We’re so glad you asked -- the man, the myth, the legend, Ullr is the Norwegian God of snow. And we really do love him here in Breck because he brings us one of our favorite things: fresh powder!

As the story goes, Ullr covered the earth in snow every winter to protect it from harm. But besides his frosty day job, Ullr also had two very important hobbies, archery and skiing. He travelled throughout the land on his skis, hunting with his bow, and enjoying the cold weather all the while. Ullr was so skilled with his bow and could go so fast on his skis that no one could best him. In fact, he was such a ripper that as legend has it, he would streak across the sky, leaving stars as his trail. Talk about a sweet line.

Now, you might ask yourself how in the world did a Norse God find a home in a small town in Colorado of all places? Well, other than our great snow and cold climate here in Breck that may have led Ullr to us, we also have strong ties to Norwegian culture that led us to him.

Breckenridge Ski Resort was founded in 1961 by two Norwegian friends, Sigurd Rockne and Trygve Berge. At the time, the ski industry was heavily European and Ullr was a symbol brought to America as the ultimate insider. Ullr was like the Fonzie of skiing (and still is if you ask us). If you were in the “it-crowd”, you were buddies with Ullr. And together, beyond building our resort to what we know and love today, Sigurd and Trygve also created the first Ullr Dag festival to continue their long tradition of celebrating Ullr and to keep Breck cool (literally and figuratively).

Here in Breck, we still love to talk up the infamous Norse god of snow, in hopes he bring us good winter tidings. The Ullr Dag Festival evolved into the community event we all know, love, and count down the days for: Ullr Fest. This entire weekend is dedicated to Ullr in hopes he sheds his magic so we can shred! Celebrate all things winter and all things good at Ullr Fest from Dec. 8-11. Join us in Breck as we praise Ullr for a strong snow season, grab a spot along the world’s largest shot ski, take over Main Street in the Ullr Parade, dance around the bonfire, and much more. For all the event information, check out gobreck.com.