BRECKENRIDGE, Colo. — Just a week ago, Colorado forecasters expected significant snowfall in the high country for the days ahead, but as the week progressed, that forecast fizzled out, leaving the state’s ski resorts high and dry.

In contrast to this recent dry week, a different winter over a century ago brought the exact opposite problem to one mountain town—now a major Colorado ski destination: too much snow!

During the winter stretching from November 1898 through February 1899, over 79 straight days, the town of Breckenridge was buried in 20 feet of snow.

This legendary event became known as The Big Snow Winter. The town became cut off from the world, with train tracks and roads impassable.

To make matters worse, high winds created massive snowbanks and slides, some reaching several

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