# Breckenridge for summer



## Floridaski (Apr 28, 2008)

We are going to Breck this summer.  We are going to be there from 6/28 to 7/05 and we are staying one block off Main Street.  It was just announced today that they are NOT going to have the Peak 8 Fun Park open due to construction.  We were really looking forward to the activities on Peak 8 and nothing they can do in the "Parking lot" is going to get me to fork over $50.00 a day.

So, we have a 10 year old son and I would love suggestions on interesting things to do in Summit County in the summer.  We are big skiers and normally we go in the winter.  We are actually looking for a second home, so that is the basic reason for the summer trip.  I think we will take 2 days to look at areas that we have narrowed down for the home search.  The other 5 days we will do vacation "stuff."  

I thought that a mild white water raft trip might be fun, an old mine tour, easy mountain biking or other outdoor activities.  Any suggestions on vendors that you would recommend would be greatly appreciated.  There are numerous vendors for rafting, fishing, ATV trips and biking.  All these activities my hubby and son would love.


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## wcfr1 (Apr 28, 2008)

You will love your trip, we did it last year and we barely used Peak 8.

The only thing we did their was rent mountain bikes for a chairlift ride up and an exciting bike ride down. I couldn't get enough of this.

We biked through town all the way up to Frisco. What a great ride along the stream.

Hiked up from Beaver Run to above the snow line and this was in late July. Took several hours but the hike was really enjoyable.

Horse stables are at the base of Beaver Run also. 

There is a reservoir outside of town. Rented some equipment from an outiftter in town and fished all day.

White water rafted down the Arkansas River.

Walked the town and enjoyed the various buisnesses.

Overall a really enjoyable town and a great trip.

Enjoy


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## riverdees05 (Apr 29, 2008)

Breckenridge, CO websites:

http://breckenridge.snow.com/

http://www.townofbreckenridge.com/


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## TerriJ (Apr 29, 2008)

They have an excellent July 4th party in town, we really enjoyed it last year.  There was a very good patriotic band type concert down in the town concert hall; it was free, but you have to get tickets during the day.  It was great for all ages.  They may have fireworks, last year it was too dry. 

It's a great time in Breck!


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## Floridaski (Apr 29, 2008)

*specfic vendors*

I have the links, I was wondering  if someone can recommend specific vendors.  

We live in Florida at Sea level, so we will have to wait toward the end of our trip for biking.  Can someone recommend a bike route for folks from Florida that are accustom to VERY flat bike trails?

Also, in another thread someone mentioned going on a cattle round up instead of your basic trail ride on a school horse.  Sounded like a blast and our family (with the exception of our 10 year old) are decent riders.  Has anyone heard of this before?

Thanks for your help!


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## wcfr1 (Apr 29, 2008)

Floridaski said:


> We live in Florida at Sea level, so we will have to wait toward the end of our trip for biking.  Can someone recommend a bike route for folks from Florida that are accustom to VERY flat bike trails?
> 
> Thanks for your help!



We are Flatlanders in Florida also. I was talking about two different kinds of biking. One was taking a mountian bike up a ski lift from the Peak 8 area and riding down.

The other was more family oriented. A flat paved bike trail that runs through town and along the river. The bike shop we rented from was in the City Market Shopping Center area. Sorry, can't recall the exact name, but it was in the same shopping center (with the post office?) and a trail spur is right behind the place. Very convenient.


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## riverdees05 (Apr 29, 2008)

*ALTITUDE or MOUNTAIN SICKNESS*

The following article was developed by reviewing various articles published on this topic.  Their absolute accuracy can not be determined. 

Researched and Prepared by:
Lou Sclafani 


ALTITUDE or MOUNTAIN SICKNESS

Altitude or Mountain Sickness is a health issue that effects most travelers heading to higher elevations.  Symptoms begin to occur in some people at an altitude of as low as 8,000 feet, but serious symptoms do not usually occur until over 12,000. 

When researching altitude sickness you may come across a number of other names and related illnesses. Let’s look at what they might be called.

Acute Mountain Sickness or AMS. AMS may be sub categorized as Mild, Moderate and Severe. More severe cases are known as High Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE) and 
High Altitude Cerebral Edema (HACE). For now, let’s just say that HAPE and HACE are much more severe and just talk about Mild AMS and ways to prevent it and to deal with it. 

The symptoms of mild AMS include Headache, Nausea & Dizziness, Loss of Appetite, Fatigue, Shortness of Breath, Disturbed Sleep and a General Feeling of Malaise. The onset of these symptoms usually start 12 to 24 hours after arrival at higher altitudes and tend to be worse at night when your respiratory drive is decreased. These symptoms begin to decrease in severity around the second or third day.

Why do we get AMS? It is difficult to determine who may be affected by AMS sine there are no specific risk factors such as age, sex, or physical condition that correlate with susceptibility. It’s strictly based on how fast you ascend not necessarily how high you ascend. While a physically fit person is no more susceptible than a less fit person, the fact that a fit person may race to the top is what makes the fit person more likely to be affected by AMS.

