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Work Hard:Play Hard

February 6, 2019 by Kevin W

THE BUSY SEASON- WORK HARD:PLAY HARD

Hey guys! I haven’t blogged since New Years so I figured I would get back into the groove now that the holiday season has finally settled. We have been busy here at Summit Express but that doesn’t mean we haven’t been enjoying the winter season as well. We love the work hard:play hard mentality. Enjoying the mountains is always a must but we also love providing our guest with the best customer service possible while at work. We appreciate where we live and that has a direct correlation to our guest service here at Summit Express, which is focused on helping people living out their dream vacation.

Working Hard: An example of our Guest Service

Paul H (one of our key operations guys and lead dispatcher) and myself (Sales and Social Media) were voted as 2 of 13 stand out guest service representatives here in Summit County. This was awarded to us for going above and beyond for our customers and truly giving our guests the official Summit County experience. We all strive to be one of the best customer service destinations and it was awesome to see our hard work pay off. I also want to tip my hat to the rest of the staff here because it is a combined effort on all levels. The customer service all ties together . . . going above and beyond whether its out on the road, the dispatchers, our partners, or those behind the scenes in the office.

The outstanding guest service from business to business is important for our guests to leave town feeling satisfied. . .So a big thank you to our partners and all the other great companies out here in Summit County who help make this such a special place to live and visit!

Working Hard! Paul and I receiving our awards

Playing Hard

When we aren’t in the office we are usually out doing “research” on all the fun activities that Summit County has to offer so that we can always point you all in the right direction. Plus we really just like having fun. I like to keep these blogs fun because behind the scenes that’s really what this company is all about. We play just as hard as we work so make sure to ask questions when you book reservations with us. Local knowledge can be the difference between an OK trip and an amazing one! So don’t be afraid to ask…we love to fill guests in on all our favorite activities and destinations. If you haven’t been keeping up we have a lot of snow with more on the way next week so come out and join us on the slopes!!!

Casually playing Harder!

So anyway enough about us.

Lets highlight a few of the local events in the near future for you guys.

FEBRUARY 7th– JJ Grey and Mofro play at the Ten Mile Music Hall. You are missing out if you haven’t seen a show here yet. It’s a small venue so it’s a very intimate place to see your favorite artists.

FEBRUARY 8th– Check out the Upward Band and Frisco’s newest brewery- High Side Brewing OR if you wanted a different type of entertainment the Ice Castles in Dillon are having a fire performance

FEBRUARY 9th– Night two of the fire performances at the Ice Castle or check out some live music at Baker’s Brew In Silverthorne while they host the Shaky Hand String Band. Or do some night skiing at Keystone and catch the weekend firework show. If you are in Breck check out Josh Hoyer and Soul Colossal at the Historic Brown

FEBRUARY 10th– Need some time to unwind after an event filled weekend of riding and festivities? Check out READY PAINT FIRE for a ‘paint your own valentine” event. Don’t have a special someone? Well then paint one for your mom or dad, duh!! 😉

Have a great weekend everyone!! Cheers

Breckenridge and Keystone Open Early

November 10, 2018 by Kevin W

If you haven’t seen the news on social media or heard the word on the streets, I’ve got you covered. Keystone and Breckenridge both opened early this season. That is big news for Summit County. This has been the first time in a LONG time that any of the Vail Resorts actually opened earlier then the expected date. 11/7/18 was the lucky date and boy was it a treat for all the people living up here! I think it was the first opening day where I actually made it in time for spot in the main lot at keystone. . .even though I arrived after 10 am. But it gets even better. Free coffee and homemade granola bars awaited me as I waltzed onto the gondola without a care in the world. Opening day?! That is seriously unheard of!! I certainly enjoyed the change of pace 🙂

Thinking about what i’m going to blog about while enjoying Keystone’s opening day:)

The good news with the early opening is both mountains opened with more terrain then usual so even the busy weekends are filled with great skiing and manageable lift lines. What does that mean for the winter? Well, for one we are off to a great start compared to last year. That makes for great conditions (November-April) for all of our guests coming for the early and late seasons. If you were waiting to see how the winter was looking before booking your trip. . I think it’s safe to say its going to be a good one! BOOK IT

Make sure to check out all of Sky Runs accommodations if you need a place to stay while you are here. They have amazing properties and just so happen to be one of our partners!

