# Breckenridge in the Summer



## wcfr1 (Jul 13, 2007)

Will be in Breckenridge next week for 7 days. Never been here before, much less in the summer. Am really looking forward. 

We are white water rafting on Wednesday. After that I am kind of open. Planned a car ride to Keystone to check it out but I was wondering if there were any must do's that would be on the list for next week.

Will be four of us. Two adults and two girls 11 & 13.

Any ideas?

Thanks
Lou


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## judyjht (Jul 13, 2007)

We were in Vail last summer and had the BEST vacation we ever had!  It is not that far from Breckenridge.  This is what we did:

Para-gliding (hubby loved that - I took the pictures)
Cattle Roundup (we both loved that) so much better that a boring trail ride.
Bike tour - they drove us and the bikes to the top of Vail pass and we could ride down at your own pace - most of it is downhill - great scenery etc.  Lots of fun!
Lots of fishing

I am sure they will have some of the same things in Breck!!

You will love it - have a great time


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## riverdees05 (Jul 13, 2007)

*Altitude 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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## Texas Traveler (Jul 13, 2007)

Breck has a "play park" on one of the peaks at the ski hill.  (Peak 8 maybe?)  It will be easy to find once you get there.  That would probably be good for an afternoon of fun.

Bikes are available for rent and there is a bike path from Breck to Frisco.  I don't remember how long it takes, but I'm sure the people at the bike shops could offer some insight.  Maybe you could start out in the morning, ride to Frisco and have lunch, do a little sight-seeing, and ride back to Breck in the afternoon. 

In Dillon, there is a lake and an outlet mall.  

In Breck, there is a local activity center with various activities - skate park, climbing wall, and such.  We ran out of time before we ran out of things to do and never got down there to check it out.

If you don't mind a little of a drive, look at the Winter Park/Estes Park area and take a ride over to the Rocky Mountain National Park and drive thru on Trail Ridge Road.  It's doable, but will take a full day.  Seems like we might have ended up in Black Hawk and ate at one of the casino's for the buffet, but you'll have to ask around to find out which one will let the kids in.


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## ctandrinokc (Jul 13, 2007)

My husband and I will also be in Breck the weekend of the 20th.  That cattle round up sounds neat.  Where can I look for more info?


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## riverdees05 (Jul 13, 2007)

*Train Rides*

Check out this train site"

http://www.colorado.com/article143

for either the Georgetown Loop Railroad or Royal Gorge Route Railroad (a pretty good drive),


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## AzMin (Jul 13, 2007)

Lou, which company did you finally decide to use for your whitewater rafting? I've checked out a couple of them but haven't committed to one yet. My husband and I are going in August for a week. Staying at Valdoro. 

Other than that, we're also going to Lake Dillon to hopefully do some kayaking, take the Georgetown Loop train and probably pan for gold at Country Boy Mine. The latter two activities are really for our nephews (age 6 and 10) who'll be joining us. 

Min


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## ctandrinokc (Jul 13, 2007)

We are also doing some rafting in Breck and are using AVA (Arkansas Valley Adventures) www.coloradorafting.net   They had some good reviews from tripadvisor and they seem very professional.  If you want I can let you know how it goes when we get back.


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## riverdees05 (Jul 13, 2007)

We will be there the first full week of August and looking at activities, also.  We will have five adults and 4 children.  The children are ages 4-6-11-13.  The adults are from 62-34.Summer Tickets

Are there discount coupons for PEAK 8 FUN PARK?


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## grupp (Jul 13, 2007)

ctandrinokc said:


> We are also doing some rafting in Breck and are using AVA (Arkansas Valley Adventures) www.coloradorafting.net   They had some good reviews from tripadvisor and they seem very professional.  If you want I can let you know how it goes when we get back.



We used AVA for rafting last summer when staying and Breck and had a wonderful time.

Gary


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## Texas Traveler (Jul 13, 2007)

Try this out:  www.townofbreckenridge.com

I don't remember discounts for the fun park, but you might find some in Breck at some of the shops or visitor info center.


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## PigsDad (Jul 14, 2007)

I'll second the train ride suggestion, especially the Georgetown Loop Railroad.  That is an easy ~40-50 minute drive from Breck.

Also, spend a day at one of the ski resorts that offer mountain biking where they take you to the top on the lift, and you ride down on trails.  It is a blast!  Both Keystone and Copper Mountain offer this.

Kurt


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## judyjht (Jul 14, 2007)

*Cattle roundup*

For the cattle roundup - I don't remember the name but we stayed at the Streamside Vail (970-476-6000).  Call and ask them.  We found out about it at the informational meeting the first day of our stay.  They will be able to tell you.  It was so much fun - I don't remember how much it was but whatever it was it was well worth it.  To me, the trail rides are just a straight line of houses - you don't have to do anything.  This was much better - I am NOT a cowgirl either - I was born & brought up (and still live here) in Boston.  Have fun.