It’s a simple case of there being a lower barometric pressure at higher altitudes which in turn means fewer Oxygen molecules are being inhaled per breath.  It’s probably not that important for the average skier to know about the % of oxygen, and measurement of air pressure in mmHg that we are talking about here, but they should be aware that the higher the altitude the worse it gets. Perhaps you have heard the term “thin air”? That’s what we’re talking about.

Since the main cause of AMS is going too high too quickly, the main way to avoid it is to ascend slowly. This will allow your body to acclimate itself to the higher elevations. That’s why mild AMS seems to go away by the third day (unless you hit the all you can eat buffet at Taco Tony’s). Being the sea level flat landers from Florida that we are, we’re probably more affected by AMS than someone who lives year round at a seemingly modest elevation of four or five thousand feet. These people are already partially acclimated but even they will need to be acclimated to even higher altitudes. 

What can you do before you leave for the mountains to help prevent the effects of AMS? Here are a few suggestions:

•	Stay hydrated. Drink plenty of water. 3-4 quarts of water a day are recommended. If you are just beginning to drink this much water you should start at least two weeks prior. Consumption of extra water will cause excessive trips to the rest room and your body will need to acclimate to this as well. A couple of weeks should do it. Besides the inconvenience, if you wait until you get to the mountain those extra trips to the rest room may cause dehydration as well.
•	For at least 72 hours prior, avoid alcohol, coffee, soda, smoking, sleeping pills and narcotics. OK, you may not be able to cut out completely the alcohol or coffee but you should cut back. Excess consumption of alcohol and coffee promotes dehydration (bad), the carbon dioxide in soda interferes with oxygen in your bloodstream (bad), smoking makes it more difficult to get oxygen to your blood (bad) and the drugs, well the drugs are just bad. All may decrease ventilation, intensify hypoxia and make symptoms worse.   
•	Before the trip maintain a good work/rest cycle, avoiding excessive work hours and last minute packing. 
•	Avoid heavy exercises. Mild exercises are OK.
•	Consult with your physician. There are a number of medications the Doctor may prescribe. These include Diamox and Dexamethasone as a preventative. 

Once you have left for the mountains there are a few more things you can do:

•	If possible you should tier or stage your steps to higher elevations. 
•	Don’t over do it. Plan on minimal activities your first day. 
•	Ascend in stages of about 1,000 feet per day. 

Despite your pre-trip efforts you may still feel the effects of AMS. In this case there are a number of treatments that you can try.

•	Drink more water. You can’t get enough! Breathing dry air at altitude greatly increases water loss and promotes dehydration. Dehydration increases the severity of AMS. 
•	Avoid extra salt. It’s the dehydration thing.
•	Try Aspirin, Tylenol or Ibuprofen for the headache.
•	Try Ginko Biloba extract for increased peripheral blood flow.
•	While at a higher altitude eat a high carbohydrate diet. The heck with Atkins here. About 70% of you caloric intake should be from easily digested carbohydrates such as fruits, jams and starches (rice and pasta). Eat frequently (5 times per day)
•	Return to a lower altitude.
•	Seek medical treatment. A qualified physician may prescribe a number of medications and treatments that may include 100% Oxygen, Diamox (acetazolamide), Procardia (nifedipine), Decadron (dexamethasone), Compazine (prochlorperazine), Phenergan (promethazine) or Lasix (frusemide). A trip to a hyperbaric chamber or the use of a Gamow Bag may also be appropriate. These treatments though are usually reserved for more serious cases of Altitude Sickness and should only be initiated by a qualified and licensed physician. They are mentioned here only as a resource so you may discuss these options with your physician. Dosages and strengths vary from case to case. Please do not try and self medicate.

Hopefully with a few precautions and some tips on dealing with the symptoms of AMS, we can enjoy the precious little time available to us on the mountain as opposed to laying around sick in our hotel room (or worse) all week. 

There are a number of articles available on the internet on this subject. A few of those are listed below. Feel free to browse through them and read about AMS for yourself.

http://www.skimag.com/skimag/fitness/article/0,12795,325797,00.html

http://www.personal.usyd.edu.au/~gerhard/pressure.html

http://www.traveldoctor.co.uk/altitude.htm

http://www.princeton.edu/~oa/safety/altitude.html

http://www.merck.com/mrkshared/mmanual/section20/chapter281/281a.jsp

http://www.medformation.com/ac/crssma.nsf/file/crs-sma-sma_altitude.sickness

http://www.emedicine.com/emerg/topic22.htm

http://www.mdtravelhealth.com/illness/altitude_sickness.html

http://www.nrel.gov/altitude.html

http://www.ciwec-clinic.com/altitude/

http://www.chclibrary.org/micromed/00036940.html.


