Copper Mountain Colorado (US)

Ski Resort Review, Information and Guide

View of Copper main village base

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Copper Mountain
Mountain Summary:

Base: 9,703 ft
Summit Copper: 12,441 ft
Summit Union: 12,441 ft
Summit Tucker: 12,441 ft
Vertical: 2,601 ft
Ski area: 2,490 acres
Trails: 157
Lifts: 24
Terrain parks: 1
Snowfall: 305 in/yr

Runs/trails:

Beginner: 21%
Intermediate: 25%
Advanced: 36%
Expert: 18%

Daily Report:

2024-03-18 05:14:00
Status:open
Percent Open:99%
Lifts Open:23/24
Base Depth:1 in
Snow 24hr:0 in
Snow 7day:13 in
Snow Surface:
Machine Groomed

 

Currency:USD

Resort Services:

  • ski rental
  • ski instruction
  • food
  • ski shop
  • child care 6 mo+

Trail Map:

Video Tour:
Video of Copper Mountain Ski Resort

Virtual Tours:

Virtual Tour of the summit of Copper Mountain
Mountain Summit

Virtual Tour of Copper Mountain Village
Copper Village

Copper Weather:

Frisco Forecast

Center Village
Copper Mountain Ski Resort Description:

Located 75 miles west of Denver in Summit County off of highway 70, Copper Mountain is a large mature resort with something for everyone. Copper Mountain has three ski villages, "East Village", the main centrally located "Center Village" and "West Village" (Union Creek), spread out along the base of the mountain. Copper Mountain also has a naturally divided terrain on two peaks (Copper Peak and Union Peak) which separates the advanced terrain on Copper Peak from the intermediate and beginner terrain on Union Peak. The back bowls of Copper Mountain are accessible from the back of these peaks.

The lifts from East Village feed the advanced runs, the lifts closest to the main "Center Village" feed intermediate runs and the lifts from "West Village" (Union Creek) feed primarily the beginner runs.

The back bowls of Copper Mountain are all rated as advanced runs.

The main terrain park "Central Park" is above the main Center Village and has been the home to many snowboard competitions.

Resort Overview:
Copper Mountain video:
A video tour of the Copper Mountain Colorado ski resort

Copper Mountain East village

East Village. base of "Super Bee" lift and tubing park

Copper Mountain Terrain:

While this resort favors the beginner to advanced intermediate skier, this ski resort is very large and has something for everyone. You can enjoy skiing the trees, bowls, bumps, groomers or the terrain park. The advanced skier will enjoy the Eastern end of the mountain and the upper and backside bowls. These backside bowls are popular after a powder dump but often have delayed openings due to avalanche control. Copper has naturally divided terrain so that each skill level (beginner, intermediate and advanced) gets their own section of the mountain running from the West (beginner), central (intermediate) and East (advanced) with their own appropriate runs and lifts which helps keep the peace. Each zone also has its own village, West Village, Center Village and East Village.

Beginners and Intermediates:

Copper Mountain is nice for beginners because the beginner terrain is naturally separated from the advanced terrain. This avoids the dreaded co-mingling of beginners (slow) and advanced (fast) skiers.

West Village (Union Creek), has access at it's base, for beginner runs almost exclusively. Higher up the mountain off of "Timberline Express" one can reach some intermediate runs.

The central and main ski village gives you access to beginner and intermediate runs. The eastern part of the mountain accessible from "East Village" leads to the advanced runs and should be avoided by beginners. It is this natural division in the terrain, between west (easy) and east (advanced), which makes it a joy for beginners as they can stay in their section and enjoy the day without fear of engaging more challenging terrain accidentally.

Intermediate blue run: Bittersweet

Top of Bittersweet, under the American Eagle lift.

Intermediate blue run: Bittersweet

Advanced Ski Terrain:

Copper mountain is physically divided into three areas with the East side of the mountain (serviced by "East Village") being home to the advanced terrain rated as single and double black diamond runs. The upper peaks of all three regions are also all rated exclusively single and double black diamond runs.

