Beaver Creek, Colorado facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Beaver Creek, Colorado
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Snow Mountains on Beaver Creek, Colorado, in February 2014
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 Beaver Creek, Colorado
Location in Colorado
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| Country | USA |
| State |  State of Colorado |
| County | Eagle County |
| Elevation | 8,098 ft (2,468 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-7 (MST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-6 (MDT) |
| ZIP Code |
81620
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| GNIS feature ID | 2571064 |
Beaver Creek is a beautiful mountain community in Colorado, United States. It's located in Eagle County, just south of the town of Avon. Beaver Creek is famous for its amazing Beaver Creek Resort, which includes places to stay, shops, and a golf course. Even though it's not a city, it has its own special feel. The local post office in Avon handles mail for Beaver Creek.
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History of Beaver Creek
The area around Beaver Creek was first settled around 1865. The idea for a ski resort here started in 1956. Two people, Earl Eaton and John Burke, looked for ways to open a ski resort.
The Beaver Creek Resort officially opened in 1980. It is a major ski resort owned and run by Vail Resorts. When it first opened, it had 425 acres (1.7 km²) of ski trails, 4 chairlifts, and 28 different runs.
Skiing on National Forest Land
The Beaver Creek ski area is located on land that belongs to the White River National Forest. This means the ski resort operates under a special agreement called a "permit." This permit allows them to use the land for skiing.
The Forest Service, a government agency, must approve all ski lifts, trails, and buildings before they are built. They also approve the plans for how the resort will operate in both summer and winter. Vail Resorts pays a fee to the U.S. government for using these federal lands.
Beaver Creek and the Olympics
Beaver Creek was almost a host for the 1976 Winter Olympics. When Colorado was chosen to host the games in 1970, the plan was for Beaver Creek to hold the important alpine downhill skiing events.
However, in 1972, the people of Colorado voted against using state money for the Olympics. Because of this, the 1976 games were moved to Innsbruck, Austria. Innsbruck had already hosted the Olympics in 1964.
Exciting Ski Races
Beaver Creek is well-known for its challenging ski course called Birds of Prey. This course was built in 1997. Since then, Beaver Creek has regularly hosted World Cup races, usually in early December. These races often feature men's speed events like downhill and super-G.
Beaver Creek and nearby Vail have also teamed up to host the World Championships three times. They hosted in 1989, 1999, and again in 2015. These championships bring the best skiers from around the world to compete.
Beaver Creek Today
As of December 2014, the Beaver Creek Resort had grown a lot. It offered 1,815 acres (7.3 km²) of skiable terrain, 24 lifts, and 150 different trails.
Many famous people have enjoyed Beaver Creek. Former U.S. President Gerald Ford and his wife Betty owned a home here. The adventurous Steve Fossett also lived in Beaver Creek. Actor Kelsey Grammer and his ex-wife Camille also had a house in the community.
Gerald Ford's Connection
Beaver Creek was a special place for former President Gerald Ford. He founded an annual event called the AEI World Forum here. This event brought together important leaders from around the world. Beaver Creek also hosts the annual Bravo! Vail Valley Music Festival, which is a popular classical music event.
