See also: Winter Park Opens Saturday; Raffle Offers Winner a Lifetime Pass
BRECKENRIDGE SKI RESORT breckenridge.com 970-453-5000
Vail Resorts dropped a cool $85 million on improvements for the 2014-2015 season, and you'll see evidence of it at all three of the company's Colorado ski areas. Breck upgraded its Colorado Super Chair over the summer from a four-person chair to a six-person express, which should relieve the lines at what has become the resort's busiest peak, but you'll still want to get away from it all with a trek over to Peak 6, which opened last season with 540 acres of high alpine terrain -- some above 12,000 feet -- and intermediate-level bowl skiing. You'll drop in on wide-open slopes above timberline, with groomed trail options and lots of paths into gladed tree runs. There are no restaurants over there, but word has it that there will be a snowcat food truck of some sort at the base of the Kenosha lift this season.
Signature experience: On any powder day -- and Breck seems to get more than its fair share of them -- follow the locals for laps on the T-Bar lift until it gets tracked out, then recuperate with drinks at the bar at the base of Peak 8 (also called the T-Bar). And don't miss the Dew Tour, which returns to Breck December 11-14 and should be much more laid-back now that the Winter Olympics are over.
Splurge: If you've overdone it (trust us, it happens), dip into the Rejuvenation Center in One Ski Hill Place at the Peak 8 base area. The $130 Lost Horizon Sports Massage should do the trick.
Ski bum tips: Stay at the Bivouac Hostel -- "The Bivvi," to those in the know -- to bunk with your shred crew in rooms and suites that sleep up to six people. The website disclaimer should be enough to convince you one way or another: "The Bivvi is a hostel. We like to play a little rock n' roll, adventure in the mountains, and make new friendships with other awesome guests. If the above is not your scene, please visit another site and book a more conventional hotel." Breakfast is included, local beers are on tap in the Great Room. Making a late call on staying in town after a storm rolled in or you partied too hard to drive home? The Bivvi accepts walk-ins without a reservation until 10 p.m.; you can also book at TheBivvi.com. Rates vary during the season but can be as low as $45 per person.
Drink locally: Make your way to Breckenridge Brewery, founded here in 1990, and/or the new Broken Compass Brewing, or to Breckenridge Distillery.