planning a snowshoeing event, be sure to take into account the abilities of the individuals in the group and plan appropriately. If you search online, you are sure to find several routes that would be appropriate for different abilities. Sounds pretty good, doesn’t it? Snowshoeing is easy, cheap, healthy, tons of fun and gives you access to places and vistas you may not otherwise get in the warmer months. There really is no downside to snowshoeing, but if you’d rather try it out before committing, you can always rent some snowshoes or go on a guided trip. In any case, definitely give snowshoeing a try this winter.

Tuesday, January 5, 2016

How to use your ski poles

“How do I use my poles?” is a question we get from many of our guests and the answer is not as easy as one might think. Ski poles have many uses when skiing and the following will give you a simple idea of just how you can use them to your advantage.

1. Wear your pole strap properly
To wear the pole strap properly, come up through the loop with your hand and grasp the strap and pole grip together. This will help to prevent injuring your thumb as a result of a fall. This injury is so common from wearing your pole straps incorrectly it’s actually called “Skiers Thumb”.

2. Pushing off
Once your skis are on you can now use your poles to push you forward (or

backward) to start your ski day.

3. The pole swing
Now that you are skiing, the pole becomes an integral part of each turn. The pole swing is ultimately engineered to help draw your body into the turn and the actual plant, or touch, will aid in stability as you change your edges.

Imagine a string that runs from your belly button to the tip of your ski pole. As you swing that pole forward and towards the direction that you want to turn it should “pull” your belly button (or center of mass) in that same direction helping to keep you centered over your skis and allowing you to change your edges in one fluent motion. Swing and touch your left pole to initiate a left turn. Swing and touch your right pole to initiate a right turn. The direction you swing your pole is entirely dependent on where you are going next.

4. The pole plant
If you are making shorter turns for speed control on a steeper slope, your pole plant will be below your feet directing your body more straight down the fall line. If you are making longer turns for speed maintenance on gentler slopes then your pole plant will be more toward and below your ski tips. Ultimately if you try to aim your pole swing and your body toward the middle of your next turn then you are well on your way to accuracy.

Sunday, January 3, 2016

Tubing in Breckenridge is the Ultimate Winter Rush

Tubing is easy and affordable. Unlike other ways of zipping down a hill or mountain, tubing doesn’t require any athletic skill or special equipment. Skiing and snowboarding are awesome, but they can be intimidating. Ziplining is amazing, but the heights can be a turnoff. Tubing? It’s just you, the tube and the snow!
The whole family can get involved. Nothing can make you feel like a kid again the way tubing in Breckenridge can. If kids are in your party, you’ll be having a blast right alongside them.
It’s still an adventure. So you’re not doing any black diamonds while tubing in Breckenridge, but you still get the thrill of a speedy downhill descent—some places even have lifts in their tubing parks, just like for skiers.

You can technically go snow tubing in Breckenridge wherever there’s a hill and you’ve got a tube, but some of our resorts really take it to the next level. Here are some suggestions:

Adventure Point at Keystone Mountain

Breckenridge Carter Park

High Street, Breckenridge
While you can’t actually tube at this public park, you can absolutely go sledding. Never fear. Some sources say, “Sledding is tubing with an attitude,” which is all we need to hear! In fact, it’s all the more reason to grab your sled and winter-weather gear head to Carter Park. In no time, you’ll be gliding down a snow-covered hill at speeds guaranteed to bring a smile your face!
Dates: Open daily