Breckenridge is huge and has runs for every member of the family. The greens are wide and gently sloped. There are plenty of blues for the intermediate skier and, I'm told, extremely challenging blacks for you experts and daredevils.

Only Peak 9 was open on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving; Peak 8 opened on Wednesday. My husband and I skied mostly greens on Peak 9 while the girls tried some of the blues and felt they became progressively harder as they moved to the right.

We packed a lunch and ate it at the Ten Mile Station on Tuesday; I think you're really supposed to eat outside on the patio area if you bring your lunch, but it wasn't crowded so we took ours inside to eat and no one said anything. A little squirrel had found a way to get inside the building and he ran in and out while watching us carefully; eventually, he dashed across the floor to pick up some chips and then disappeared outside. The dining room and the restrooms were very clean and well-kept. Wednesday the girls had pizza at the base of the peak.

The snow was wonderful; the workers said it was more like January than November. The mountain views were gorgeous and sometimes I just had to gawk. All in all, it was a very memorable skiing experience.

If you plan your trip in advance, join the PEAKS program to get discounted multi-day lift tickets; other discounts are also available as you earn points. A two-day lift ticket is good at Breckenridge, Keystone, and Arapahoe Basin. Three- or more day tickets add days at Vail or Beaver Creek.

Call 1-800/842-8062 or visit Breckenridge for more information.