In the past 10 years many changes have brought Breckenridge Ski Resort into the limelight as one of the premier ski resort destinations in the world. More on-mountain improvements continue into the future with the development of two mountain villages near the bases of Peak 7 and Peak 8.

Here's a brief overview of the history of the resort that more British skiers visit each year than any other resort in the US.

December 16, 1961
The Breckenridge Ski Area officially opens with one Heron double chairlift and a short T-bar. Almost 17,000 skier visits were recorded that first season, despite the fact that Interstate 70 was still not complete to Summit County.

1971
Peak 9 opens with two double chairs and 12 trails. Skier visits for the 1971-72 total 221,000.

1981
Breckenridge installs the world's first high-speed quad chairlift on Peak 9. The lift, capable of transporting 2,800 skiers per hour, started the industry's high-speed quad revolution.

1984
Breckenridge became Colorado's first major resort to allow snowboarding.

1985
Breckenridge's third interconnected mountain, Peak 10, opens and the resort hosts the world's first Snowboarding World Cup.

1993
Peak 7, the ski area's fourth interconnected mountain, opens for hiking access and glade skiing.

1997
Breckenridge Ski Resort along with Keystone Resort is merged with Vail and Beaver Creek to form Vail Resorts, the largest mountain resort company in North America at the time.

1998
$18 million is invested into on-mountain improvements, including two new high-speed quads - the most in the resort's 37-year history.

1999
Another $14 million investment includes the construction of Ten Mile Station on Peak 9. Breckenridge celebrates being the country's most popular ski resort that season with a record 1,392,242 skier visits.

2000
The country's highest-capacity lift and first double-loading six-passenger chairlift, the Quicksilver Super6 opens at Breckenridge, replacing the high-speed quad. For a second straight year, Breckenridge is the most-visited resort in the US, tabulating 1,441,000 skier visits.

2002
Breckenridge increases intermediate terrain by 30% with the Peak 7 expansion, adding seven new trails and the 6-person Independence SuperChair. The new Peak 8 Super Connect transports visitors from Peak 9 to Peak 8 with incredible speed.

2005
With the debut of the Imperial Express Super Chair last season, Breckenridge is now home to North America's highest chairlift. Reaching 12,840 feet, the Imperial Express serves in-bounds double black diamond and extreme terrain previously accessible only via hiking.

2006
The new Breck Connect Gondola which opened last season marks a new age for Breckenridge. While most people staying in resort can easily access the slopes on the south end of town via the Beaver Run Superchair or the Quicksilver Super Six chair, the new Gondola provides access to the mountain for the day skiers from the free parking areas on the north end of town. While decreasing car traffic in Breckenridge the new Gondola also puts an end to the morning lift queues at the base of Peak 9.

By studying the flow of skiers from morning to afternoon, we have put new lifts in strategic locations to improve the ski experience. The new Gondola will also spread skiers around the mountain more evenly - meaning more time skiing and less time queuing!