Breckenridge, a scenic mountain town in the center of Colorado, is best known for its ski resort. But in the summer months, it offers great conditions for outdoor enthusiasts to participate in everything from mountain biking on the resort to paddle boarding in the nearby Dillon Reservoir.
Andrew, Kyle and I are lucky enough to have some good friends that live year-round in Breckenridge and this summer we jumped at the opportunity to visit.
Being a fan of long drives, Andrew suggested that we take the opportunity to road trip there from our home in Philadelphia. It took us a bit more than 3 days to get to Colorado. Along the way, we boon-docked in Hoosier National Forest, visited the St. Louis Arch, and camped on the plains just west of Kansas.
When we finally arrived in Colorado, we were excited to stretch our legs and cram as many outdoor activities down our throats as humanly possible.
Day 1
A few hours east of Breckenridge, we stopped in the town of Golden, which at first glance looks like something out of an old western movie. One of the first things I noticed was this old-fashioned wooden sign spanning the main road in the center of town:
“Howdy Folks! Welcome To Golden, where the west lives”
The streets were lined with outdoor shops and breweries. Down the river, the Coors factory is plain to see. Golden is also home to the American Mountaineering Center.
The American Mountaineering Center
While in Golden, we were lucky enough to meet the author of the book “Appalachian Trials” and owner of AppalachianTrials.com, Zach Davis, who was nice enough to sign my copy of the book.
On our way out of Golden, we took a detour off the main route to drive through Clear Creek Canyon, a 66-mile stretch of road that follows the South Platte River through the Rocky Mountains. Zipping along the curving road of this narrow canyon, we were caught by surprise by the climbers of the area who we saw scaling the waterfalls, zip lining across the canyons, and making their way up the cliff faces.
After entering Breckenridge, a dirt road took us up a mountainside to our friends’ house. I can’t say I’m not jealous of the view from their yard.
A typical backyard view, apparently
Day 2
We had only a few days to experience the town, so we wasted no time. My wonderful friend Beth drove us up Swan Mountain Road where we stopped at Sapphire Point for views overlooking Dillon Reservoir.
Continuing up the road we stopped at a small rock climbing area, where we set up a few top ropes and I did a little rappelling. The top of the wall overlooked the reservoir, and we spent the afternoon climbing in gorgeous weather.
Since we were in Colorado, I wanted to experience what exactly a pot shop was like. Airport Road in Breckenridge is the (somewhat controversial) location of three pot shops, which all sit directly next to one another. Not knowing which to visit, I stopped in to the first of the three, Organix. The staff inside were extremely helpful and informative and it was interesting to see how the marijuana industry is starting to take shape in the US.
Afterwards we headed down the street to Broken Compass Brewery, which we ended up visiting multiple times in the next few days. Their on-tap brews blew us away, with the overarching favorite being the Chili Pepper Pale Ale. Andrew describes this beer as the only Chili Pepper beer he’s ever tasted that is “deserving of the title”.
Broken Compass Brewery
For dinner, we headed into the neighboring town of Frisco to hit up Vinny’s where I scarfed down a very expensive but probably organic and definitely delicious Chicken Sandwich.
Day 3
Continuing our lust for adventure, we headed to Alpine Sports with our buddy Greg to pick up some bike rentals. We planned to ride the Blue River Recreation Path, which is part of an extensive trail system that runs through the county.
We followed the path for 10 miles and ended at the Frisco Marina where we met Beth for lunch. Afterwards we biked around Frisco for a bit, stopping at a few more bars before making our way back to Breckenridge, where we had to stop at Broken Compass Brewery for…yup, you guessed it, around round of beers!
We had just enough time to return our rentals before heading back to the Frisco Marina where Beth was waiting for us with a boat rental, on one of the fanciest pontoons I have ever seen.
We were starved and exhausted, but I had been promised a Meatloaf Panini, so we couldn’t go home without stopping at The Motherloaded Tavern.
Afterward, we sat in the yard while Greg lit a fire to end another awesome day.
Day 4
As you can imagine, even professional adventurers get tired. Initial plans called for a early morning wake-up call and a brisk hike up Quandry Peak, a local 14,000 footer. When 7am came and went, we assessed our aching muscles and settled for an early afternoon trail run.
So manly
Would you like some scenery with your jog?
The afternoon was spent slacklining and hammocking in the yard. We also caught wind of the fact that the Colorado Barbecue Festival was being held in Frisco, and being the carnivorous beer-soaked animals that we are, we happily attended.
Many beers and much BBQ later, we headed home to to prepare for a late night departure and begin our journey back home.
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