Should You Choose Peak 8 or Peak 9 for Ski School?
Answering our guest’s questions is one of our favorite things to do! Which location to choose for ski school is a common one and since you won’t get this answer from Breckenridge Ski Resort, we’ve got some tips to help you find the answer.
Here’s what happens when you try to enroll in a group or private lesson at Breckenridge Ski Resort: you will be asked “which location, Peak 8 or Peak 9 (The Village and Beaver Run)?” New visitors don’t know the difference and the ski resort staff will not tell you which one you should choose because both peaks are part of the same resort. We’re breaking down the pros and cons for each location so you can choose which peak is best suited for the lessons you are signing up for. Read to the end and we’ve got a great insider ski school tip for you.
Peak 8
Peak 8 is the center-most portion of Breckenridge Ski Resort and primarily accessible via the Breckenridge Gondola on Park Avenue. Skipping the Gondola and parking at the base of Peak 8 is difficult due to extremely limited spots in the Stables lot and the price averages $45/day. Your best bet is to park at one of the Gondola lots on Park Avenue or on Airport Road and ride a shuttle to the Gondola.
Peak 8 Pros: Being in the center of the resort is convenient when only part of the group or family will be in ski school. Students can be dropped off and others can head out for easy access to all areas of the mountain. The Learning Area at Peak 8 is situated off to the far left at the base of Peak 8. This provides a quieter and less hectic atmosphere for beginner skiers. There is less traffic funneling from higher runs through the Learning Area under the Rip’s Ride chair and the 5 Chair. The magic carpet areas are small and not directly next to a busy ski run. A fun Kids Zone called Dragon Trail is hidden in the trees off the Trygve’s trail. The Peak 8 base area can be busy but is wide and spread out nicely.
Peak 8 Cons: There are a few less easy green runs on Peak 8. The long green run (Springmeier) from the Colorado Super Chair can get bumpy and crowded in the lower sections on powder days (it will be groomed overnight to eliminate the bumps). There is no parking to drop students off for ski school so a ride up on the Gondola is required, or parking in one of the limited pay parking spots at the Stables lot that requires a short uphill walk to the base of Peak 8. Dining is limited to your own pack lunches or Ski Hill Grill which is pricy.
Peak 9
Peak 9 is on the southern end of Breckenridge Ski Resort. Its base area is near what is called The Village and Main Street Station. There are thousands of condos in this area within walking distance to Peak 9. From Peak 9, there is easy access to the southern end of Park Avenue and Main Street. The Peak 9 choices for ski school at Beaver Run and The Village. They are very similar, and all pros and cons below apply to both Beaver Run and The Village.
Peak 9 Pros: Ski school students can be dropped off by vehicle in the parking area next to Beaver Run or The Village ski schools. Day parking is available right next to the Learning Area though very limited and starting at $45/day. There are several long and flat green runs accessible from the Quick Silver chair near the bottom of Peak 9, ideal for new skiers. Visitors who stay in lodging near or at the base of Peak 9 can walk from their condo to ski school and the Beaver Run and Quick Silver chairlifts. Two Kid Zones in the trees are accessible from the Quick Silver chair. There are a lot of dining options in the Main Street Station area, walking distance to the chairlifts.
Peak 9 Cons: The Peak 9 base can be very crowded with lots of frenetic energy. Skiers from higher up on the mountain will be skiing past ski school groups with the Magic Carpet areas being the only learning sections fenced off from other skiers. The Magic Carpet areas run alongside busy ski runs. The base of Peak 9 is a bit narrow and tends to feel darker late day. The beginner skier A Chair is very slow and only runs on the busiest days. Students who have parents or group members going off to ski on their own will need to allow extra time to get back to Peak 9 if they plan to ski Peaks 6 or 7.
A group of ski school students on Peak 9 at Breckenridge Ski Resort
Conclusion:
The location of your lodging won’t make much of a difference in your choice for ski school, UNLESS you are staying in a condo at the base of either Peak 8 or Peak 9. The two peaks are less than a mile apart.
If you are most definitely arriving to ski in a vehicle and don’t mind paying to park, the Gondola lots have the most spots available with the shortest walking distance making Peak 8 your best choice for ski school.
If you are arriving by vehicle and don’t want to pay for parking, we suggest parking at the Airport Road (largest with most spots available) where you will be dropped off at the Gondola. The route is short and fast, running every 15 minutes. There is also free parking at the Ice Rink lot on the south side of Breckenridge. The lot is much smaller with fewer spots. It’s closest to Peak 9, but also has shuttle routes which also drop at Peak 8. There are multiple routes to choose from which may be confusing and bus wait time is about 5 minutes longer than at the Airport Road lot
If you will be arriving by shuttle to the ski resort, the route you are on will help determine whether Peak 8 or Peak 9 is easiest to access. Just remember that for Peak 8, you will ride up the Gondola and at Peak 9, you will walk over to the base area from shuttle drop off.
Consider where the rest of the group not attending ski school wants to ski for the day and consider lunch options, as mentioned above.
Here’s a great insider tip for you: The busiest ski school days are Monday and Tuesday. Check out even more Tips for Beginner Skiers.
We hope this helps you decide, but it’s a lot of information and you may have further questions. If we can help you narrow it down further, please give us a call or email at [email protected].