The Copper Mountain trip is priced at:
$1164 | Adult full pkg. | condo and 5 of 6-day lifts (Sign-up $582 / Sept $582)
$750 | w/o lifts | condo only (sign up $375 / Sept $375)
The East Iowa Ski Club is pleased to announce Copper Mountain as the location of the 2nd West trip of the season. The club has room for up to 32 members, staying in Mountain Plaza complex in the Center Village. We have 8 condos, 2br/2bth in this walk-in/walk-out location - across the plaza to the lifts (3-minute walk). The club last visited Copper Mountain in 2015 and is excited to return.
We are still looking for Trip Leader volunteers for this Copper Mountain adventure. This EISC expedition is scheduled as a 6 night, Monday through Sunday, Feb 20 – 26; drive yourself/carpool trip. We have the option to park at the resort early Monday (2/20/23), ski all day and check in that afternoon. This should work out great for those who want to travel to the Denver area on Sunday, then drive into Copper Mountain for skiing on Monday morning and avoid the weekend traffic. The club got special group pricing on the condos with this unusual schedule and five of six-day lift tickets.
The readers of SKI magazine rated Copper Mountain the 11th best in the West ski resort. The strengths were lifts, terrain and access. “Copper has a huge variety of terrain spread across this large resort, so there are plenty of options for every level. Great, long groomers in both lower-intermediate and upper-intermediate ranges. Limited truly extreme terrain, but even some pockets of deserving double-diamonds in several locations. And much more and better tree skiing than most people know.
Copper does lots of things well: The 2,507-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 Snow-cat ride to maximize your time there.
For those wanting to improve their skiing, 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 at Copper 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.”
Copper Mountain is just 75 miles from Denver with 2,507 acres of skiable terrain and a village that feels more like a neighborhood. Copper's guests enjoy steps away lodging, apres ski entertainment, naturally divided terrain, exciting events and a welcoming, knowledgeable staff. The base elevation is 9,712 feet and the summit is at 12,441 feet. There are over 140 marked trails (21% beginner, 25% intermediate, 36% advanced, 18% expert) and 24 chairlifts making Copper one of the largest ski resorts in Colorado.
For years, guests have enjoyed staying at the Mountain Plaza complex for its spacious and comfortable accommodations conveniently located at the base of the American Eagle Lift in the Center Village. On-site indoor and outdoor hot tubs, sauna, dining and a lobby warmed by its gas fireplace make Mountain Plaza a good choice to enjoy a relaxed mountain environment, while being steps away from skiing. The building, built in 1979, features complimentary wi-fi, heated underground parking and laundry facilities. 1 vehicle per unit with a kitchen receives garage parking. Additional vehicles may park in the free outlying lots or choose to pay for parking in the interior village lots.
Copper Mountain is on the Ikon Pass. Pass holders get unlimited access to the resort. The dinner pick is - C.B. Grille, still the go-to for fine dining; hit Ten Mile (where Endo’s used to be) for casual fare. For a lunch spot the 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.
We hope to name a Trip Leader volunteer soon and have the Copper Mountain trip go on sale at the June 4th Spring Picnic at the Meadowlark Pavilion at Wanatee Park.
We had several members ask about becoming trip leaders at the April meeting, but all were still trying to decide. Please contact one of the board’s Trip Coordinators if you are interested in leading exciting adventure.
~ article by Steve Cummings