Breckenridge Ski Resort kicks off summer activities with clean-up day
Model airplanes, ping pong balls, large batteries and a plastic honey bear — those were just a few of the random items picked up slope-side on Thursday’s Breckenridge Ski Resort volunteer cleanup.
Daniel and Audra Lewis brought their kids to help with the community service and later to enjoy the free rides for locals appreciation day.
“It’s gorgeous hiking around, and it’s great to keep the mountain clean,” Aubra Lewis said.
And you never know what treasure you might uncover. While collecting trash, the Lewis’ daughter found a pair of keys.
“You know there is a story behind everything you find,” Lewis said.
Dan Edwards, Breckenridge Ski Resort’s new senior activities director, got to participate in the cleanup for the first time.
His favorite collectible was an old rusted Pepsi can that looked like it had been around for half a decade.
“It’s nice to see something a little bit retro,” he said.
Edwards was also amused when a single ski was found.
“I was trying to figure out how they made it the rest of the way down,” he said.
Breckenridge communications director Kristen Petitt Stewart said mountain employees appreciated the volunteers’ efforts to make the mountain spick-and-span.
“We have a fraction of the staff now that we do in the winter, and it’s nice to have the extra hands,” she said.
After the cleanup, mountain staff opened up the roller coaster, slide, bungee trampolines and mini golf to the local public for the first time this season, in preparation for the park’s opening day today.
“It’s a nice way of testing the waters and make sure everything is set, and to get the locals to come out and experience it,” Edwards said.
“It’s just as beautiful here in the summer as it is in the winter,” he said.
Edwards lived in Colorado when he was a child and wants to build on the memories he has as a visitor to Breckenridge.
“We are going to continue to expand and create new attractions,” he said.
On top of existing attractions, the resort is introducing Segway tours this summer. It’s expanding the mountain-bike offerings and trail programs, Petitt Stewart said. Staffers are also planning the “Epic Discovery,” a major attraction that will combine learning and play, slated to open in 2015.
“It’s going to be neat to create that connection between the guest and the mountain in a completely different way than we have before,” Edwards said.
Today marks the opening day of the resort’s summer activities — which include everything from hiking, biking and slides to a roller coaster, zip line, climbing wall, maze and more.
Petitt Stewart said she enjoys bringing her family to take part in summer activities at the resort.
“If I personally had to pick an activity, I would ride that alpine slide over and over and over again,” she said. “It was the first alpine slide built in Colorado, and I always laugh and enjoy it every time.”
