Freedom Turns: Your Guide to Skiing on the Fourth

Featured Image: Lynnhaven Photography

Summertime is a skier’s kryptonite. The last of the resorts close, we slap a summer wax on our skis and suddenly we long for the days of face shots and frozen toes. If your craving for snow has bled into July, we’ve got some good news: ski season never really ends in Breckenridge, Colorado.

Every Fourth of July, a slew of Breck locals slog up Peak 10 with 30-racks and American flag capes for the most patriotic day on snow. If your kind of corn comes from a snowfield, not a cob, here’s everything you need to know to get in on the action.

Skier flips off a booter in Fourth of July bowl — **PHOTO:** Sarah McLear

What Goes Down

By mid-morning, Fourth of July Bowl turns into an alpine tailgate. Think costumes, music, more beer than a frat house and enough hot dogs to feed an army. It’s where closing day meets summer solstice: radical in the best way.

In addition to the independent rippers, there’s a more organized event: the Peak 10 Classic. The Classic is a by-registration banked slalom and booter race that acts as a fundraiser for the Peak 10 Classic Foundation and Friends of Dillon Ranger District. The race draws an infinitely interesting mix of locals, industry folks and dedicated skiers from across Colorado and beyond.

Donate To The Peak 10 Classic

Even if you’re not participating in the sanctioned festivities, you’ll still need to register for the event and sign a waiver to get up to the bowl. Don’t worry though, it’s all free.

Gathering at Fourth of July bowl in Breckenridge, CO — **PHOTO:** Courtesy of Peak 10 Classic

Getting There

Nestled high up on Peak 10 at Breckenridge Ski Resort, Fourth of July Bowl is a north-facing alpine bowl that holds snow throughout the summer thanks to its high elevation. It ain’t champagne powder, but after a week of 90-degree days in Denver, we aren’t complaining.

While the bowl isn’t lift-accessible, it’s surprisingly reachable. Here’s how to get up there:

By Shuttle:
- Park at Beaver Run and ride the Summit Express shuttle up 8am-11am and down 12pm-4pm
- From the shuttle drop-off, hike, bike, skin or bootpack roughly two miles and 1,500 feet up to the drop into the bowl
- Note: Do not try to drive up to the base of the bowl yourself – private vehicle access is NOT allowed this year and there are only 500 parking spots at the shuttle lot so carpooling is essential

Finding your way isn’t technical, but there is no signage so be sure to bring a map or a friend that’s been up there before. Don’t just follow the boisterous groups wearing cutoffs, although they’re probably going the right way.

Skiers on peak 10 riding off a boater — **PHOTO:** Courtesy of Peak 10 Classic

Pro Tips

Skiers hike up Fourth of July bowl in Breckenridge, CO — **PHOTO:** Vinnie Moro

Final Thoughts

At its core, skiing Fourth of July isn’t about winning a race, it’s about showing up. It’s about dragging your gear and closest friends up a dirt road in the blazing heat of July, sharing a beer with a stranger simply for the love of the sport.

Though the Peak 10 Classic adds some structure to the day, the grassroots origins of the gathering shine through with the stoke of the crowd and endearing cheers from strangers. There are no lift lines, no trail maps and loose rules—just a buncha’ bums who love skiing as much as we do, defying the odds and ripping up the snow in July.

The Classic might be the main event, but feel free to wander up to the bowl any other day in your own car or on foot to dodge the chaos, with backcountry experience in tow.

This day is for the people. It’s about the community. If you ask us, nothing says freedom like a sunburn at 13,000 feet and earning every damn turn.