Copper Mountain is located in Summit County, Colorado, about 121 km west of Denver on I 70. The Copper Mountain ski resort was opened in 1972 and is maintained by Intrawest. The ski resort (largest in Summit County), which is known for its naturally separated terrain also provides opportunities for golf and mountain biking activities. Copper Mountain was host to the World Cup tour in 1976 and staged four alpine ski races. Copper Mountain is known to be a remarkable family destination with slopeside condo accommodation connected by charming walkways and squares. The base elevation of the resort is 2,926 metres while the top elevation is 3,767 metres.
The mountain base area is ever expanding with the lodging, dining, and entertainment facilities at Copper Mountain been divided into three villages, namely, East Village, The Village at Copper and Union Creek. The Village at Copper is the main village at Copper Mountain, located at the centre of town.
Skiing at Copper Mountain:
The ski area features beginner slopes on the western side of the mountain, intermediate slopes in the center, and expert terrain on the eastern side. The advanced ‘double black diamond’ slopes are located on Copper and Union Peaks and include four expert-only bowls, namely, Copper Bowl, Union Bowl, Spaulding Bowl, and Resolution Bowl.
The skiing slopes at Copper are easily accessible to start with but gets tougher as one moves along. The moderate-sized resort has several enjoyable skiing trails for skiers of all levels. The experts can try their skill at Copper and Spaulding Bowls and various other spots at the background. Union Creek on the other hand has ski area for the beginners while the intermediates can cruise through the entire resort. Those who want to get a taste of backcountry experience can try the snowcats on Tucker Mountain (on first-come, first-serve basis). Snowboarders can also find their share of joy in the terrain park and two superpipes.
Copper Mountain activities:
- Iceskating
- Tubing
- Snowmobiling
- Snowshoeing
- Swimming
- Child care for children aged between six weeks to four years. Kids’ Night Out (open from Wednesday to Saturday) caters to children aged between six weeks to 10 years. The youngsters can enjoy pizza, games and videos here
- Slow skiing at Family Skiing Zones
- Fun at kidz Terrain Park
- Shopping:
Silverthorne with its retail outlets offering alluring discounts is a top attraction for shopaholics. Outlets of Ralph Lauren, Nike, Adidas, Levi’s, Gap and others are available here. - Splashing out at Wheeler Barn
- Après ski:
Copper village is a top après ski destination. Endo’s Adrenaline Café, JJ’s Rocky Mountain Tavern provide great some great scope of joy and excitement. Storm King Lounge offers sushi, pool, darts and cocktails. Frisco has some great bars like Jonny G’s and Moose Jaw. - Eating out:
CB Grille offers elk, steak and fish cooked over a wood-fired grill. Then there are JJ’s, Endo’s, Salsa Mountain Cantina, Pizza Carlo and others.
Accommodation:
- Copper Mountain Resort (There are a collection of condos and rooms in three groups, namely, Village at Copper, East Village and Union Creek)
- Village at Copper
- Hotel Frisco
- Snowshoe Motel
Reaching Copper:
Denver, located at a distance of 160 km, is the nearest airport to Copper.
Getting around:
A free local bus service operates around Frisco, hence enabling one to reach the nearby resorts of Breckenridge, Keystone and Arapahoe Basin and also the shops at Silverthorne. The casinos of Blackhawk and Central City run free shuttle services.
Other attractions near Copper Mountain:
- Frisco, the closest town to the resort
- Silverthorne featuring shops and restaurants
- Vail, Breckenridge, Beaver Creek, Keystone, Leadville
- Copper Triangle, a road cycling circuit which is home of Colorado Cyclist Copper Triangle Alpine Cycling Classic
- Pravda bar