Bowls:

All of the bowls at Copper are at the upper elevations. Spaulding Bowl is a favorite of the advanced skiers with all of the bowl terrain marked as double black and gated so that one does not accidentally take this path unintentionally. Spaulding Bowl is also home to some serious mogul runs. Copper Bowl is also found at the upper elevations and is home to more double black diamond terrain. Copper and Spaulding Bowls are the only area on the mountain to have runs rated as "Extreme Terrain". This terrain is marked on the trail map as double black diamond runs with the addition of the letters "EX". Note that both of the back bowls at Copper Mountain close at 3:00 pm.

Resolution Bowl is a much smaller bowl formation located off of the top of Resolution lift. Union Bowl is at the top of Sierra lift and has a mix of single and double black diamond runs.

All four bowls at Copper are at the peak of the mountain, are at or above the tree line and are home to single, double and double "EX" black diamond level runs exclusively.

Spaulding Bowl

Spaulding Bowl

Copper Bowl and Upper Enchanted Forest

Copper Bowl (left) and Upper Enchanted Forest (right) as viewed from the top of the "Stom King" lift.

Moguls:

My favorite mogul runs are "Highline" and "Drain Pipe" off of Resolution lift in Spaulding Bowl. In fact this area served by the Resolution lift is abundant with steep terrain and moguls.

Drain Pipe mogul run at Copper Mountain

Drain Pipe (Spaulding Bowl) with fresh powder

Drain Pipe mogul run at Copper Mountain

Looking down "Drain Pipe".

Spaulding Bowl: Gates to Double Zero and Triple Zero at Copper Mountain

Double Zero and Triple Zero gated entrance (Spaulding Bowl): You won't end up on these double black level runs by accident

Spaulding Bowl: Double Zero mogul run at Copper Mountain

Double Zero (Spaulding Bowl)

Trees:

It is frustrating trying to find a good tree run at Copper as one has to hunt for them. Most were too densely packed to ski but you will find trees on Union Meadows and Enchanted Forest (rather dense at times).

Union Meadows at Copper Mountain
Copper Mountain Terrain Parks:

There are a variety of terrain parks hosting features rated small, medium and large to allow progression and development of skills. The main attraction is the terrain park at Copper Mountain which locates its half pipe just uphill from the main village. This fits into the category: "Large". The rails at the top of the "American Eagle" chair lift are your smaller features.

  • Small:
    • Alliroo Alley
    • Lower Roundabout: on trail of the same name accessible from "Kokomo" lift
    • Green Acres: near East Village
    • Eagle: accessible from the top of "American Eagle" lift
    • Playground: accessible from "Union Creek" lift
  • Medium:
    • Hidden Vein: on trail of the same name accessible from "Union Creek" lift
    • 13' Pipe: top of "Union Creek" lift
  • Large:
    • Central Park: accessible from "Union Creek" lift
    • 22' Main Vein Superpipe: foot of "American Eagle" lift

Rail Riding

Rails at the top of "American Eagle" lift with a few of the smaller training "features"

Copper Mountain half pipe

Superpipe near the base of "American Eagle" Lift. Go big!

The "Action Sports" and extreme sports training grounds is Woodward at Copper, an indoor barn full of trampolines and foam pits. There is also a Woodward terrain park at Copper just off of the top of Union Creek lift.

Copper Mountain Woodward Terrain Park

Woodward "Central Park" terrain park hosting medium to large features

Copper Mountain Woodward Terrain Park

Central Park is a very large terrain park with lots of jumps, rails and features

Copper Mountain Tubing Park:

The Copper tubing hill and "Critterland" play area are a joy for those not quite old enough to ski or board or those not athletically inclined enough to try. A rolling conveyor will take one to the top of the tubing hill so the effort is truly negligible. The course is fun with a bank turn and high sides to make sure your tube stays on its path. Fun for all ages. The tubing hill and "Critterland" play area is located in East Village.

Copper Mountain tubing hill lift

The ride up

Tubing Hill

The ride down

Village, Town & Shopping:

There is an abundance of clothing shops and places to eat in the Village. For the local shopping mecca, head to the nearby town of Silverthorne for the outlet mall. The nearby town of Frisco also has shopping.

Copper Mountain Center Village

Center Village

Copper Mountain Center Village

Center Village

Links:

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