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Summit Film Society kicks off 2019 with “Abandoned,” film about erosion of Colorado’s independent ski industry

Summit local Matt Quam gets the first turns on a bluebird day at Loveland Pass on a pow surfer. The Summit Film Society kicks off 2019 with "Abandoned," a documentary about filmmakers discovering what happened to the abandoned and shuttered ski areas around Colorado.
PJ Markow / Special to the Daily

The Breck Film Fest ushers in the 2019 season of the Summit Film Society with “Abandoned” on Tuesday at the Breckenridge Theater at 7 p.m. The film takes a glimpse into the not-so-distant past to discover what became of a few of the nearly 200 ski areas that once existed in Colorado.

“Abandoned,” created by Boulder-based adventure production company The Road West Traveled, follows a crew of backcountry skiers who set out to explore Colorado’s lost ski areas in hopes to find adventure among the ruins. Instead, they discover the truth behind what made these areas close their doors for good. It illustrates what skiing used to be like before mega resorts and climate change wreaked havoc on independently owned ski areas, according to the Breck Film Fest.

Through interviews with former owners, ski patrol and historians, “Abandoned” uncovers what it’s like to be a skier in Colorado’s backcountry and what it means to go from lost to found. 



The Road West Traveled was co-founded by Colorado native Lionello DelPiccolo and he is slated to attend the screening. DelPiccolo is an adventure photographer and filmmaker who has been exploring the outdoors since his youth. His passion is to share authentic stories via film to inspire others to get outside to enjoy the outdoors.

This is the first of the annual eight-month Summit Film Society film series presented by the Breck Film Fest. Each event takes place on the second Tuesday of the month at the Breckenridge Theater (home of the Backstage Theatre company) from January through August. In February, Breck Film Fest adds two additional screenings on the third and fourth Tuesdays to screen all three Oscar-nominated short films programs: animated, short documentary and live action.



General admission is $12 per person and advance purchase is recommended as space is limited. Purchase by calling the Breck Create Ticket Office at 970-547-3100. Doors and concessions open at 6:30 p.m. with show time at 7. A full bar, nonalcoholic beverages and snacks are available until 7:15. The Breckenridge Theater is located at 121 S. Ridge St. in Breckenridge.


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