Copper Mountain Ski Trip

We had been to all of the other Summit County Colorado Ski Resorts except Copper Mountain, and we had read a lot of good things about it. So this trip was planned to go find out if those reports we had een reading were accurate. The secondary reason was that our son was eager to switch from skis to snowboard (as his Mom & Dad now only snowboard) and we had read that the snowboard instructors were good at Copper Mountain.

Part 3 of our game plan, was that Copper Mountain has a really good snow tubing area, with multiple tubing lanes, where we could either tube individually, or collectively by holding on to each other's tube handles.

Of course, if you tube down the hill, then you have to pull your tube back up the hill. But the motivation is right there next to you! Or in other words, all the way up the hill, you are walking next to the tubing lanes, where people are going back down!

That is me going back up to the top on the left, and Jeremy is in the pic to the right.

The condo rental we selected was adjacent to the "central courtyard resort area" where most restaurants, ski shops, etc, could be found. It was also perhaps 50 yards away from the main road that takes you to all of the ski lifts, and where the bus stops could be found (see pics to the left & right).

Because all of the ski lift parking lots filled up rapidly each morning, we decided that riding the bus made so much more sense, as we did not have to cruise for a parking spot, the buses run frequently, and we didn't have to do anything but get on and off the free bus!

One of the nicest advantages of snowboarding versus skiing, is that you can sit down on the slopes, anytime you feel like it and then just get up and continue boarding! Or, you can watch less skilled snowboarders fall down all over the hill, although in this picture (see above), I was watching Jeremy make some linked turns.

If you really want to have fun "sitting down", then take a look at image # 2. Copper Mountain has a nice snow tubing area and we enjoyed our visit.

Copper Mountain has some great mid-mountain places (image # 1) where you can eat lunch, or grab a hot drink, or just come in and have a snack and catch your breath & warm up.

Image # 2, shows Celeste's snowboard waiting for her to come back outside from the mid-mountain shop. We were inside enjoying something warm to drink and a quick snack.

This picture to the left, shows you not only how nice the weather was that week, but also what an advantage it is to have your camera with you on the ski lift !

The picture to the right shows Jeremy and I on the way up the hill again.

All good vacations have to come to an end at some point, and this one required us to drive back to Denver. As you can see in these pictures, the weather was a bit snowy that morning, but driveable, because Colorado does a great job of moving the snow off the highways

1. Less Crowded: Despite its popularity, Copper Mountain tends to be less crowded than some of the neighboring resorts, allowing for shorter lift lines and more space to explore the mountain.
2. Terrain Parks: Copper Mountain is renowned for its world-class terrain parks, featuring innovative features and top-notch grooming, making it a favorite destination for freestyle skiers and snowboarders.
3. Parking is Good: Each condo area provides their own parking, and there are plenty of restaurants and grocery stores, to keep one's condo stocked.
4. Resort Bus System: Using the Copper Mountain bus system saved us a lot of time and parking anguish. This is the way to go, and the bus service was free. All of the lift area parking lots fill up quickly and early!
5. Family-Friendly Atmosphere: With a welcoming vibe and plenty of family-friendly amenities, Copper Mountain is an ideal destination for families with children. The resort offers dedicated learning areas, childcare services, and a range of activities for kids and families to enjoy.
6. Cost: There isn't much difference in lift ticket prices between any of the Summit County areas compared to Copper Mountain or Vail. We would recommend the Epic Ski Pass, because if you acquire a multiple day (or season pass) early enough in the year prior to your trip, they are very reasonably priced. Again, if you buy "early enough", their pricing is considerably less expensive than anyone else.