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- Julia Anna Moore
- 6 min read
How to get to Wanderlust
Wanderlust is my ultimate favorite way to ski to Peak 6. The entrance is hidden behind Pioneer Crossing. It can be really difficult for snowboarders who ride defensively and can’t hold their speed because the narrow path in between the trees does flatten out quite a bit. It’s probably the best traverse on the mountain because it’s not boring, really beautiful, and a little more challanging than a simple flat catwalk. I don’t know how it was named, but it’s fitting.
The original people and their homes
Before there was Breckenridge there were the Núu-agha-tʉvʉ-pʉ peoples (Ute Mountain Ute Tribe), one of the three recognized Ute tribes, along with neighboring Navajo Nation and Southern Ute Tribe. As the Ute people expanded across the Great Basin, they were connected to each other by the Southern Numic language, a division of the Uto-Aztecan language family.
Much of what we know about Colorado today is due to the knowledge of the indigenous people of the area. The mountains you see today, called the “Shining Mountains,” were home to the native Ute people for more than 8,000 years and is one of the few tribes without a migration story. The state of Utah was named after the Ute tribe, who migrated seasonally through the Rockies, following game such as bison and searching for plants to harvest. One of the infamous Colorado trees, lodgepole pines, were used to make poles for their lodges, hence “lodgepole.” They were known throughout history to be excellent horsemen and friendly to settlers in Colorado, but were driven out due to pollution in the Blue River that decreased the game in the area. Dredging of the area for the mining industry caused the pollution, leading naturalist Edwin Carter to think that it was driving species to the brink of extinction.
There is very limited photographic evidence available (at least in public archives) of Ute presence in Breckenridge due to the destruction of land and overall decline in flora and fauna by the time the camera was invented. There is also sometimes uncertainty which of the exact Ute tribes the photo represents. Many of the photos you’ll see in this gallery are of their homes from other parts of Colorado, but it’s still important to highlight the tribes existence in this area. You can read more about the Ute Tribe here and here.
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.
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?
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.
Winter 2022
The picturesque Hoosier Pass in dark greens and grays as snow falls, creating yet another perfect powder day for Summit County.
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.
