Whale's Tail (Room 311)

Julia Anna Moore
Dec 30, 2025
4 min read

How to get to Snow White

This run is a double black diamond in the saddle between Peak 7 and Peak 8 with a 604-foot drop. You can access it via the highest chairlift in the world, Imperial Express Chair. Beware the cornices at the top giving you a boost in speed when you hop into the bowl. This run is extremely popular, and for good reason. It offers gorgeous views of the entire mountain and town below. The origin of the name is not very clear, but the area was originally called White Whale. It’s thought that because the pattern of melting spring snow on the rock resembles a whale’s tail, it was renamed to what we see today. The is expert-only and hike-to terrain.

Ski map illustration of snowy mountains with labeled trails and areas. Main peak, Peak 8, marked in red. Blue sky and detailed topography. — *Map of Breckenridge’s Peak 7 and Peak 8*

The high alpine

The theme of your unit is the high alpine wildlife of Colorado. If you have kids or kids-at-heart on your trip who love animals, this is a great opportunity to learn more about what lives here and maybe go on a scavenger hunt. Be sure to thread lightly and stay on trail as wildlife at high elevations such as moss is extremely sensitive.

Some folks have always been fascinated with Colorado’s flora and fauna such as Edwin Carter, an early mid-1800’s naturalist who wanted to preserve species for the future by practicing taxidermy. He believed that all Colorado animals would be extinct by the end of the 19th century due to pollution caused by mining. While many species survived the pollution, some did go extinct due to other numerous reasons and other species numbers plummeted. Nowadays, some species are protected in hopes that they can recover from human activities. If you would like to learn more about Edwin Carter, visit the museum in town.

Did you know? Mountain goats can jump up to 12 feet in one hop!

Mountain goat with shaggy white fur lies on rocky terrain. Dark background contrasts the goat's fur. Text below discusses goat herds in Colorado. — **Chappell:** **Mountain goat** **study needs to continue:** The Rocky Mountain goat population of Colorado has two main herds, the Gore Range herd with about 150 goats and the Continental Divide herd with about 225 goats, and they have one great friend named Alex Chappell, who has devoted the last two years researching the goats. Original creator: 1994; Mark Fox. Summit Daily.

If you’re hiking in the middle of the mountains during the summer and you hear a car alarm sound, it’s probably a marmot.

Illustration of a yellow-bellied marmot on a rocky outcrop with mountains in the background. Accompanied by text detailing marmot facts and characteristics. — **The Yellow Bellied Marmot:** *Fauna Facts.* Original creator: 1982; Unknown. The Mountain Ear

These birds are uncommon in Colorado, but if you’re a birdwatcher, look for this guy because every now again you can come across this beautiful bird from up north.

Illustration of a bird with pink and brown feathers perched on a grassy ledge. Background features rocks and subtle greenery. — **Gray Crowned Rosy Finch** **(Leucosticte Griseinucha):** *This illustration was extracted from the vintage book: Contributions to the natural history of Alaska.* Original creator: Circa 1874 to 1881; Turner, Lucien McShan.

Did you know? A male bighorn ram’s horns can weigh up to 30 pounds.

Sheep exiting a wooden boxcar labeled "3438" in a snowy setting. Text visible reads "D. & R.G." and capacity details. Monochrome image. — **Mountain sheep in a freight car:** *Big Horn sheep* *eat probably hay on the snowy ground outside Denver and Rio Grande Railroad freight car number “3438” in Colorado. A ram stands inside the car.* Original creator: [between 1917 and 1926]; C. Bancroft. Denver Public Library Special Collections, Z-5739

All parts of the Columbine are inedible, but nevertheless, beautiful to look at.

Black and white photo of delicate columbine flowers with long stems against a dark background. Text reads, "1941, Fragile Beauties." — **Colorado state flower (the Columbine):** *Artistic studio view of* *Colorado’s state flower, Columbine; shows five blooms on four stems with black background.* Original creator: [1900–1920]; McClure, Louis Charles, 1867–1957. Denver Public Library Special Collections, MCC-1936.

White bird on snow, shadowed background. Text reads "Municipal Facts." Calm and serene mood with soft, muted tones. — **Denver (Colo.) Ptarmigan in Winter, The Spirit of the Colorado Rockies:** *Newsletter produced everty two months by the City of Denver highlighting the civic, administrative, and informational aspects of government within the City.* Original creator: 1924; Clark Blickensderfer. Denver Public Library Special Collections, C352.078883 D4373muX3

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.

Snowy mountains at dawn with a purple and pink sky. The peaks are gently illuminated by early sunlight, creating a serene atmosphere. — A hazy sunset paints over Loveland Pass

Spring 2022

A fluffy snow had fallen all day, and as the sky cleared up in time for sunset. Pinks and purples stretched over the peaks as the temperature dropped, welcoming in the night.

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.

Snow-covered mountain with pine trees, a ski lift, and a small structure at the top under a clear sky with soft golden lighting. — Strings of alpenglow touch the Pali Lift at Arapahoe Basin

The sun sets, lighting up the Continental Divide that has grown quiet as guests have left the resort for the day.

Arapahoe Basin is an advanced mountain at the other end of the county.

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.