The historic town of  Breckenridge from above the town

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                                                 Breckenridge, Colorado
                                                 A Personal Perspective
                                                                                                                 By Susan and Don Gunnin

We wake up in the murning, and through floor-to-vaulted-ceiling windows, view the sun shining on the tips of the 12,000 foot above sea level mountain tops west across the valley.  In summer, the scene is of rock formations above treeline, and in winter, it is of the purest white snow you've ever seen.  In the evenings, the sunsets are like John Denver's "fire in the sky".  The air is rarefied, both lilterally and figuratively.

Breckenridge is a community of  about 2,500 permanent residents, snuggled in  a valley culminating on the south end at Hoosier Pass on the Continental Divide, about 85 miles west of Denver.  On either side of the valley are the 12-13,000 foot mountains, the west ones of which comprise the Breckenridge Ski Area, one of the most popular ski resorts in North America.

Living in this rarefied atmosphere is like no other place on earth.  All the winter activities associated with skiing, ice skating, sledding and throwing snow balls, are complimented by summer activities of hiking, biking, fishing, rafting and simply observing the  beauty of wild flower covered mountains beneath the pure blue skies characteristic of the Rockies.

The town of Breckenridge was not originally a ski town.  Unlike most ski areas which were towns created as ski areas, Breckenridge began as a Victorian mining town back in the mid 1800s.  By 1880, there were eighteen saloons and three dance halls on Main Street.  Gold and silver mining kept the town prosperous until the early 1940s, after which Breckenridge suffered a 'post boom' recession and decline in population. 

Referring to the snow, the era of "White Gold" began in 1961 when the Breckenridge Ski Area opened.  By 1973, Eisenhower Tunnel was bored through the Continental Divide, allowing traffic on what is now Interstate 70 to make the trip from Denver in about an hour and a half.

As far as real estate goes, more than 60 percent of the homes in Breckenridge are second homes for absentee owners, many of whom plan ultimately to retire to Breckenridge.  Many of these homes offer short-term rentals for destination vacationers visiting Breckenridge.  This creates an investment opportunity for many, and at least helps second home owners cover some or all of their ownership costs with rental revenue.

The Breckenridge real estate market is pretty hot, with projections that total buildout (when all the land available for residential building has been developed) could happen in the next 10 or so years.  When buildout happened in Aspen, real estate values when through the roof, so this is a great place to be a realtor today. 

If there is a disadvantage to all the new construction it is the fear of losing some of the old-fashioned, down-home historical charm and character of the town.  Although building codes and guidelines are in place to keep this loss to a minimum, the old Victorian town could become a settlement of million dollar estates.  Perhaps this is just the price of growth!

General Breckenridge Information             Town of Breckenridge Web Site

Breckenridge Ski Resort Site                      Breckenridge Mountain Cams

Breckenridge Weather                                 Breckenridge Music Festival

Breckenridge Dining Guide

"We came here for the snow, but summers are why we stay."

Our winter playground is spectacular. But frankly, that's just the beginning of the Breckenridge story. Once you've discovered our slopes, you'll fall in love with the town, the lifestyle, and the other seasons as well.

Location

Breckenridge is located in north central Colorado, in the heart of the Rocky Mountains - 85 miles west of Denver, via I-70 and Highway 9.

History

Breckenridge was born out of the mining era, the days of the Gold Rush. In 1861 Breckenridge boasted only about 75 inhabitants, a few stores, hotels and saloons. But less than two decades later, the population had boomed and the town was a prominent supply center, surrounded by many mining locations. The community was formally incorporated in 1880.

With the downturn of the Gold Rush days the population of Breckenridge dropped to under 1000 at the turn of the century, and continued to drop throughout the first half of the twentieth century. The Town's permanent resident population was 393 in 1960.

In December 1961, the Breckenridge Ski area opened, and a new boom era began. Today's permanent population in the Town and surrounding area (known as "The Upper Blue") is about 9500 people, and half as many dogs.

Recreation

Today, Breckenridge is an all-season recreational community. The area's mountains come alive in winter with alpine and Nordic skiing, snowboarding, ice skating, snowshoeing, sleigh riding and winter carnivals.

But as many a local will attest: "We came here for the skiing, but summers are why we stay."

In the summer months this mountain community is a haven for music and art festivals, hiking, camping, golfing, sailing, canoeing, fishing and biking. Living in such a stunning environment, it's impossible not to celebrate our great outdoors.

Climate

At 9,603 feet above sea level, Breckenridge enjoys a high-alpine climate. The average annual snowfall is in excess of 250 inches and the average winter daytime temperature is 28 degrees Fahrenheit.

Despite our hardy winter conditions, Breckenridge has an average daytime temperature in the summer of 70 degrees Fahrenheit. The low-humidity days of our warm season draws visitors from across the country, who are intent on escaping the hot and muggy climates at home.

Shopping and Restaurants

Over 60% of our guests are returning visitors, and one thing they've learned is to save time to savor the town. Shop owners will greet you with a down-home friendliness and help you find your mountain treasure, be it clothing, art, sporting goods, fine jewelry or the proverbial T-shirt. And our restaurants will amaze you - everything from family-style to five-star gourmet; beer gardens to funky basements; French, Italian, Mexican, and Chinese cuisine; and on every corner a deck with a view.