Hello friend,
Welcome to the Wedgewood Lodge, slope-side, next to Snowflake Lift. Snowflake is a one-of-a-kind two-person lift that has a mid-load station and 70-degree turn to put you at Peak 8. It’s personally one of my favorite lifts of all time especially when snow is quietly falling, blanketing the landscape in Colorado’s legendary white powder.
We’re extremely stoked that you have chosen Breckenridge, and even more so that you’re staying with us. We pride ourselves in being a long-standing boutique experience, with studio spaces to three bedroom townhomes. We’re still family-owned and operated and specialize in group travel and weddings. Whether you’re here for the ski season or a summer getaway, we are only a few blocks from Main Street and just a stones throw from the slopes where you can ride and hike.
We renovated in 2023–2024 and within that renovation we decided to customize each and every space with unique historic photographs curated by me (Jules)! The artwork in your unit is unique to you and contains a piece of Breck’s history. In addition, you’ll see some of my own photographs sprinkled throughout the space. Each unit is also named after a run somewhere in Breck’s 3,000+ acres, with the story behind it explained below. Unfortunately, we only have 52 units, so a lot of runs were left unmentioned but we hope that you get to explore as much as you can. At Wedgewood, we love where we live and want to display how far the town has come. Thanks for coming, and enjoy your stay.
How to get to Wellington.
Many of Peak 9’s runs were named directly after mines around Breckenridge, and this one is no exception. Wellington Mine had valuable zinc, copper, and silver and now it can live on as a seemingly unseen run on the map. It’s somewhere near the popular Country Boy run, which is a blue on Peak 9, but could be kind of like Ego Lane, where you have to fall into the right conversation with the right person to know the lore about where it is.
Wellington Mine.
Wellington was the largest mine in the Breckenridge area. It opened in the 1880’s and closed in 1972, which is quite late, lead being responsible for about 60% of the value of the mine. It’s incredible that mining lasted that long knowing that many mines went under way earlier in the century. It was probably helpful that it was vital during World War II for its high-grade zinc ore. Here are some scenes and people from this mine.
Underground at the Wellington Mine in 1949: Bud Enyeart is the third from left in the back row. Original creator: 1949; Unidentified. Courtesy Enyeart family.
A man poses outside the Wellington Mine and Mill, near Breckenridge: A man wearing a bowler (derby) hat stands on the dirt road outside the Wellington Mine and Mill operations in French Gulch, east of Breckenridge, Colorado. Behind him is a massive mine waste dump. In the background on the hillside are the Oro Shaft buildings. Original creator: Circa June 1913; Unidentified. Summit Historical Society Collection. Image created by Breckenridge History, Colorado.
The Wellington Mine and Mill in French Gulch east of Breckenridge: The Wellington Mine and Mill in French Gulch east of Breckenridge, Colorado. An electric tramway brought ore from the upper (or Wellington) level down to the mill. In view in the background (between the lower mill’s smokestacks) are the buildings of the Oro Shaft. Original creator: Circa 1900s; Unidentified. Summit Historical Society Collection. Image created by Breckenridge History, Colorado.
The Wellington Mill, east of Breckenridge: The Wellington Mill in French Gulch, east of Breckenridge, Colorado. Handwritten caption on the front: “Wellington Mill”. Original creator: circa 1930s-1940s (Creation); Unidentified. Breckenridge History Photograph Collection. Breckenridge History, Colorado
Sawmill operations at the Extenuate (X10U8) Tunnel of the Wellington Mine in French Gulch east of Breckenridge, Colorado: Piles of logs and finished mine timbers are stacked throughout the property. Circa 1900s. Original creator: Circa 1900s; Unidentified. Summit Historical Society Collection. Image created by Breckenridge History, Colorado.
A man at the Wellington Mine and Mill, near Breckenridge: A man dressed in a suit coat and hat, and wearing pants tucked into tall, laced boots, stands on the dirt road outside the Wellington Mine and Mill operations in French Gulch, east of Breckenridge, Colorado. Behind him is a large stack of lumber and finished mine timbers. Smoke fills the view in the background. Original creator: Circa June 1913; Unidentified. Summit Historical Society Collection. Image created by Breckenridge History, Colorado.