Breckenridge Ski Resort Announces Details for 50th Anniversary Season

BRECKENRIDGE, CO – Sept. 22, 2011 - The Breckenridge Ski Resort today announced details for the ski resort’s 50thanniversary season, which kicks off exactly 50 days from today, the final day of summer!

Opening Day is set for November 11, 2011 (11/11/11), and the resort and their guests are gearing up for one of the most anticipated seasons in history. Following a season like never before last year, during which Breck set a new record of 519 inches of snowfall over the course of the season and saw the successful openings of several new attractions at the resort, Breck is preparing to take it to an entirely new level for 2011/12.

Breck’s actual 50th birthday will fall on Friday, Dec. 16, 2011.  The resort will celebrate 50 years of existence on this day, commemorating the grand opening of the resort, which first opened to the public on Dec. 16, 1961.  This date will fall in the midst of one of the resort’s signature annual events, the Winter Dew Tour, which is set to take place that same weekend with competitions on the mountain and celebrations throughout town.

Over the last 50 years, Breck has cemented its place as one of the world’s most popular ski destinations, and has managed to host millions of guests from around the world without ever compromising their trademark attitude and laid-back welcoming character, for which it has become famous.

The conception of building a ski resort in Breckenridge began during the late 1950s, when Bill Rounds of the Porter and Rounds Lumber Company became interested in bringing skiing to the valley. The Peak 8 Ski Area (as it was first known) opened on December 16, 1961 with one Heron double chair and a midway unloading station in addition to one short learners T-bar.

Some other noteworthy statistics from Breck’s first 50 years:

• Breck has received approximately 17,500 inches of snow (1,416 feet) since the resort opened in 1961.
• Breck has welcomed visitors from all 50 US states and over 60 different countries, cementing the resort as truly a global destination.
• Breck has hosted approximately 39 million skiers and snowboarders since 1961 (the first season featured around 17,000 total skier visits, as compared to 1.63 million in 2010/11)
• Breck was the first ski resort in North America to install a high speed quad chairlift, in 1981.
• Breck became the first ski resort to allow snowboarding in Colorado, in 1984.
• Breck installed the Quicksilver Super 6, the first and only double loading chairlift in the USA, in 1996.
• Breck built the highest high-speed quad chairlift in the world, the Imperial Express Superchair, topping out at an elevation of 12,840 ft. in 2005

To help build excitement leading up to the start of their 50th season, Breck today is launching “50 Days of Giveaways”! Starting today on the official Breck Facebook page (www.Facebook.com/Breckenridge), the resort will give away a free prize every day of the 50 days leading up to Opening Day. Prizes will increase in value the closer the countdown gets to 11/11/11.  Fans just have to like the Breck Facebook page to be eligible to receive prizes.

In addition, Breck also announced plans to celebrate their anniversary season with guests all year long with the implementation of the Breck “50 Wishes” campaign. Throughout the course of the season, guests will be able to submit any wish they’d like to see fulfilled at the resort. Breck staff will compile 50 of these wishes and make them come true during the year!  More details will be forthcoming at www.Breckenridge.com.

“Even though it’s our birthday season, we thought it’d be great to focus the celebrations on our guests and truly give them the experience of a lifetime,” said Pat Cambell, Breck SVP & COO. “It’s our way of celebrating in that signature Breck style, and at the same time thanking our guests for their support over the last half-century.”

Coinciding with today’s announcement, Breck also released a new updated resort logo, as well as a brand new commemorative 50th Anniversary logo, which fit into the resort’s new creative look and feel for this season. “We felt that it was time to update and modernize our look to coincide with this historic season,” said Kieran Cain, Breck Director of Marketing.

 Also new at Breck this season, guests will get the chance to use the next generation of Vail Resorts’ popular ski and snowboard application, EpicMix™ which will revolutionize how guests take and share photos at all six of the Company’s mountain resorts when it launches this season. Upon request, the Company’s photographers will take portrait and action photos and automatically delivers the images to the guest’s EpicMix account by quickly scanning a guest’s RF-enabled lift ticket or season pass. The most revolutionary part is that Vail Resorts will provide these professional photos free to guests, in a “low-res” format for sharing on Facebook and Twitter, while a high-resolution image can be purchased online allowing guests to print unlimited copies at the vendor of their choice or on their own. For more information, visitwww.epicmix.com.

To commemorate today’s announcement, Breck is also today launching a fantastic lodging deal: 50% off room nights!  To get this ½ off pricing, guests can book a room at The Village at Breckenridge from Opening Day through December 15th for two or more nights. This package also includes two drinks and an appetizer at The Village’s Park Avenue Pub with each reservation.  From The Village’s unbeatable location, guests can walk mere steps to the Quicksilver lift at the base of Peak 9 and also to Main Street. This 50% off lodging offer is available now while supplies last atwww.Breckenridge.com!

Breck’s 2011/12 season will run Nov. 11, 2011 through April 15, 2012. Signature dates on this year’s calendar include: Opening Day Nov. 11, The Hartford Disabled Ski Sports Spectacular Dec. 4-11, The Winter Dew Tour Dec. 15-18, Breck 50th Birthday Celebration Dec. 16, Ullr Fest Jan. 8-14, Budweiser Int’l Snow Sculpture Championships Jan. 25-Feb. 5, Spring Fever Festival March 17-April15, and Closing Day April 15. For full details on the season schedule, events, lodging, and season & lift ticket information, please visit www.Breckenridge.com. 

Guests can get the most of all these deals, events, EpicMix and more with the The Epic Pass™, the best season pass deal in the ski industry offering unlimited, unrestricted skiing at Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone, Heavenly, Northstar-at-Tahoe and Arapahoe Basin is now available at $649 for adults.

Stay connected 24/7 to Breck throughout their 50th anniversary season online at www.Breckenridge.com or socially viawww.Facebook.com/Breckenridge or @breckenridgemtn on Twitter.

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