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 Tom’s Baby.
Tom’s Baby and Tom’s Mom are some of my favorite names of trails in Breck. This run has historical significance because it was named after the biggest gold nugget ever found in history, which I will talk about below. To honor this incredible find, this double black diamond on Peak 9 was named after… well… Tom’s Baby. I recommend that only advanced skiers go to this steep tree run which is accessed by Mercury SuperChair.
Farncomb Hill and the big baby.
On July 23, 1887, Tom Groves and Harry Lytton discovered the largest piece of gold ever found in Colorado, a 13 ½ pound nugget in the Farncomb Hill area near Breckenridge, famously known as “Tom’s Baby” after Groves wrapped it in a blanket and carried it like an infant to avoid theft. Groves paraded the massive gold nugget around Breckenridge, where it quickly became renowned. After being cleaned by an assayer, the nugget was handed to a mine owner, Ward, who sent it to Denver, where it mysteriously vanished. Around 1900, it was sought for exhibitions but remained missing until local historian Mark Fiester rediscovered it in 1972 in a Denver bank vault, mislabeled as dinosaur bones (are you kidding me?). The piece, now 10 ½ pounds, resides at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, still stirring curiosity about the missing three pounds. Three pounds of gold today would be worth a little over $103,000 USD (as of July 2024). What do you think happened to this chunk? I guess we will never know.
From top to bottom:
View on Farncom hill: The Great Flume going around the hill opposite Mount Guyot (in background), northeast of Breckenridge, Colorado in autumn of 1895. In the snow, a man stands next to the waist-high wooden flume while a dog sits on top. Title quoted from handwritten caption on card mount: “View on Farncom [sic] hill.” Original creator: 1895 (Creation); Westerman, Otto. J. Frank Willis Photograph Album. Breckenridge History, Colorado.
The mineral resources of Summit County: View of a 156 ounce specimen of crystallized gold, known as “Tom’s Baby,” taken from the Gold Flake Mine on Farncomb Hill, near Breckenridge, Summit County, Colorado. The specimen was named after Tom Groves, one of the miners who discovered it. Formerly F24822. Penciled on back of photographic print: “The largest gold nugget [sic] ever found in Colorado — (156 ounces or 13 lbs Troy). Taken from Gold Flake Mine on Farncomb Hill, Summit Co. July 23, 1887. Known as “Tom’s Baby” for Thomas F. Walsh, owner of mine [sic]. “ [In fact, the crystallized gold specimen was discovered by two miners, Tom Groves and Harry Lytton, and allegedly named after Tom Grove’s.]; Photographic print is of half-tone reproduction. Original creator: 1899; Jas. F. Callbreath Jr.. Denver Public Library Special Collections, X-60191.
Great Flume in American Gulch on Farncomb Hill near Breckenridge: View of the Great Flume in American Gulch, located on Farncomb Hill near Breckenridge, Colorado. Circa 1896. The mill, originally built for the Victoria Gold Mining Company in 1887, is in view on the steep hillside. Original creator: Circa 1896; Unidentified. Summit Historical Society Collection. Image created by Breckenridge History, Colorado.
Actual size of a gold nugget, taken from Farncomb hill: 136-ounce mass of crystalized gold from the Gold Flake vein on Farncomb Hill called “Tom’s Baby”. Found on July 23, 1887 by Harry Lytton and Tom Groves outside of Breckenridge, Colorado. Original creator: circa 1880s-1903 (Creation); Westerman, Otto. J. Frank Willis Photograph Album. Breckenridge History, Colorado.
Wapiti Mining Company’s hydraulic operations in American Gulch near Breckenridge, Colorado: Wapiti Mining Company’s mining operations in American Gulch below Farncomb Hill, near Breckenridge, Colorado. An hydraulic pipe with high pressure nozzle (called a “Giant”) drives gravel from the tree-cleared hillside. The Victoria Gold Mining Company’s mill, built in 1888, is in view on the left. Original creator: Circa 1895; Westerman, Otto. Summit Historical Society Collection. Image created by Breckenridge History, Colorado.
Ben Stanley Revett in a horse-drawn carriage coming down Farncomb Hill, Breckenridge: Ben Stanley Revett and another man in a two-horse drawn carriage coming down a steep dirt road on the French Gulch side of Farncomb Hill, near Breckenridge, Colorado. Mount Guyot in the background. Original creator: Circa early 1900s; Unidentified. Summit Historical Society Collection. Image created by Breckenridge History, Colorado.