Tiger (Room 402)

Julia Anna Moore
Jan 1
3 min read

How to get to Tiger

The naming of Tiger is actually pretty significant, not just a random animal picked from a cup of popsicle sticks. This double black diamond run can be found between Peak 8 and Peak 9 and was named after the company Royal Tiger Mines Co., founded in 1921 by engineer John A. Traylor. Over the next 15 years, the company would dominate and own most of the mining claims and mines in the French Gulch and Swan River area before going bankrupt in the 1930’s. This was probably due to the death of gold mining and a bit of the Great Depression. When Peak 9 opened in 1971, the original name of the area was Royal Tiger Mountain. This history all ties back to the Swan River, which is apparent in your living room. You can get to the trail by either taking the Peak 8 SuperConnect, the Colorado SuperChair, or hit it from above when coming from 6-Chair or Imperial Express.

Ski resort trail map showing various ski runs in blue, black, and red lines through mountainous terrain with tree symbols, names, and symbols. — *Map of Breckenridge’s Peak 8*

Why is the Swan River so special?

Well… money. Much of the Swan River was decimated by dredging to search for valuable materials during the mining era. It was no secret that Breckenridge had gold, and the work to turn the river upside down to find metals like gold was ongoing for decades. It is now being restored with efforts to remove the rock piles left behind, reclaim riparian and upland habitat, and establish year round flows. You can read more about it here.

Map of Breckenridge Prospecting, Swan River, with plot lines, names like "Shaw Placer," and scale 1''=200' noted. Arrow points north. — **Breckenridge Prospecting — Swan River:** Description: A prospect map of the Swan River in Breckenridge, Colorado. *Original creator: 1941; Publisher: Natomas Company. Collection: Natomas Company Collection.*

A person stands near a wooden flume winding through a snowy forest. Tall trees surround the scene, creating a serene winter atmosphere. — **The Swan River and Georgia Gulch flume, northeast of Breckenridge:** A section of the “Great Flume” called the Swan River and Georgia Gulch flume, northeast of Breckenridge, Colorado, circa 1905–1906. In the foreground, a waste gate diverts water downhill when a repair on the wooden flume was needed. *Original creator: Circa 1905–1906; Westerman, Otto. Summit Historical Society Collection. Image created by Breckenridge History, Colorado.*

Old mining dredge near a stream, surrounded by large gravel piles. Mountainous background under a cloudy sky. Mood is desolate and historical. — **Old gold dredge near Tiger, Colo.:** View of an abandoned gold dredge on probably the Swan River near Tiger (Summit County), Colorado. Tailings piles are nearby. *Original creator: 1940; Fick, William L.. Denver Public Library Special Collections, X-63025.*

Rustic logging operation with a steam-powered sawmill, logs in the foreground, and smokestacks emitting steam. Forested hills in background. — **Core sampling prior to dredging, Summit Gulch in the Swan River Valley, east of Breckenridge:** Core sampling in Summit Gulch prior to dredging the Swan River for gold. Circa 1895, near Breckenridge, Colorado. Two men operate the boiler while another man pans for gold in a wooden water flume. Piles of logs are stacked on the ground. *Original creator: Circa 1895; Unidentified. Summit Historical Society Collection. Image created by Breckenridge History, Colorado.*

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 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.

Mountain peak bathed in orange sunset light under dramatic clouds. Dark foreground contrasts with vibrant sky, creating a serene mood. — The sun sets in July after a thunderstorm kissing Bald Mountain with alpenglow.

Orange and gray clouds fill the sky during sunset, creating a dramatic and serene atmosphere. No text visible. — The sun sets in July after a thunderstorm kissing Bald Mountain with alpenglow.

Moon in a twilight sky with dark clouds and hints of pink and blue, creating a calm and serene atmosphere. — The sun sets in July after a thunderstorm kissing Bald Mountain with alpenglow.

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.

Snow-capped mountain under a cloudy sky, surrounded by dense green forests. Yellow foliage in the foreground adds a touch of autumn. — The first snowfall in September, the aspens on Peak 8 already ready to drop their leaves for wintertime.

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.