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## Floridaski (Apr 30, 2008)

*Yes we are cautious with regards to altitude*

Yes we are from Florida, but my husband lived for 2 years in the mountains.  We always take at least 2 days before we ski in Breck and we may actually alter our second home search to an area that is around 7500 to 8000 feet.  One of the homes I had on the list was at 11,200 - very beautiful but we want to enjoy the home and our visitors without ER trips.

So, we are very cautious in Breck due to to altitude.  I blew out my knee and broke my leg in Breck.  I was in the ER and there were 4 people there on oxygen with Altitude Sickness.  Granted, I really would have preferred AMS over my injuries - but it can be life threating if not treated.

Anyway - anybody heard of a cattle round up around Summit, Park or Grand Counties?


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## riverdees05 (Apr 30, 2008)

My daughter and grandson did it last summer and really enjoyed it.


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## wcfr1 (Apr 30, 2008)

riverdees05 said:


> The following article was developed by reviewing various articles published on this topic.  Their absolute accuracy can not be determined.
> 
> Researched and Prepared by:
> Lou Sclafani



Hey thats my article I wrote that a couple years ago for my ski club.  It's all still true though.

I agree Breck is pretty high and if you are prone to Altitude Sickness you will most likely get it here. Taking it easy for the first couple days is a good idea. However, the bike trail through town may not be a problem for you as it is fairly flat.


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## TerriJ (May 3, 2008)

For the altitude sickness, remember no beer on day one!  Some people have to learn the hard way.....


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## riverdees05 (May 3, 2008)

*Websites*

Check out these Breckenridge websites:

http://breckenridge.snow.com/

http://www.summitnet.com/Breckenridge/

http://www.boec.org/

http://www.breckenridgewhitewater.com/

http://breckresorts.com/villageatbreckenridge/

http://www.summitdaily.com/


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## Dave*H (May 3, 2008)

wcfr1 said:


> I agree Breck is pretty high and if you are prone to Altitude Sickness you will most likely get it here. Taking it easy for the first couple days is a good idea. However, the bike trail through town may not be a problem for you as it is fairly flat.


Its interesting how different people have different perspectives.  I've never thought of Breckenridge as being all that high, but I have lived in Colorado most of my life.  Now if you are skiing off the Imperial lift at Breckenridge, I suppose you are starting to get fairly high.  Here are a couple of videos to get you yearning for the next winter (at least they do that for me):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2eiBINsrccs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtY2xx-8YUs
Of course, ski season isn't over yet in Colorado.  Loveland closes tomorrow, and there is still a month to go at a A-Basin. :whoopie:


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## labguides (May 3, 2008)

We haven't been to Breck for 3 years, but will be returning in late August. Recommendations of outstanding restaurants. We like steak, Italian.. almost anything except Mexican.


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## wcfr1 (May 4, 2008)

Dave*H said:


> Its interesting how different people have different perspectives.  I've never thought of Breckenridge as being all that high, but I have lived in Colorado most of my life.  Now if you are skiing off the Imperial lift at Breckenridge, I suppose you are starting to get fairly high.



The town of Breckenridge is higher than the peaks of a lot of ski areas, so this affects us sea level flat landers pretty hard.


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## rickandcindy23 (May 4, 2008)

Dave, isn't the altitude around 9,500 feet in Breck?  That is high for those who get to breathe more oxygen at less than 1,000 feet.  

I am never affected by altitude sickness, but I am always at 5,280+ feet.  We did get out of the car once at a spot above timberline, and I started trying to walk fast and ran out of air.  I wasn't sick, but I definitely couldn't walk fast.  We slowed down a lot to get up there to see the view.


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## riverdees05 (May 4, 2008)

Last summer we spent two days in Denver and my wife still couldn't handle Breckenridge after two days there, I took her back to Denver to catch a flight back to Nashville.  She seems to be OK up to around 7,000 - 7,500 feet, but after that has problems.  We had a three bedroom unit at Grand Timber Lodge and the rest of us - 7 did OK.  I did see a couple of people with oxygen around town, one was a little girl.


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## wcfr1 (May 7, 2008)

rickandcindy23 said:


> Dave, isn't the altitude around 9,500 feet in Breck?  That is high for those who get to breathe more oxygen at less than 1,000 feet.
> 
> I am never affected by altitude sickness, but I am always at 5,280+ feet.  We did get out of the car once at a spot above timberline, and I started trying to walk fast and ran out of air.  I wasn't sick, but I definitely couldn't walk fast.  We slowed down a lot to get up there to see the view.



The Breckenridge base is listed at 9,600. For comparison, Park City peaks at 10,000.


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## labguides (May 7, 2008)

We live at sea level. I have never had problems with altititude in Park City. I always takes my body a couple of days to adjust to altitude in Breck. Fortunately, I have never experienced altitude sickness.


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## hicksville (May 7, 2008)

*Best time to go in the fall?*

I am thinking of making my first trip to Breck this fall.  I can go anytime during sept or oct, for about 4-5 days. Is there any time better than another?  I saw that Octoberfest is Sept 12-14, but I'd be more interested in the fall foliage.  When's the best time for that?  Is there anything else that might also be interesting?


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