Copper Mountain Attractions

By Amanda May
Staff Writer
Rockies.com

Copper Mountain, Colorado is in Summit County, home to some of the best skiing in the Rocky Mountains. Within the county, Copper Mountain Ski Resort is the largest ski complex by area. Thus, activities here revolve around the mountains and all the activities exploring them.

Ready to take the first plunge of the day while skiing Copper Mountain. (Colorado Tourism Office)

Copper Mountain lodging can be found at the base of the ski resort or in nearby Frisco, Dillon and Silverthorne. In fact, Copper Mountain is close to many other resorts as well, so you could potentially ski many areas while staying at Copper Mountain.

Copper Mountain is most famous for its ski resort. In fact, it is really more of a ski complex than a town. The base with lodging also has restaurants and shopping all within the Copper Mountain Ski Resort.

The resort has undergone a transformation over the past few years, building new and restoring the old. The three villages have been improved, complete with new hotels, condominiums, restaurants, shops and bars. (The mountain also got new lifts as part of the deal.)

The three villages are: East Village, The Village at Copper (better known as Center Village), and Union Creek.

The Village at Copper (Center Village) is the main village and in the center of “town,” the mountain and closest to local activities. You’ll find warming fire pits, a new pavilion and hotels and restaurants here.

East Village (The Super Bee Base) is on the more challenging side of the ski area. The Super Bee high-speed six-person chair lift takes you up to the terrain. This village also has a new restaurant, bar, cafeteria, and base area. Alpine Lift is another chair lift a few hundred yards to the west, and is a double accessing mogul runs.

Union Creek (West Village) has Kokomo, High Point, Slingshot, Glide and Rugrats chair lifts and services the learning part of the mountain. Here you’ll find the ski school and lots of tourist amenities. Above Union Creek is one of the two areas with blues (the other is off the American Eagle lift).

One of the best attributes of the mountain is its separated terrain. The area to the west is easiest, the center intermediate and the east is the most difficult. The peaks, Copper and Union, are above 12,000 feet and are both considered to be expert only, with double-black diamond terrain.
Copper Mountain’s bowls are also well regarded, sometimes being compared to Vail, Breckenridge and Keystone’s. The four bowls are: Copper Bowl, Union Bowl, Spaulding Bowl, and Resolution Bowl.

Local Coloradoans love this mountain because the lift lines are much shorter than nearby Vail or Winter Park, even during the high point of the season.

Copper Mountain has 16 miles of cross-country trails and there is shopping at in the villages or at the nearby outlet stores in Frisco, Colorado. Snowmobile tours are available

Summertime brings the hiking and mountain biking season at Copper Mountain. Bring your camera for fantastic landscape shots while hiking along the high trails that you can access by first taking the chair lifts.

Golfing at Copper Creek Golf Club and tennis at Copper Mountain Racquet & Athletic Club are other fun recreational activities in the area. The fishing is award winning in the local mountain streams!

The nightlife is fun year-round at the many bars and restaurants. They have every kind of place, from wild party bars to low-key romantic restaurants.