Copper Mountain (Colorado)

Copper Mountain
Base area in March 2006
Copper
Mountain
Location of Copper Mountain
Copper
Mountain
Copper
Mountain (the US)
Location White River National Forest
Summit County, Colorado, U.S.
Nearest city Frisco: 8 miles (13 km)
Denver: 75 miles (120 km)
Coordinates 39°30′06″N 106°09′23″W / 39.50167°N 106.15639°W / 39.50167; -106.15639
Vertical   2,601 ft (793 m)
Top elevation 12,313 ft (3,753 m)
Base elevation   9,712 ft (2,960 m)
Skiable area 2,465 acres (10.0 km2)
Runs 140+ total
: 21% easiest
: 25% intermediate
: 36% advanced
: 18% expert
Longest run Collage - 1.7 miles (2.73 km)
Lift system 23 total
- 1 high-speed six-person chair
- 5 high-speed quad chairs
- 5 triple chairs
- 5 double chairs
- 7 surface lifts
- 1 tubing
Snowfall 310 in (790 cm)
Snowmaking yes
Night skiing no
Website coppercolorado.com

Copper Mountain is a mountain and ski resort located in Summit County, Colorado, about 75 miles (120 km) west of Denver on Interstate 70. The resort has 2,465 acres (10.0 km2) of in-bounds terrain under lease from the U.S. Forest Service, White River National Forest, Dillon Ranger District. It is operated by Powdr Corporation.

History

The resort opened in November 1972. Over the years, the mountain has been operated by several owners. In 1980, the area was acquired by Apex Oil Company,[1] who operated the area until 1988, when it was acquired by the Toronto-based Horsham Corporation.[2] In 1997, it was acquired by Intrawest, owner and operator of Whistler and operator of Winter Park.[3] Then, in December 2009, Interwest sold Copper Mountain's operations to Powdr Corporation.[4]

Copper Mountain hosted the World Cup tour in 1976 with four alpine ski races: slalom and giant slalom for both men and women. Copper was a late-season replacement for Heavenly Valley in California, which was low on snow.[5] Rosi Mittermaier of West Germany won both women's races and wrapped up the 1976 overall and slalom titles, and Copper named "Rosi's Run" after her that same weekend.[6]

The mountain is the starting point of the Colorado's Copper Triangle, a road cycling circuit that has been the home of the annual Colorado Cyclist Copper Triangle Alpine Cycling Classic since 2005. This event benefits the Davis Phinney Foundation, an organization committed to improving the lives of those with Parkinson's Disease.[7]

In February, 2009, Woodward Camp opened a 20,000-square-foot (1,900 m2) indoor ski and snowboard training facility dedicated to terrain park and pipe progression.

Beginning with the 2011–2012 season, the resort became an official U.S. Ski Team downhill training venue.

Location

The closest town is Frisco, 8 miles (13 km) east on the southwest shore of Dillon Reservoir, on an arm known as Frisco Bay. Nearby resorts within Summit County include Breckenridge, Keystone, and Arapahoe Basin, all just west of the Continental Divide.

The Eagles Nest Wilderness Area is immediately north of Copper Mountain. Across I-70 are the Gore Range Trail and Wheeler Lakes Trail. The North Tenmile Creek Trail and Meadow Creek Trail descend into Frisco from the Gore Range Trail.

Resort

Spaulding Ridge wildflowers, summer 2008.

The lodging, dining, and entertainment facilities at Copper Mountain are divided into three villages: East Village, The Village at Copper (AKA Center Village), and West Village (formerly Union Creek).

Season pass ski/snowboard tickets range from $150 to $619

Olympic medalist Putzi Frandl worked at Copper Mountain as a ski instructor for many years beginning in 1984.

Statistics

Early morning fog, top of the American Flyer lift, 2006
Resolution Bowl as seen from the top of Peak 8 at Breckenridge

Elevation

  • Summit: 12,313 ft (3,753 m)
  • Base: 9,712 ft (2,960 m)
  • Vertical: 2,601 ft (793 m)

Slope Aspects

  • North: 55%[8]
  • South: 5%
  • East: 25%
  • West: 15%

Trails

  • Trails: 140 total (21% beginner, 25% intermediate, 36% advanced, 18% expert)
  • Acres: 2,490 acres (10.1 km2)
  • Average annual snowfall: 310 in (790 cm)
  • Snowmaking 05/06 : 380 acres (1.5 km2)[9]
  • Bowls: 3 (Resolution, Spaulding, Copper)
  • Peaks: 3 (Copper, Tucker, Union)
  • Snowcat: 1 (Tucker Mountain Snow Cat)

Lifts

  • 22 total
    • 1 high speed six pack
    • 5 high speed quad lifts
    • 5 triple chairlifts
    • 4 double chairlifts
    • 2 surface lifts
    • 4 conveyor lifts
    • 1 tubing zone lift

The resort was the central location for the 1983 film Copper Mountain.

The ski scenes in the 1994 film Dumb and Dumber were filmed at Copper. The chairlift used was the E-Chair, which has since been replaced by the Excelerator High Speed Quad.[10]

References

  1. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2018-01-12. Retrieved 2018-01-12.
  2. ↑ "Ski". 1 November 1988 – via Google Books.
  3. ↑ "=={ Intrawest Acquires Whistler and Copper Mt. Resorts }==". www.mountainzone.com.
  4. ↑ "Copper Mountain being sold to Utah's Powdr Corp". 17 November 2009.
  5. ↑ "World Cup in Colorado". Spokesman-Review. Associated Press. March 5, 1976. p. 28.
  6. ↑ "Rosi has run named for her". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Associated Press. March 8, 1976. p. 20.
  7. ↑ "Copper Triangle Bicycle Tour". Colorado Summit Magazine. Archived from the original on 2013-01-19. Retrieved 24 December 2012.
  8. ↑ "Best Ski Resorts: Copper Mountain Terrain, Snow Quality and Mountain Ranks". ZRankings. ZRankings LLC. Retrieved 4 May 2015.
  9. ↑ "Copper Mountain Resort: Take a snow day at Copper". Summit Daily. 29 November 2010. Retrieved 24 December 2012.
  10. ↑ Adventure-Journal Archived 2014-09-02 at the Wayback Machine., Adventure-Journal 10 Mountains Misrepresented in Movies
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