You can get to Wirepatch by riding the Independence SuperChair on Peak 7. It’s one of my favorite blue runs with wide open spaces and big rollers. You can have fun with family and friends or do some graceful turns on your own. Be sure to not stop below a roller so you’re visible to all other riders. I’m assuming that this run was named after The Wire Patch Mine, which was opened 1882 near Breckenridge. It was mostly mined for gold, but of course picking up other materials.
Map of Breckenridge’s Peak 7 and 8
Time before I-70
Before there was a straight shot from the Front Range through the mountains, we had to do a lot more work to get around. While during the summer humans could travel on foot, by horse or donkey, and eventually by locomotive relatively easily, winter posed different challenges. Avalanche risk and storms hampered travel plans, and even with the rise of personal vehicles, it was still difficult to reach Breckenridge before the construction of Eisenhower Tunnel near Loveland Pass.
Gray’s Peak number one: Men and women pose with horses beside a mountain stream near the summit of Gray’s Peak in probably Clear Creek County, Colorado. The women ride sidesaddle on horses; they wear fitted shirts or jackets, long skirts, and hats or bonnets with elaborate decorations. The men wear suits and derby hats, one holds a walking stick, another holds a small telescope, others recline on a hillside. Snow is in rock crevices on Torreys Peak in the distance. Original creator: 1884–1892; Stiffler, George W.. Denver Public Library Special Collections, Z-2548.
The rotary snow plow and several train engines are stopped in a deep drift of snow covering the railroad tracks on Barney Ford Hill, east of Breckenridge, Colorado, in April 1899: A well-dressed man stands on a rock overlooking the tracks, while shovelers dig out debris buried under snow that could damage the rotary’s blades. View of snowy Tenmile Range in the background. Original creator: 1899 April. Unidentified creator.
Jack train loaded with Ore: A dog guides a line of burros hauling ore in pack saddles, Summit County, Colorado. Original creator: circa 1880s-1903 (Creation); Westerman, Otto. J. Frank Willis Photograph Album. Breckenridge History, Colorado.
Hiram King on horseback at Peak 8 reservoir west of Breckenridge: Hiram “Hi” King on horseback at the Peak 8 reservoir about one mile west of Breckenridge, Colorado. Original creator: Circa 1896–1900; Unidentified. Summit Historical Society Collection. Image created by Breckenridge History, Colorado.
Men pose by the railroad locomotive stopped at Rocky Point, east of Breckenridge: Denver, Leadville & Gunnison (DL&G) Engine Number 113 pauses on the railroad tracks at Rocky Point cut, above the town of Breckenridge, Colorado, on the way to Boreas Pass and Como. Railroad workers sit on or stand beside the locomotive’s metal frame pilot (also known as a “cowcatcher”). Another man, finely dressed in a suit and bowler hat, stands off to the side with his hands on his hips. The Denver, South Park & Pacific (DSP&P) operated Engine №113 from 1885–1889. Original creator: 1889–1899; Unidentified. Summit Historical Society Collection. Image created by Breckenridge History, Colorado.
Eisenhower Tunnel: View of scaffolding and concrete forms during construction of the Eisenhower Memorial tunnel in either Clear Creek or Summit County, Colorado. Snow and mud dot building materials under an open section of the roof; men work at the side. Original creator: 1970–1980; John Gordon. Denver Public Library Special Collections, [Z-108].
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.
The sun sets in July after a thunderstorm kissing Bald Mountain with alpenglow.
The sun sets in July after a thunderstorm kissing Bald Mountain with alpenglow.
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.
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.
.png)
