Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
TOP OF CHAPTER
Copper Mountain
POP 385 / ELEV 9712FT
Opened in 1973, this picturesque, self-contained resort town southwest of Frisco, just off
I-70 at exit 195, was the last addition to Summit County ski country. Set high on the east-
ern slope of Vail Pass and tucked into a bowl, it's surrounded by mountains with long runs
carved between evergreens and copious powder in the winter. In summer there's everything
from golf to go-karts to cycling, and you can almost always hear that ever-present rush of
Copper Creek over the roar of the nearby highway. Almost.
Activities
Copper Mountain
( 866-841-2481;
www.coppercolorado.com
;
Hwy 91; adult/child $114/65; 9am-4pm, from 8:30am Sat & Sun
Nov-mid-Apr)
The resort may be a bit too planned for some, but even the staunchest critics
wouldn't thumb their noses at the mountain itself. Rising 2729ft up to the 12,441ft summit,
Copper has 2450 acres of terrain, carved with over 125 trails equally divided among begin-
ners, intermediate, advanced and expert skiers. No chichi Vail attitude here - Copper takes
you back to skiing's play-hard roots.
It's an easy mountain to navigate - all levels have their own slice of paradise served by
separate lifts, meaning beginners are unlikely to be run over by experts at the bottom of the
mountain (and vice versa). The coup for serious skiers is the
free snowcat skiing
(10am to
1:30pm) in the back bowl on Tucker Mountain.
There are plenty of other activities here as well, including 15 miles of cross-country and
snowshoe trails, a tubing hill, and a small skating rink and zip line.
Copper often has good deals going, particularly for locals, so shop around on its website
in advance for discounted lift tickets and four packs.
SNOW SPORTS
Woodward at Copper
( 888-350-1544;
www.woodwardatcopper.com
; 505 Copper Rd; drop-in/intro sessions $29/49; hours vary)
If
your grommet wants to learn his or her way around a snowboard park - including those
gnarly half-pipes and super pipes - send them here, a year-round ski and snowboard train-
SNOW SPORTS
