Copper Mountain, Colorado

Copper does lots of things well: The 2,465-acre resort has an excellent variety of naturally differentiated terrain that gets more challenging from west to east, and a seriously underrated high alpine filled with adventure terrain—plus a free snowcat to maximize your time there. For families, Copper is one of the best resorts to learn to ski thanks to stellar learning programs, (slightly) lower prices, and a down-to-earth vibe that makes you want to hang a little longer.

The vibe here is somehow simultaneously hip and refreshingly old-school: Go have some damn fun. Copper sees—and markets—itself as the rebel force to the corporate imperial army down the road. It works. “It is the great alternative,” says one reader.

Both next-gen Woodward and the U.S. Ski Team’s speed center call Copper home, which tells you a lot. Copper is quietly one of the better skiable mountains in all of Colorado. “There’s no other resort where you can ski in two hours the vertical and terrain that you can here,” a reader says. The East Village is family headquarters with its easy-riding Super Bee six-pack. There’s no cover charge on the Super Bee, but we’ll institute a two-run minimum when ripping with the kids. A ski resort reveals its bona fides in a variety of ways, but “I named my dog after Copper” is as good as any we’ve heard in a while.

Resort Guide 2022—Copper Mountain, Colo.

Copper Mountain Stats

Average Snowfall	Acres	Lifts	Trails
305″	2,490	23	140+

Copper Mountain Pass Info

Copper is on the Ikon Pass. Pass holders get unlimited access to the resort.

Trip Planning

From lodging and and dining to off-slope activities and local tips, here are the SKI editors’ picks for what to do in Copper Mountain, Colo.

What’s New

As part of POWDR Corp.’s 100 million dollar transformation of Copper’s base area, Element 29, a new 127-room hotel, opened last season. Check it out!

Mandatory Run

Take the Alpine chair for some mogul leg burners. Great lap-able area for early season pow days when the bowls aren’t open.

Best Value

Copper’s multi-week youth ski programs are a deal for families driving in from the Front Range, and are not as pricey as the nearby competition.

DINNER PICK

C.B. Grille is still the go-to for fine dining; hit Ten Mile (where Endo’s used to be) for casual fare.

LUNCH SPOT

Mountain Melt is a creative take on the world’s greatest comfort food: mac and cheese. Lobster mac, buffalo chicken mac, bacon cheeseburger mac… You get the idea.