Breckenridge Ski Resort Kicks Off Winter in The Kingdom

BRECKENRIDGE, Colo. - Nov. 9, 2026 - Breckenridge Ski Resort will kick off the 2026/27 winter season on Wednesday, Nov. 11, welcoming skiers and riders back to The Kingdom of Breck™ on Peak 8, where the resort's founders first opened the ski area in 1961. Opening Day festivities include free donuts, live DJ sets from the Rockstar DJ Cat, and a first chair banner break on the Colorado SuperChair.

"Opening Day is one of my favorite days of the year, and it takes a huge team effort to get here," said Jon Copeland, Vice President and COO of Breckenridge Ski Resort. "Winter is always on our minds, and this year our teams spent the summer preparing for it in a big way with a new brand campaign - The Kingdom of Breck - that honors our unique mountain and community culture. It's exciting to see that hard work pay off as we welcome guests back to Breck."

Starting Wednesday, the resort will be open for daily operations, with the BreckConnect Gondola opening at 8:30 a.m. and skiing and riding opening at 9 a.m. Opening Day lifts will include the BreckConnect Gondola and the Colorado SuperChair with access to intermediate terrain on Springmeier.

The resort will continue to make snow at every opportunity to expand terrain as weather and conditions allow, working toward opening learning terrain on Peak 8 and connecting to Peak 9. Later this winter, North America's highest remote avalanche control system will support ski patrol in opening Breck's high alpine terrain.

"Every winter in the Kingdom starts on Peak 8, right where our founders started it 65 years ago," said Copeland. "Grab your friends, grab a donut and come take a first lap with us."

Limited terrain and early-season conditions exist. For the safety of all skiers and riders, the resort asks guests to observe all posted signs and warnings and keep off closed trails and areas. Uphill access is not yet open due to early-season mountain preparation and snowmaking. The resort will announce when uphill access opens.

The Kingdom of Breck's Early Season Event Lineup

Toyota U.S. Grand Prix Slopestyle Competition (Dec. 10-13)

Returning to Breckenridge Ski Resort after a 12-year hiatus, the Toyota U.S. Grand Prix will bring elite freeski and snowboard athletes back to Freeway for professional slopestyle competition. Breck's stop on the FIS World Cup tour will kick off the Grand Prix's 30th Anniversary with nonstop action for competitors and spectators alike.

Founders Day (Dec. 16)

Breck's inaugural Founders Day honors Trygve Berge, Sigurd Rockne and Bill Rounds, who opened the ski area on Dec. 16, 1961, along with the people who helped create Breck and those who continue to move it forward. The all-day celebration takes place mid-mountain at Vista Haus on Peak 8 and features a toast to Breck's past and future. Every guest and community member is invited to join the Kingdom and celebrate the resort's history and heritage as a real mining hub turned ski town.

Pray for Snow at the Annual Ullr Fest (Dec. 17)

Bust out your Viking helmets, grab your finest faux fur and get ready to give praise and offerings to the man, the myth, the main character: Ullr, the Norse god of snow. After a summer crisscrossing the country on the "Where's Ullr?" tour, Ullr comes home to Main Street. This wild and wacky community-wide celebration has taken place in Breckenridge for more than 60 years, with origins rooted in the ski resort's Norwegian founders and the idea that Breck should be all about the fun and joy of winter and sliding on snow. Highlights include the world's longest shotski stretching the length of Main Street, a wild town parade, and a community bonfire. Learn more about Ullr on the Breck Blog.

Rockstar Energy Open (Dec. 18-20)

The Rockstar Energy Open, a free three-day snowboarding and music festival, returns to Breckenridge Ski Resort for its second year. The festival puts creative, outside-the-box snowboarding at the center of a weekend of live music, art and action sports culture. Following last December's debut, the 2026 Rockstar Energy Open will again feature men's and women's divisions competing on a rider-designed course shaped by Charles Beckinsale and Snow Park Technologies. The event returns to a resort that was among the first to embrace snowboarding in the 1980s.

Commitment to Zero

In addition to continual improvements to the mountain experience, Breck is focused on sustainability through its Commitment to Zero, a bold goal to reach a net-zero operating footprint by 2030. Breck works with employees, guests and the community to reduce environmental impacts and be good stewards of the mountains. That work ranges from large-scale initiatives, such as achieving 100% renewable electricity across Vail Resorts' North American resorts, to operational efficiencies like upgrades to snowmaking technology and buildings, to local partnerships and efforts to help guests be more sustainable while visiting. The resort encourages locals and visitors to "Ditch the Car" and take advantage of free local transportation, the BreckConnect Gondola, ski-to-town trails and the walkability of Breck's Main Street.

On mountain, and in partnership with the Town of Breckenridge, the resort has gone plastic-free in guest-facing operations across all food and beverage outlets, replacing single-use plastic products with aluminum and durable reusable tumblers, plateware and silverware. The resort also takes waste sorting out of guests' hands and into its own, with dedicated staff who sort and divert waste from the landfill through recycling and composting.

Get Your Epic Pass Before Prices Go Up Nov. 15

Following Keystone's opening, skiers and riders now have two Colorado resorts on the Epic Pass to choose from, with more to follow. Epic Passes are available now, but only for a limited time, and prices go up Nov. 15. Young Adults get 20% off an Epic or Epic Local Pass. Visit EpicPass.com for more information and to purchase.

Download the My Epic app with Mobile Pass and Mobile Lift Ticket, which lets skiers and riders use their phone as their ticket to the slopes. This hands-free option allows guests to buy a pass or lift ticket online, activate it in the My Epic app, put their phone in their pocket and get scanned in the lift line using low energy Bluetooth® technology. The My Epic app also offers a range of guest-favorite features, including interactive trail maps with GPS location tracking, plus mountain and resort alerts with operational information like grooming updates, terrain status, snow reports and conditions.

Follow Breck on Instagram @breckenridgemtn for resort updates and real-time information. For more information about The Kingdom of Breck, visit Breckenridge.com.

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Media Contacts:

Sarah McLear, [email protected]

Emily Kowalenko, [email protected]

About Breckenridge Ski Resort

Breckenridge Ski Resort spans Five Peaks in Colorado's Tenmile Range, offering nearly 3,000 acres of terrain for skiers and riders of all abilities. Founded in 1961, Breck is home to some of Colorado's most aspirational high alpine terrain. Breckenridge Ski Resort is part of the Vail Resorts network connected by the Epic Pass. For more information, visit Breckenridge.com.