Vail Resorts To Open To Late May at Breckenridge Each Season

Vail Resorts have announced that they’ll aim to have the resort that’s the first to open in Colorado each season in each autumn, as well as the resort that’s last to close in spring.

The announcement comes as the multi-resort group said it aims to reach agreement with the US Forest Service to keep the slopes open at Breckenridge later in to spring, and said it planned to keep the resort operating at least until the US Memorial Day holiday at the end of May, starting this season (May 27^th this year).

“Combined with Keystone’s recent capital announcement to enhance snowmaking and position the resort to be the first to open in Colorado, the two Summit County resorts will offer one of the longest ski and snowboard seasons in the country,” a Vail Resorts spokesperson said.

Keystone is normally among the first ski areas to open in North America each season in early November, a week or so before Breckenridge.  This usually places it among the first four or five to open in Colorado each winter along with resorts like Arapahoe Basin, Wolf Creek, Loveland and Copper Mountain.

Loveland usually stays open in to May and Arapahoe Basin to June ad often US Independence Day, July 4^th.

All of these areas are amongst the 20 highest in the world.

The Keystone-Breckenridge season combination will allow Vail resorts to say that buyers of its core ticket, their multi-resort Epic Pass, will be able to use it to ski in the US for around 7 months a year.   

“Spring is an incredible time to ski Breck’s High Alpine and we are thrilled to extend our season this year, and beyond, and offer that terrain as long as the snow lasts,” said John Buhler, vice president and chief operating officer at Breckenridge Ski Resort. “With Breck’s notably high elevation and annual snowfall we are well-positioned to provide our passholders and other guests great spring skiing and snowboarding well into May.”

During the extended portion of the season this spring the resort plans to offer skiing and riding out of Peak 7, with access to primarily advanced- and expert-level terrain on Peak 8 in Imperial, Horseshoe and North Bowls, accessed by the Independence SuperChair, Imperial Express SuperChair and the TBar Lift while conditions allow.

Since opening early on Nov. 7, the winter 2018-19 season at Breck has included numerous highlights including historic early terrain and lift openings and record early season snowfall. Season-to-date Breck has received more than 16 feet of snow.

The resort originally announced a closing date of Sunday, April 21^st, 2019.