Breckenridge Ski Double Dare

With at least 55% of its terrain rated at expert level, Breckenridge can wager you a ski dare few resorts can match. Out of the four interconnected peaks that loom high above the resort, three of them are filled with black diamond runs. We will zoom in to Peak 8, the one that holds the longest ski run in the resort. Although Peak 10 is the tallest among the four at 13,643 ft, the highest ski-able portions belong to Peak 8, starting at 12,998 ft, which is practically the summit.

Lifts to get you there:
To reach the double-black terrains that are found close to the summit of Peak 8, you may take the Imperial Express Super Chair, the highest lift in North America. At the end of its trip, you will have reached an altitude of 12,840 ft. That means, you'd be pretty much close to the summit. In order for you to access this Super Chair, you can go by way of either Chair 6 or the T-Bar. Either route will give you direct access to a number of well-groomed black diamond trails that you might want to try out first before heading to the double black diamonds overhead.

The terrain:
4 O'Clock, the longest ski run in Breckenridge, is not rated at expert level. It starts off as a blue square and finishes off with one-third of the whole run rated with a green circle. Nevertheless, since it stretches to a whopping 3.5 miles, it gives you an idea of how exciting a colossal mound of powder Peak 8 is.

The installation of the Imperial Express Super Chair in 2005 opened the gates to a host of extreme-level terrains. Among them, the Lake Chutes, steep inclines that go up to 50°. This is where the most aggressive skiers in the region love to hang-out. All of the slopes here are practically un-groomed terrains, with large sharp rocks jutting out of the snow here and there. If you continue further south, you'll get to another extreme terrain called Snow White, the newest expert level terrain that has been made accessible by the Imperial Express. It boasts of 150 acres of un-groomed dreadfully-steep inclines that only the strong and seasoned skiers of Breckenridge could face up to.

When you jump off the Super Chair, you'll immediately be greeted by a double diamond-rated terrain - the Imperial Bowl. Up here, close to the summit, the winds are very strong and the air is very thin. So if you're one of those who have problems with these conditions, it is strongly advised that you stay away from this part of Breckenridge.

Strategic lodging:
There are those who would want to be as close to the peaks as possible in order to save on travel time. If you're one of them, then you'd be happy to know that there are lodging spots right on the slopes. Here are two of those found on Peak 8, just to give you an idea what these places have to offer:

Ski Watch - Arguably the highest on these slopes, located above the Colorado and Rocky Mountain high-speed quad chairs, it has condo units with two bedrooms, each equipped with a gas fireplace, outdoor hot-tubs, plus underground parking, and elevators.

White Wolf - Among the cluster of townhouses situated at the base of the peak is White Wolf, a highly luxurious spot with fully furnished rooms. And when we say fully furnished, we mean: King and Queen-sized beds, gas log fireplace, home theater with cable, surround sound, DVD, Nintendo 64 Game Machine, and washer/dryer to name a few. So, what are you waiting for? Make a reservation on any of the numerous townhouses or condo facilities at the base of Peak 8 and brace yourself for some bone-braking ski action on the slopes of Breckenridge.