The BreckConnect is a 2.3km (1.4mi) cable car which links the Town of Breckenridge to the Breckenridge Ski Resort. The opening of this system in 2006 meant that bus traffic between the two main activity nodes were significantly reduced. This was particularly important since the alpine resort is one of the most popular in America with over 1.5 million annual skier visits.
In the past visitors had to board crowded and untimely buses but now passengers simply park at the Miners and Tailings lot and then hop onto the gondola. The system effectively functions as the backbone of the Town’s transit network with many connections to the Summit Stage bus system.
The gondola was also able to connect to new areas of development at two mid-stations — Shock Hill and Peak 7. Thanks to the improvements in transport connectivity, property values at these sites were enhanced since visitors now had direct “Ski-in and Ski-out” privileges. Together, the Town and the resort continues to work together to stimulate more development.
The system has a built in capacity of 2,800 pph (with 120-143 cabins) which enables it to accommodate large flows of passengers travelling between the various sites. Similar to the Telluride and Mountain Village Gondola, the entire gondola system is free to ride for all passengers. To take a virtual ride of the system yourself, check out this great Youtube video.
A big thanks goes out to Billy Beasley for helping with this article.
System Statistics:
| Length (km) | 2.3 |
| Stations | 4 |
| Year Opened | 2006 |
| Capacity | 2,800 |
| Fare | Free |
| Trip Time | 8-10 minutes |
| Maximum speed (m/s) | 5 |
Image credits: CC BY 3.0, by Thomson M