Overview

Only 90 minutes from Boulder or Denver and bordering a major interstate (I-70), Copper Mountain is extremely popular with Denver/Boulder locals.  It constitutes half of a major ski pass (along with Winter Park), and with 2450 skiable acres has something to offer any level of skier or snowboarder. 
Copper has 22 lifts, 5 of which are high speed, and one high-speed six-person chair (Super Bee) that rockets you over 2200 vertical feet to the top of the mountain in 12 minutes. 

Copper is roughly divided into 3 sections, and if you’re looking at the mountain you can almost put a black diamond on the left, a blue square in the middle, and a green circle on the right.  Almost.  Take a look at a trail map before you head out, because there really is varied terrain all over the mountain.
Copper is very kid friendly, with special pricing for kids and lots of wide open blues and greens, all of which make it a great resort for families.  But be warned, if you like to rip down the mountain at lightning speed, be prepared for the ski police to pull you over and even take away your pass for going too fast on some of the main vein blues and greens.

Don’t Miss

If there’s been a lot of snow recently but things are looking a bit skied out, head over to Far West where there’s always powder to be had.  To get there, ride the American Flyer lift from the Center Village, then look for Sierra Lift (also called S-Chair).

At the top of S-Chair, ski to your right and buckle in.  If you look straight ahead, that’s where you want to go, across the ridge and not down (yet).  You will traverse for a bit until you end up in Union Meadows, a wide-open field lined with trees.  From here, pick your own line as you skirt the ski area boundary and find tons of powder stashes in the trees.  Eventually you will funnel into a catwalk that will drop you on Soliloquy, a green run that leads to the Timberline lift.  From here you can repeat your adventure by riding the Timberline lift back to the top and over to S-Chair again.

Where to Eat Lunch

$  Copper received some attention from the New York Times last year thanks to their refreshing approach to cafeteria food at the resort.  The gist of it is that you can now get more gourmet food from behind the counter, not just burgers and hot dogs and pasty chili in a stale bread bowl. 

If you want quick and easy cafeteria-style eats, stop in to Jacks Food Court in the Center Village for a Thai Chicken Wrap or a Portobello Mushroom Sandwich.  Fear not, the requisite burgers and fries are still readily available.

$$  Another sure bet in the Center Village is the Incline Bar and Grill.  The service is fast and thorough, the bar is well stocked, and the menu is basic but delicious, with a variety of apps and entrees you would expect from a sports bar type of place.  Think fish tacos, barbecue sandwiches, burgers and wings, and some salads.  There is also a kids menu and good après ski deals.

$$$  The Storm King Lounge is actually a Japanese restaurant and sushi bar, located in the Center Village behind the Incline Bar and Grill.  The Lounge offers sushi and traditional Japanese entrees, and you can relax on a couch while drinking sake or sampling any of their single malt Scotches.  Expect to pay more for the experience, though.

Parking

After exiting I-70, visitors can turn into the main ski resort entrance and park in several lots within a short walk of a lift.  Most of these run $20/day for the convenience. 

However, if instead of turning into the resort entrance you continue straight, you will find a large lot on your right where most regulars park.  This lot is free and serviced by busses that run every few minutes and take you to two different base areas.  The East Village base area puts you on the Super Bee lift, which takes you straight up to the summit and services no beginner terrain.  If you’re looking for a mellower start to your day, opt for the Center Village base area where you can get a cup of coffee and warm up on a green or a blue run.

The Stats

Operating Dates: November 6, 2009 – April 18, 2010
Lift Hours: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Vertical Rise: 2601 feet
Annual Snowfall: 282 inches (329 inches in 2008/2009)
Lift tickets: Vary by time of year and quantity purchased, but usually run about $86 mid-season.

Where to Stay

$$-$$$  Copper has a huge mountain village (which is good because the nearest actual town of Frisco is several miles down the interstate), so there are endless condo options for most budgets.  If you’re not visiting during Christmas week, you could probably score a one room (studio) condo for $150 per night, but expect closer to $250/night on average.  Still, the condos are mostly new and nice, and all are walking distance from one of the lifts.

Look for package deals that include lift tickets, either through your travel agent or through Copper’s own booking service, at coppercolorado.com.  Copper is well-priced in comparison to nearby Vail and Beaver Creek, and most packages offer free skiing for children under 12.  If you’d rather piece together your own package, check out the VRBO (Vacation Rentals By Owner) for Copper Mountain, where you can cut out the middleman and book directly with condo owners, generally for a better price.

$Another option to look into is staying in Frisco, which is 2 miles East on I-70.  Frisco is a great town with restaurants and nightlife, but is still not exactly “budget.”  However, there are some cheaper hotels like a Best Western and a Ramada that are outside of downtown Frisco and run closer to $110/night for a double room.  Free shuttles run between Frisco and Copper, so if you do find a good deal in town you’ll have no problem getting to the slopes.