Grits, Breckenridge (519 at Wedgewood Lodge)
Hello friend,
Welcome to the Wedgewood Lodge, slope-side, next to Snowflake Lift. Snowflake is a one-of-a-kind two-person lift that has a mid-load station and 70-degree turn to put you at Peak 8. It’s personally one of my favorite lifts of all time especially when snow is quietly falling, blanketing the landscape in Colorado’s legendary white powder.
We’re extremely stoked that you have chosen Breckenridge, and even more so that you’re staying with us. We pride ourselves in being a long-standing boutique experience, with studio spaces to three bedroom townhomes. We’re still family-owned and operated and specialize in group travel and weddings. Whether you’re here for the ski season or a summer getaway, we are only a few blocks from Main Street and just a stones throw from the slopes where you can ride and hike.
We renovated in 2023–2024 and within that renovation we decided to customize each and every space with unique historic photographs curated by me (Jules)! The artwork in your unit is unique to you and contains a piece of Breck’s history. In addition, you’ll see some of my own photographs sprinkled throughout the space. Each unit is also named after a run somewhere in Breck’s 3,000+ acres, with the story behind it explained below. Unfortunately, we only have 52 units, so a lot of runs were left unmentioned but we hope that you get to explore as much as you can. At Wedgewood, we love where we live and want to display how far the town has come. Thanks for coming, and enjoy your stay.
How to get to Grits.
Grits doesn’t have a specific connection to history but grits and flapjacks were common campfire foods for prospectors, and I just think the names are full of humor. This run is a black diamond in Peak 10 that juts out from Crystal. It’s a short tree run that lands on Upper Lehman and is worth a visit. I recommend only advanced riders attempt Peak 10.
Gibson Hill.
This area in Breck was home to Gold Run Placer over 100 years ago. Gibson Hill had valuable gold, like many of the mines in the area. A lot of the photographic evidence we have of this area is from the J. Frank Willis Collection, which makes sense because they owned property on Gibson Hill, but information is fragmented. You can read more about Breckenridge’s general mining history here.
From left to right, top to bottom:
View from the Willis property on Gibson hill, 1000 ft above town, showing Breckenridge in the distance: View of Breckenridge and the snow-covered peaks of the Tenmile Range looking southwest from Gibson Hill. The location of the Willis family property is indicated by a pink color tint on the building’s roof. Original creator: circa 1880s-1903 (Creation); Westerman, Otto. J. Frank Willis Photograph Album. Breckenridge History, Colorado.
View of the Willis Property, as seen from Breckenridge: North end of Breckenridge, Colorado with the Willis property above on Gibson Hill. The property is indicated with a pink color tint. Original creator: circa 1880s-1903 (Creation); Westerman, Otto. J. Frank Willis Photograph Album. Breckenridge History, Colorado.
View of Breckenridge with Gibson Hill in the background: View of Breckenridge, Colorado, looking northeast with Gibson Hill in the background. On the right is the 1882-built frame schoolhouse on Harris Street. Other false front and frame buildings are in view, including the Breckenridge Masonic Lodge on Washington Avenue and Main Street, and Barney Ford’s home on the opposite corner. A tall lodgepole tree stands in the left foreground. Original creator: Circa 1896–1900; Unidentified . Summit Historical Society Collection. Image created by Breckenridge History, Colorado.
Hydraulic mining crew at Gold Run Placer on Gibson Hill near Breckenridge, Colorado: Hydraulic mining at Gold Run Placer on Gibson Hill, near Breckenridge, Colorado. Circa early 1900s. Men from the pit crew stand by while a “Giant” (a high pressure nozzle fitted on a hydraulic pipe) directs a powerful jet of water towards the base of a gravel bank. Original creator: Circa early 1900s; Unidentified . Summit Historical Society Collection. Image created by Breckenridge History, Colorado.
Breckenridge, Colo, from Gibson Hill: View of Breckenridge, Colorado, looking southwest shows dwellings and commercial buildings of the town. Landmarks include two churches, false fronted structures and, in the foothills, numerous mining facilities. A frame, gable roofed structure is in the left in the foreground, and in the background, snow covers the peaks of the Ten Mile Range. Original creator: [1890–1899?]; Westerman, Otto. Denver Public Library Special Collections, X-1951.
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J. Frank Willis with his bicycle outside his house on Gibson Hill, east of Breckenridge: J. Frank Willis’ one and half story front gable frame house on Gibson Hill, east of Breckenridge, Colorado. Outside, Willis holds his bicycle by the handle as he props his left foot on the bike pedal. A second bike leans against a tree by a dirt path. He wears a cap, coat, and knickers with stockings. Original creator: Circa 1880s-1903; Unidentified . Summit Historical Society Collection. Image created by Breckenridge History, Colorado.
Winter 2010.
From aerial imagery, you can see the vast expanse of the White River National Forest. Can you point out Breckenridge and Copper Mountain?
A modern touch.
At Wedgewood Lodge, we want to give you a distinctive look into the past history of Breckenridge. Each photo in your historical gallery is unique to your stay and took countless hours to curate. There are stories to tell about Breckenridge and Summit County today as well, and the following photos have been shot by Julia Anna Moore.
Summer 2020.
In the midst of the pandemic, historic wildfires hit the state of Colorado. Most of my photos during my short walk on Boreas Pass had a hazy red undertone, representative of how my lungs felt even just going a short distance. The air quality was terrible, I’m surprised you could even see these mountains at all.
Summer 2022.
Storms in Summit County roll in like clock work during the summertime, so you better do all your fun outdoor activities before lunch. Sometimes the rain blows over quickly, sometimes it lasts until sunset, creating a beautiful pattern in the sky.
The mountains below are some of the same mountains you saw in some of my above photos from the 2020 wildfires. Notice the clarity in the air as the sun sets, lighting the mountains up with alpenglow. 2022 was a very wet year, a large contrast from the year of COVID-19.
Autumn 2022.
A small snowstorm turned the peaks white in September, and I ran out of my front door to get the clouds leaving the mountains as the sky cleared. The excitement of ski season set in. The right photo was taken on Lake Dillon from a small boat the next day.
Winter 2022.
The picturesque Hoosier Pass in dark greens and grays as snow falls, creating yet another perfect powder day for Summit County. Be careful if you are attempting to drive over this pass in bad weather, or consider delaying travel.
Winter 2023.
A fluffy snow had fallen all day, and as the sky cleared up in time for sunset. The alpenglow lit up the mountains before the sun sank behind the mountains creating a hazy blanket of darkness over White River National Forest.
Loveland Pass is the perfect place to take in the view, just be sure that you have 4WD if it’s been snowing and park off the road in the parking lot.
During the storm you see below in Summit, conditions were windy, rough, and cold. While most people chose to stay in, I ran up the mountain with my camera.
Want to take a piece of Summit County home with you? We will ship any of the prints from Julia’s gallery straight to your house. We offer different sizes and framing options. Reach out here.
Mail not working? Try this → solivagantjules [at] gmail.com
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535 Four O’Clock Road, Breckenridge, CO, 80424
(970) 453–1800
Booking: reservations[at]wedgewoodlodge.com
Business: askinner[at]wedgewoodlodge.com
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