Scared of driving in the snow but still want to make it to the mountains for a get away? Leave the driving to us. Give us a call at 970-668-6000 and we’d be more than happy to help plan your trip. . and don’t be shy! Ask questions about the area. We have a very knowledgeable staff with tons of local info and would love to point you in the right direction.

If you missed out on Breckenridge’s or Keystone’s opening day have no fear. Beaver Creek, Vail, and Copper are all still set to open soon. Go out and get yourself some early season turns and join us for some fun in the mountains. ENJOY

Winter Is Here

October 13, 2018 by Kevin W

It may only be early October but WINTER IS HERE again in Summit County! Start booking your flights and getting your winter gear organized. The snow is here on the peaks and in higher elevations and it is here to stay. I got my first few turns in for the season a few days ago and it was glorious. . . to say the least.

SNOW!!!! 10-9-2018

With -A Basin opening next weekend and snow already on the ground it is safe to say that winter is here to stay. After last years dismal winter and a very dry summer we are all ready for a good snow year. I’m sure all our future visitors are also ready for a good snow year.

SO take advantage of our Pre Season Sale and get some turns in before the masses start flocking toward the mountains. Our drivers are extremely friendly and can usually point you towards the right direction for some local fun. Don’t be afraid to get the inside scoop from us!

Local Tip: Use a shuttle service to get here. Renting a car in the mountains is not the glorified option that it may be at your typical beach get away. Driving from Denver to Summit is not an easy task in the winter and it only gets tougher once you are here. Plus, once you get up to Summit County there is free transportation ALL over the county. Check the Summit Stage out for all the details and routes.

Here is a list of our nearby resorts and tentative opening dates:

A Basin- 10/20*
Breckenridge- 11/10
Copper- 11/16
Keystone- 11/10
Loveland- 10/20*
Vail- 11/16

*opening this week

Local Tip: The snow is out there. If you can’t wait for the lifts then head up to Loveland Pass and enjoy some free riding at no cost. Just park at the top lot and walk toward either side of the road. Both sides offer riding down to Highway 6. Pick a line that gets you to the road. From here it’s easy. Stick your thumb out and get a free ride back up to the top. This is a known back country area so people passing by are more inclined to stop for good karma. WHAT YOU’LL NEED – Bring a rock board or skis (gear you don’t like) for the pre season riding and avalanche gear for your mid season riding. Avi gear is strongly recommended any time though!

Kovu and I enjoying the fresh snow

Enjoy the fresh snow everyone! If you see us out there be sure to say hello 🙂 PS 9 more inches in the forecast tonight

What? The duck race?

August 31, 2018 by Kevin W

Are you going to be in Summit County this labor day weekend? Welp, if so then here is the perfect way to spend your first afternoon in September. Dig through your pockets and see if you can find some loose 1 dollar bills. 5 of em’ gets you your own special ducky friend who has the ability to race down the Blue River and win you 1500 dollars cash! What? The duck race? Yes!! A full blown rubber duck race…with lots of cash up for grabs. The races start at 1 pm, beginning with the children’s duck race, the business races at 2 pm, and then the great rubber duck race at 3 pm.

The race will begin at the blue river plaza right on Main Street. In the plaza will be a kids zone, some live art, and some fresh BBQ out on the lawn! Have some fun and fill your stomach before the blue river turns yellow, filled with rubber ducks. No matter what age you are a river filled with toy ducks It truly is a sight to see. Come out and be a kid for the day! With a chance at $1500 why wouldn’t you?! Be sure to check out Breckenridge Grand Vacations for all your rooming needs . . after all they are the ones who are helping to put on this wonderful event.

