Mountain layout—Snowboarding

For steeps and deeps, head to the Imperial Express chairlift. Once hike-to terrain, it's where the locals head after a big dump. Some of the their favorites are the Lake Chutes, the Windows/Peak 9 Chutes and Imperial Bowl. Peak 10's got a few high-speed cruisers that will let you open up your board too.

For intermediates, practically the whole mountain is your canvas. Stay away from the mogul runs and you'll be smiling ear to ear. Breck beginners have the most beginner terrain in Summit County at your disposal. Peak 9 is the best for a first snowboarding day. The resort has a snowboard-specific learning area on Eldorado, served by two conveyor belts. There's a learning terrain park here too.

Parks and pipes
As one of the first resorts to allow snowboarding, Breckenridge has more than 20 years of experience courting snowboarders and has earned bragging rights as one of the top resorts for parks and pipes.

Three words for experts: Freeway Terrain Park. Peak 8's superpipe and terrain park have become legendary among snowboarders and freeskiers. Breckenridge was the first mountain in the country to build a superpipe—400 feet long with 18-foot walls—and the local talent shows it. The monster park is packed with rails, including rainbow rails and C rails, plus tabletops ranging from 35 to 62 feet, and a 55-foot stepup. On any given day, show up at the park and you'll quickly realize why you're not a pro rider. Breckenridge hosts the U.S. Snowboard Grand Prix the third weekend in December. This is the nation's first major snowboard competition of the season and world-class riders go head-to-head in the Freeway Park and superpipe.

If you're not ready for Freeway, then head to one of Breck's four other smaller parks and start practicing. The resort's smallest park and pipe—best for learning—are on Eldorado on Peak 9. The next step up is the park and pipe on Peak 8 on Trygves (near Freeway), with small and medium-sized features and a small pipe. Before trying out Freeway, it's a good idea to go to Peak 9's Country Boy Terrain Park, with its medium-to-large-sized features and medium pipe. Breck is making it incredibly easy for you to progress according to your abilities. With a world-class terrain park reputation at stake, expect each of these parks to meet Breckenridge's stringent design standards while providing a safe and fun introduction to freestyle terrain.