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## riverdees05 (Jul 15, 2007)

*Cell Phone coverage*

Does Verizon wireless have coverage in Breckenridge?   What about Cingular/AT&T?

Thanks!


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## PigsDad (Jul 15, 2007)

riverdees05 said:


> Does Verizon wireless have coverage in Breckenridge?   What about Cingular/AT&T?



I always have good coverage in Breck w/ Cingular.

Kurt


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## rickandcindy23 (Jul 15, 2007)

riverdees05 said:


> Does Verizon wireless have coverage in Breckenridge?   What about Cingular/AT&T?
> 
> Thanks!



Verizon coverage is excellent along the I-70 corridor.


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## riverdees05 (Jul 21, 2007)

*Cattle Roundup*

Does anyone know more about the Cattle Roundup?  Haven't had much luck finding more information about it.


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## Topeka Tom (Jul 21, 2007)

*Not exactly on point BUT . . . .*

my file on "Things to do in Vail" contains a lot of things that will work for Breck, too, including a few tips on the Georgetown Loop RR.  The "things to do" are for summer and fall, it seems obvious what to do in winter


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## Kim4 (Jul 22, 2007)

riverdees05 said:


> We will be there the first full week of August and looking at activities, also.  We will have five adults and 4 children.  The children are ages 4-6-11-13.  The adults are from 62-34.Summer Tickets
> 
> Are there discount coupons for PEAK 8 FUN PARK?


We just returned from Breckenridge on Friday.  Had a great trip.  Somebody was asking about discount tickets to Peak 8.  I don't recall seeing any discount tickets for Peak 8.  But we did find discount tickets for Copper Mountain.  Copper Mountain has go-karts, water bumper boats, bungie trampolines and miniature golf.  The discount tickets we found were in Frisco at the bike store next to walmart.  They are $40.  That gets you an all day pass for all the activities listed above.  Although you can only ride the go-karts once.  It also gives you a free rental of a digler-which is like a big scooter that you can take down the mountain.  The older kids might enjoy that.  I think you had a couple of smaller children, who are not old enough to drive the go-karts, so they let an adult drive for them.  So that is a good deal.  Same with the bumper boats, just one person needs a pass and they can take a passenger with them.  My girls had tons and tons of fun.  Beware that the food in Copper is rather pricey and not tons of resteraunts.  We should of packed a picnic lunch.  

Another good idea when staying in Breckenridge is to pick up the Daily Summit newspaper.  It has daily activities and coupons for some of the resteraunts.  Our favorite rest is Windy City Pizza by the grocery store.  It is the best food for the best value!!  Extreme pizza had buy one get one free coupons for pizza-which is a really good deal!!  

Keystone has free activities every Tuesday at 11:00.  They have a couple of crafts, free pizza for the kids and kinda like a guest speaker with a different theme every week.  

If you have any questions, please feel free to email me.  We go to Breckenridge every year in the summer.  kroose@iowatelecom.net


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## ctandrinokc (Jul 25, 2007)

*Cattle drive website*

Just got back tonight from Breck and wanted to post this for "Riverdee05".  We did the cattle drive while at Breck and it was a blast!  Take a look at their website:  www.rustyspurr.com  It was a very memorable experience!  But be forwarned:  It is not for the faint of heart!  My husband and I were the only ones (beside the ranch hand) rounding up 110 heads of cattle!  (They just happen to have no one else sign up for the day we went!)  It is a 4 hour ordeal, ending up with lunch back at the ranch.  This was definitely a once in a life time experience!  I would recommend this experience whole heartedly!


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## wcfr1 (Jul 28, 2007)

Am leaving Breck tommorrow. 

We used KODI for our whitewater rafting. It was very good. Class I, II and III only. From what I saw there are a ton of outiftters and they all put in and get out at the same place. Use whoever will give you the best deal. Bring a slicker or wet suit and water shoes. They have them but at an additional cost. Water was pretty cold. Snow is still melting off the mountains. Pretty amazing to see at the end of July.

Really enjoyed the town itself. Small and friendly. Nice shops and restaurants. Transportation is also pretty good.

Did some fishing and even caught a trout. Well, my nephew caught it, wife cooked it and daughter ate it.

Did plenty of hiking and trail riding on the bike. Rented at the shop in the City Mart shopping center. The best thing however was riding the lift with the mountain bike and riding a mountain trail down. Just awesome!

Passed on Peak 8 fun park. Family just wasn't into it for some reason. We were doing too many other things I guess.


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