Summer at the Ski Resort, Part 1

Bike parks, slides, festivals—Colorado resorts aren't just for the winter months

Ski resorts aren’t just for skiing anymore. Many of Colorado’s resorts have infrastructure that allows their mountains to be accessible year-round. From bike parks to slides to festivals, ski resorts are now the place to be in the winter and summer. 

Alpine Slide in Breckenridge [Photo by Brent Clark/Breckenridge Ski Resort]

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I love Breckenridge, Colorado in the summertime. Not only does the surrounding area provide lots of opportunities for outdoor recreation, including Dillon Reservoir and multiple 14ers to climb, Breckenridge Ski Resort has on-mountain offerings for the entire family.

Whether you’re spending an hour or a few days in Breckenridge, check out Epic Discovery. There’s a little something for everyone here. For instance, there are a handful of Peak 8 Base Camp adventures for the kids, such as the Gold Runner Coaster and Alpine Slides.

Expedition Zipline Tour [Photo by Andrew Maguire/Breckenridge Ski Resort]

Take the Colorado Scenic Chair Lift to Alpine Camp for a hike, or hop on the environmentally inspired Alpineer Challenge Course or the new Expedition Zipline Tour for a bit of extra adventure.

Whatever you choose to do at Breckenridge Ski Resort this summer, you won’t be bored.

[Photo courtesy Beaver Run Resort]

STAY

Beaver Run Resort & Conference Center is located at the base of Peak 9, so it's a stone's throw from all the mountain activities available winter and summer. Beaver Run has a variety of accommodations from hotel rooms to two bedroom suites with full kitchens. Bonus: There’s an onsite spa.

Keystone Wine & Jazz Festival [Photo by Heidi Kerr-Schlaefer]

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Keystone Resort is tops when it comes to summer festivals. They have six (yes, six) summer festivals that take place in River Run Village at the resort. It’s an ideal place for a large festival such as their Bacon & Bourbon Festival that kicks off the festival season on June 23.

One of my favorites, Keystone Wine & Jazz Festival, July 14-15, features more wine than you’ll be able to drink. The wine tents are spread throughout the village along with food tents and music. There’s an art festival, beer and bluegrass fest, a music fest and lastly, on September 1, Keystone Oktoberfest. See the entire lineup to plan accordingly.

STAY

Be close to the action by booking one of the festival’s lodging packages with Keystone Resort. I’ve stayed at both Buffalo Lodge and Dakota Lodge, and both were steps from the festival fun. In fact, our patio at Buffalo Lodge looked down on the music stage during Wine & Jazz.

Steamboat Bike Park [Photo by Larry Pierce/Steamboat Ski Resort]

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The Steamboat Bike Park was one of the first of its kind in Colorado. This 50-mile network of trails includes both beginner and technical terrain. It boasts trails where you’ll feel the burn and trails where you’ll feel the speed.

The popularity of these trails can be witnessed first-hand by riding the Gondola in the summer, where you’ll see lots of brawny mountain bikers loading up their bikes for the ride to the top of the mountain. However, it’s important to know that you don’t need to be seasoned to ride at Steamboat Bike Park. There are bike rentals available at the resort and instructors who can show you the ropes. 

STAY 

Mountain Resorts offers an array of lodging options, including condos and townhomes on the mountain. We’ve stayed at their Bronze Tree Condominiums where we had incredible views of the mountain and Yampa Valley.

SEE ALSO:
Summer at the Ski Resort, Part 2