Copper Mountain, Colorado: Mountain Tour

The base at Copper has been reconfigured to funnel skiers to the East Village each morning. Don’t be daunted by the long line at the Super Bee lift: The speedy six-passenger chair makes quick work of the crowds, whisking skiers to the summit in less than nine minutes. (Note: If you have kids, head west to the Union Creek beginner area and the new children’s ski school.) From the top of Super Bee, take a warm-up run down the frontside of Copper. Andy’s Encore, Oh No and Copperopolis are three signature intermediate trails. If it’s a powder day, head straight to the double black-diamond Resolution Bowl for heart-pounding steeps. You’ll want to get there early though because the powder gets cut up quickly. To avoid the crowds, opt for the endless bump runs down to A-Lift, where you’ll be happy there’s no high-speed lift in sight. (Plans call for a high-speed quad to replace the A double next summer.) Make your way west in the early afternoon to catch the best sun. Stop for lunch at the mid-mountain Solitude Station cafeteria, but be prepared to fight the masses for a table. If the weather is good, a better option is the outdoor T-Rex Café at the base of the Timberline Express quad or the Flyers BBQ at the top of the same lift. After lunch, ease back in with cruisers off Timberline Express. Then zip to S-Lift for showboater bumps on the sunny frontside of Union Bowl or take R-Lift to access Copper Bowl and glorious views of the Ten Mile Range. Finish your day with a drink on the Copper Station deck or at Farley’s Pub, both in the East Village. For now, it’s best to avoid the construction zone in the main village. But not for long. Next season, 68,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space will come to life in the heart of a resort where skiing, thank the stars, remains king.

Mapping it Out