Copper Mountain (Colorado)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Copper Mountain | |
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| Location: | |
| Nearest city: | Frisco, Colorado |
| Coordinates: | Coordinates: |
| Top elevation: | 12,313 feet (3,753 m) |
| Base elevation: | 9,712 feet (2,960 m) |
| Skiable area: | 2,433 acres (9.85 km²) |
| Runs: | 125 total 21% beginner 25% intermediate 36% advanced 18% expert |
| Lift system: | 22 total (5 high-speed chairs, 10 chairs, 6 surface, 1 tubing) |
| Snowfall: | 280 in (7.10 m) |
| Web site: | http://www.coppercolorado.com |
Copper Mountain is a mountain located in Summit County about 75 miles (121 km) west of Denver, Colorado, right on Interstate 70. Its most notable use is as a ski resort, owned and operated by Intrawest, although it provides golf and mountain biking activities during the warmer months. It is well-known for its wide variety of naturally separated terrain. 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. Advanced "double black diamond" slopes are located on the two peaks above 12,000 feet (Copper and Union Peaks), including four expert-only bowls: Copper Bowl, Union Bowl, Spaulding Bowl, and Resolution Bowl. Copper Mountain Ski Resort is the largest resort in Summit County when measured by area.
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[edit] Character of the Slopes
Like other nearby resorts, Arapahoe Basin and Ski Cooper, Copper Mountain is considered by many a local's mountain; although they have a ski school and beginner's terrain, Copper tends to be frequented by Coloradans rather than out-of-state tourists. Unlike resorts like Vail or Winter Park, Copper tends to have fewer lines and shorter wait times, even at the height of tourist ski season (exceptions to this rule are limited to the two quad lifts servicing Center Village, American Eagle and American Flyer, which often experience long lift lines due both to the centrality of their locations and the terrain accessible by them: a combination of green and blue runs, Copper's Superpipe, and its premier terrain park, Catalyst. Although virtually every lift at Copper can be directly skied to from the top of either the Eagle or the Flier, many tourists unfamiliar with the resort tend to funnel into Center Village).[citation needed] Copper's expert bowls are comparable in difficulty to the infamous bowls at Vail, as well as the lesser-known Independence Bowl at Keystone, Imperial Bowl at Breckenridge, and Vasquez Cirque at Winter Park/Mary Jane.
[edit] Nearby Attractions
Frisco, about five minutes from Copper Mountain, is the closest town to the resort proper. Silverthorne, including an array of outlet stores, is a 12 minute drive from the mountain. There are some restaurants in Silverthorne, and it can be much cheaper to lodge there than it is to stay in Copper itself. Copper is about 25 minutes from Vail, and is also very close to Breckenridge, Beaver Creek, Keystone, and Leadville, Colorado. Copper itself is about an hour and half outside of Denver.
Copper Mountain is the starting point of Colorado's Copper Triangle, a road cycling circuit that is the home of the Colorado Cyclist Copper Triangle Alpine Cycling Classic. This event benefits the Davis Phinney Foundation, an organization committed to improving the lives of those with Parkinson's Disease.
[edit] Resort
In recent years, after purchasing the Resort and base area interests, Intrawest Corporation has vastly improved the three villages at Copper Mountain. Currently they are constructing or have recently completed dozens of new hotels, condominiums, restaurants, shops, and bars. These new amenities are designed to help facilitate the use of the new found lift system on the mountain, the world class golf courses, tennis clubs, gold medal fishing streams, and other amenities available.
The base area is ever expanding, but at the time of writing, the lodging, dining, and entertainment facilities at Copper Mountain are divided into three villages: East Village, The Village at Copper and Union Creek.
The Village at Copper - AKA Center Village is the main village at Copper Mountain, located in the center of town, the mountain, and near most amenities this is where most folks go. Historically this is where the closest parking lots, now hotels, and the base of the only super chairs were. That has all changed these days. The American Flyer Super Chair, and The American Eagle Super Chair are still home to this base area which will give you access to the whole of the mountain. The new touches to this portion of the mountain village include a new pavillion; complete with public address system, outdoor disco lights, and warming fire pits for on the spot concerts. New restaurants, hotels, and upgrades to existing structures.),
East Village at Copper Mountain - AKA Super BEE Base is the more challenging side of the ski resort front side. The East Village has the Super Bee, 6 man, high speed, superchair coming right into it's base area and a brand new restaurant, bar, cafeteria, and base area. photo Located a few hundred yards / meters to the west is the A - lift, still serving up bumps until your lungs burn. This side of the resort is also home to one of the golf courses, and many of the condominiums and private cabins in the valley. A-Lift & Super BEE are located in East Village.
Union Creek at Copper Mountain - AKA West Village is home to the Kokomo, High Point, Slingshot, Glide, and Rugrat lifts. This is predominantly the beginner or learning portion of the mountain. All of the terrain off of the lifts based in the west village serve green beginner terrain. The ski school, teaching, and many of the tourist amenities are therefore also located on this side of the village and mountain.
[edit] Statistics
[edit] Elevation
- Base: 9,712 ft (2,926 m)
- Summit: 12,313 ft (3,767 m)
[edit] Trails
- Acres: 2,433 acres (9.85 km²)
- Vertical: 2,601 ft/ 793 m
- Trails: 125 total (21% beginner, 25% intermediate, 36% advanced, 18% expert)
- Average annual snowfall: 280 in (710 cm)
- Snowmaking 05/06 : 380 acres (1.54 km²)
[edit] Lifts
- 22 total
- 1 high speed six passenger
- 4 high speed quad lifts
- American Flyer
- American Eagle
- Timberline
- Excelerator
- 5 triple chair
- Sierra
- Resolution
- Rendezvous
- Kokomo
- Lumberjack
- 5 double chair
- Alpine
- Blackjack
- Highpoint
- Mountain Chief
- Pitchfork
- 2 surface lifts
- Storm King
- Gem
- 4 conveyor lifts
- Easy Rider
- The Glide
- Rugrat
- Slingshot
- 1 tubing zone lift
[edit] External links
- Copper Mountain Official Website
- Copper Mountain (Colorado) is at coordinates Coordinates:
- HookedOnWinter's WikiWinter Article
- 3dSkiMap of Copper Mountain
- Ski Blog - Includes Copper Mountain Coverage
- Copper Mountain @ Snowago.com
- Experience Copper Mountain
- Copper Mountain Night Club Zizzo Ski Bar
- http://www.coppertriangle.com