If you’d like to enter the race go follow the link and adopt your ducky today! Bert and Ernie look they are prepped and ready for this Saturday’s race too. Competition seems to be heating up this year.

Bert & Ernie-Rubber Duck Racing Connoisseurs

Good luck out there and happy September to you all. The leaves are already changing so don’t forget to get outside and enjoy the beautiful, yet brief, fall season!!

sTrolling around Breck

August 17, 2018 by Kevin W

Looking for a quick hike with some beautiful Mountain View’s and maybe even . . . a life size troll? Well then, we have just the hike for you. Get your family and friends together and go sTrolling around Breckenridge and head towards the ~~Wellington Trail~~. With a little luck you just might find Isak Heartstone, the friendly neighborhood troll.

Attention: Isak has been moved to the trails surrounding the Ice Arena, find Isak in his new home there! Get directions from gobreck.com.

troll-new-home

Isak Heartstone was built for the Breckenridge International Festival of Arts, which lasts for 9 days in locations all over Breck. There is still two days left for the actual festival but Isak Heartstone is here to stay. . . at least for a few years. Check out the link above for more information about the artist and his inspiration for creating Isak.

The troll has been a popular destination during the middle of the day so pick a good time to explore . If you wanted to get some photos while no one is around try going early in the morning or just before sunset for the most personable experience.

For easy access park at the Wellington Bike Park lot. From there the trail is just a few hundred feet from the parking lot. Start going up the dirt road and it is your first little trail on the left. From here it’s just a 10 minute walk up to where the troll hides. If the troll wasn’t enough be sure to keep hiking up the trail. These same trails will lead you to some old mines and much more.

Attention: Isak has been moved to the trails surrounding the Ice Arena, find Isak in his new home there! Get directions from gobreck.com.

Have fun out there and be sure to check out all the other amazing art installations built for the festival! If you need a ride to or from the Summit County make sure to give us a call at 970-668-6000

Stargazing at Sapphire Point

August 10, 2018 by Kevin W

Looking for a quiet night in the mountains away from town? Avoid the activities on main street and try checking out some stargazing up on Sapphire Point at the top of Swan Mountain. This is a great way to get away from the crowds and enjoy some fresh mountain air and free fun under the stars. Sapphire point is just a short walk from the main parking lot at the top of Swan Mountain, which makes this makes this destination easily accessible but decently secluded. Check out the Sapphire Point destination info to help find the parking area and trail head.

the Milky Way over Summit County- a Santiago Luque Photo

Up here the light pollution is low so the stars are extra clear and at just under 10,800 feet you have a slight height advantage as well. Sapphire point is also a great place to overlook the city lights of the near by towns of Frisco and Dillon, which are complimented nicely by the lakes reflection. Nights here in Summit County are no stranger to clear skies so a vivid view of the milky way is almost always expected. Colorado is known for its “300 days of sun” a year but people forget to mention how great the night time is out here in the mountains. So get out side and escape the hustle bustle with a nice local escape.

There are some interesting astronomy events coming up the next few months as well so be sure to check the calendar and see if they fall the same dates as your trip!

A Local Tip: Get out there a little early and catch the sun setting over the Gore Range. Sapphire point is also one of the BEST places for a sunset in Summit County.

A snowy sunset taken from Sapphire Point

Work Hard:Play Hard

THE BUSY SEASON- WORK HARD:PLAY HARD

Working Hard: An example of our Guest Service

Playing Hard

Lets highlight a few of the local events in the near future for you guys.

Breckenridge and Keystone Open Early

Winter Is Here

What? The duck race?

sTrolling around Breck

Stargazing at Sapphire Point

Denver Airport Transportation

Service Quick LInks

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