Leave the hassle behind when you ski at Breckenridge

"Think snow" has always been my favorite saying. As a youth I'll never forget the Christmas my father purchased my first set of "boards." I stepped in and out of my skies on the green, shag carpet in the living room -- just for practice. Wow, what a sight! What joy skiing has brought me and, besides my faith, being able to ski well is one of the greatest gifts my parents gave me.

When my husband, Dennis, asked me to move to Missouri 14 years ago and I realized I was going where there were hills and hollers, not mountains and valleys. I thought my life had come to an end. Asking me not to ski was like asking me not to breath. But as fate would have it, I have been blessed with a career that allows me the luxury of hitting the mountains to keep my skill level in check.

This year we decided to try something different from our annual trip to Salt Lake City. (2002 Olympic crowds -- no thank you.) Instead we headed back to Denver and I am so glad we did. I contacted my favorite ski company, Mountain Vacations, which is owned by Funjet Vacations. Jim Muller, their Denver-based product manager, was a great help setting everything up and we had the best time.

To mix things up a bit we decided to take some friends who had never skied before. Now that was an adventure! Nothing is more fun than watching friends' eyes swell to the size of golf balls as they try to get off the lift the first time.

We laughed till we cried and tested our friendship when we took our first-time ski buddies up on runs that were beyond their ability. But once they looked back they realized they had mastered a mountain they thought impossible.

The flight into Denver is non-stop and there are several choices -- American or United -- and both offer great rates and good on-time service. I was excited because this was my first time back to Denver since they had built the new airport. The Denver airport now lies in the middle of nowhere outside of Denver, which is pretty industrial to say the least.

The new airport's pinnacle peaks look like a strange version of snow-capped mountains from afar. One benefit of Denver's airport is the speed at which you can pick up bags and get a car -- talk about fast! Getting up the mountain can be done two ways -- by rented car or shuttle and it takes about 2 1/2 hours. Be sure and check to make sure the tunnel and pass are not closed before you head up.

Normally, if you have more than two or three people you can get a rental car, mini van or 4-wheel drive for about the same amount of money. We elected for a mini van for extra room, which seemed to handle the snow with no problems. Be sure and check to make sure you have chains and ski racks before you leave the rental location. Most can be added for a small fee.

The drive up the mountain was easy and fast and beautiful. We enjoyed looking at the small silver and gold mining towns along the way. About 10 miles outside of Breckenridge are the towns of Frisco and Dillion. Of course, these towns do not have the personality of Breckenridge, but we found the most valuable treasure there -- a Wal-Mart. It had tons of ski accessories at 50 percent to 70 percent lower than the ski shops. This was great for our friends who were first-time skiers, because they didn't know if they would ever wear their ski pants again.

Also, if you are really budget minded, there are many low-end hotels in these two towns. But if you are going to do the mountain, I'd suggest you do it right. We stayed at the Sawmill Resort, which is managed by East West Resorts and can be booked via Funjet Vacations. We had plenty of room and the property was clean and in an excellent location. I could easily walk to town, and we were just minutes from a grocery store, and best of all we could ski down 4 o'clock run, kick off our boards and walk to the stairwell to our two-bedroom condo.

One of my other favorite properties, if your wallet can handle the convenience, is Beaver Run. It is a deluxe upscale resort that is a ski-in and ski-out right in the middle of all the action.

For us the Sawmill Resort was perfect and affordable and we literally walked out our door, crossed the street and never waited more than 20 minutes for a lift up the mountain, which only took about four minutes.

There is so much to tell about Breckenridge, because there is so much more to do than ski.

Because there are so many lifts long waits are rare.

Another interesting fact is they actually have snow until the end of April and only close often because people assume they have no snow and quit coming.

Lifts open about 9 a.m. and close at 4 p.m.. Normally a good agent can get you extra perks such as lift discounts, kids fly free and other freebies. Mountain Vacations is a great company because every year they negotiate the best values for your money.

Breckenridge is a huge ski area with two main peaks -- named Peak 8 and Peak 9 -- at opposite ends of the ski area. If you are a new or beginner skier, Breckenridge is the place for you. The easy runs, which are called greens and blues, are in abundance. In fact, Dennis and I had a real challenge locating the types of runs we like, which are "easy blacks."

The ski schools at are the best. Next month I'll tell you about the ghost of Breckenridge (if there is such a thing), the great secret shopping places and eateries I found. I may even drop some great tips about the Grand Lido Braco, which is my next travel stop!