Ski Cooper

Terrain:

Cooper mainly caters to beginner and intermediate skiers and boarders. But riders rarely see the Tennessee Creek Basin’s back side of the mountain, so on a powder day, expect fresh tracks the whole time. This back side is all double blacks with a blue cat track for an easy way down to the lift. My favorite runs were Powder Stache and Solstice that parallels the lift. For me these blacks were great tree runs, but I would not consider them to be quite extreme enough to be doubles. For the resort as a whole, yes these runs were the most extreme for the mountain, but compared to other resorts in Colorado I would consider them closer to just single black runs. Although, the most extreme part of these runs were how tight the trees could be in areas. I got stuck a few times and had to backtrack to stay in the actual run area. The runs themselves are cleared of dense trees, but if you want to go betweens runs, expect some tighter trees. 

The rest of the terrain being greens and blues, Cooper is a great place for beginners and families to ski. The runs are very open with little to no traffic, so plenty of space to ski and board. For beginners, these runs can be quite long and since the runs are so open, you can take your time getting down and not worry about making huge turns if you want to. Since the runs are so open and long, there are rarely lift lines. The lifts are also on the slower side, which gives you plenty of time to take a break after each run. I had a blast zooming down these runs having plenty of room to make big turns and hit side features without worrying about stopping short to avoid others.

Some of the lifts at Cooper are not chairlifts. There is a poma lift on the front side and a T-bar on the back side. These lifts can be difficult for boarders (and skiers) to ride, because you have to put the seat between their legs and ride up the hill. These lifts can be tricky sometimes, so if you plan on going to the back side to hit Tennessee Creek Basin, be prepared to ride the T-bar up the mountain. Overall, Cooper is a great place for beginners and families to enjoy skiing without worrying about crowded runs and lift lines. On a powder day if you want to get fresh tracks all day and avoid the packed resorts near I-70, Cooper is a great place to go.

Base Elevation – 10,500 ft

Peak Elevation – 11,700 ft

Number of Lifts – 5

Number of Trails – 60

Total Terrain – 470 acres

Easiest Terrain (Greens) – 26%

More Difficult Terrain (Blues) – 35%

Most Difficult Terrain (Blacks)  – 25%

Expert Terrain (Double Blacks) – 14%

Resort Hours – 9am-4pm Daily

Atmosphere and Locals: 

Most locals come from Leadville since it is so close to Cooper. One thing an employee said that stuck with me was that everyone who has come through Cooper is friendly and honest. I even got to see a local bring cookies to the ski patrollers, which I have never seen before. I always had great, genuine conversations with locals on the lifts. They loved the open runs, the empty lift lines and how friendly the employees are. 

Accessibility and Parking:

There is limited free parking at the base of the resort, but Cooper is never too crowded. Cooper is very close to Leadville, which is known to get tons of snow during the winter. Hence the road to Cooper can be quite snowy. Compared to I-70, this road is not as maintained and sees less traffic. The road is quite open and not through a mountain valley, so beware of high winds and wandering wild life.

Pricing: $$

Lift Tickets – 

Adult (15-59): $62 (Full Day), $49 (Half Day) 

Senior (60-69): $49

Senior + (70-79): $39

Children (6-14): $39 (Full Day), $33 (Half Day)

Associated Season Pass – Power Pass

Lessons – 

Adult First time: $179 (4 Hours), $99 (2 Hours)

Adult Group: $99 (2 Hours)

Adult Private (14+): $349 (Full Day), $189 (Half Day)

Child Group (5-13): $129

Child Group (4/3-5 Snowboarders): $69

Child Private (3-5): $79

Child Private (6-13): $349 (Full Day), $189 (Half Day)

Rentals – 

Adult Rental Package: $35

Adult High Performance Rentals: $45

Child Rental Package: $25

5 and Under Package: $20

For more information visit https://www.skicooper.com/