(BRECKENRIDGE, Colo.) — It is summer getaway season here in Colorado, so why not take a quick trip up into the Mountains for a stay in Breckenridge?

Located about 110 miles west of Colorado Springs, Breckenridge is a small town with a big history. The town was founded in 1859 and was named for Prospector Thomas Breckenridge. The town served the many fortune hunters who flooded the area during the Pikes Peak Gold Rush. The town would grow and eventually become an important hub for the mining industry in the state. 

In 1961, the first ski trails were carved out of the forest on what is now Peak 8. Now the area is home to many other outdoor activities including hiking and biking trails, tubing, fishing, and shopping.

Coming off of a killer Winter season, the Breckenridge Resort had more than 190 days of skiing. 

“We closed on May 21 and it was filled with a lot of snow, a lot of great events, good vibes, and that momentum is really keeping us rolling into the summertime,” explained Shayna Silverman, Breckenridge Senior Communications Specialist. 

Now it’s time to experience your favorite mountain in a whole new season. Summer events kick off in Breckenridge starting June 30. 

Peak 8 is Breckenridge’s original base area, and crews are currently working to replace its 50-year-old, two-person 5-Chair lift on Peak 8 with a modern, high-speed detachable quad lift.

“You can explore our mountain much easier and much faster now,” Silverman said. 

The locations of Breckenridge’s 5-Chair and Rip’s Ride double lifts, as illustrated by the resort’s 2021-22 trail map.

Breckenridge Ski Resort is replacing the 5-Chair lift in order to further enhance the recreational experience for its large population of beginner and low-intermediate skiers on Peak 8. The new lift will be open come the 2023-24 winter season, but you don’t have to wait that long to experience all Breckenridge has to offer. 

“You’ve been to Horseshoe Bowl, you’ve ridden it on powder days, but now you can come and you can hike Horseshoe Bowl Loop and you can check out some wildflowers,” Silverman said. “It’s really awesome to see Breckenridge in two different ways.”

Summer travel is already underway and Breckenridge is seeing the first visitors of the season.

“My family and I planned this a couple of months ago, we are all from Kansas City and are looking to make some memories,” said Hunter Hamilton, a visitor from Kansas City. “Everybody is on summer break so this is the start of our season.”

There are a lot of mountain towns to choose from in Colorado, but those who live in Breckenridge say it’s an easy choice. 

“Breckenridge is really one of the last authentic mountain towns we have around here,” Silverman explained. “You can come and explore our mountain and enjoy it and then head right into Main Street and go check out what we have going on there, whether it’s events or one of our many shops and restaurants.”

It’s never too early to plan your next Breckenridge visit – Summer events kick off June 30. Stay tuned to FOX21 all week starting June 6 as we continue to feature all that Breckenridge has to offer.