Thrill-seeking mother and daughter scream down Breckenridge's Gold Runner Alpine Coaster.


Hike a mountain ridge The Ten Mile Traverse offers what has to be the most


ambitious way to get from Frisco to Breckenridge. The route follows the crest of the Ten Mile Range from Peak 1 near Frisco through Peak 10 at the Breckenridge Ski Area. “It’s defi nitely a black diamond hike,” says Chris


Tennal, formerly of Breckenridge Mountain Outfi tters (970-453-2201, mtnoutfi tters.com). Between Peaks 1 and 4, summits are jagged and the


scrambling serious. The terrain then mellows into a hump-slogging ridge walk. From Peak 6 onward, it’s pos- sible to quit early and descend through the ski area.


Copper Mountain


Zip across a pond Some zip lines can be downright intimidating.


Breckenridge


Scream down an Alpine coaster With most amusement park rollercoasters, they


control the speed. On Breck’s half-mile-long Gold Runner Alpine Coaster (800-789-7669, breckenridge.com) you do. The rides, which can be done either solo or in two-seaters, begin with a drop down a long straightaway. Excitement ignites around the fi rst hairpin. Riders soon scream through enough banked turns, dips and twists to make a sidewinder squirm. Some come at ground level with oth- ers elevated. Pulses pound, wheels zing, G-forces rip and hands grip brake handles, futilely resisting the temptation to pull. The base area landing comes all too soon.


Mush sled-dog scooters Huskies are born to pull, and lacking snow and


sleds to tow, they get bored. To provide summer action, Orion Paiement of Snow Caps Sled Dogs (970-453-7855, snowcapssleddogs.com) has his pups pull mountain scooters. “It was just to get the dogs some exercise,” he says. “Low


and behold, it started to become pretty popular.” Orion harnesses two dogs per scooter, and eager to get


going, they tug and yelp until riders release brakes. At full trot, speeds can reach 25-35 mph. Orion warns that this is his highest risk activity with participants required to wear helmets.


For folks wanting to try zipping with less apprehension, Copper Mountain's Alpine Rush (866-841-2481, copper colorado.com) offers a friendly launchpad. The 300-foot run stretches a mere 30 feet above West Lake in Copper’s Center Village. The Alpine Rush offers two parallel lines, allowing zippers to race each other at speeds Copper claims may reach 30 mph. With no age restrictions for riders weighing between 50 and 260 pounds, the Alpine Rush may provide an option for youngsters too young to participate elsewhere.


Rediscover Lost Lake Across the interstate from Copper Mountain lies


the Eagles Nest Wilderness, an untrammeled place to get away from it all. A bridge walk over I-70 leads to the Gore Range Trailhead. After briefl y paralleling the highway, the route turns into the backcountry where trees muffl e road noise. A spur trail leads to Wheeler Lakes, a pair of ponds in a grassy setting. The main path continues upward into a world of forest, grass and rock. Five miles in, hikers discover Lost Lake at the base of a ridge. It’s a scenic lunch venue before the hike back down.


Train for terrain parks It may be summer, but for those who want to


perfect terrain park tricks, Woodward at Copper (888-350-1544, woodwardatcopper.com) allows winter to continue. The facility consists of a 19,000-square-foot “barn” split into a Gym-Cross Zone with trampolines and spring fl oor, a Snowfl ex Zone with skiable carpet and a Skate/BMX/Inline Zone for skateboarding. “To be able to learn in a safe context with somebody


showing you the ropes can make all the difference in the world,” says head coach Giri Watts. Woodward offers week-long summer camps with


some even geared to adults. On weekends, Woodward opens to the public.


EnCompassMag.com EnCompass May/June 2013 27


© Leisa Gibson / Vail Resorts


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