| Ski Cooper | |
|---|---|
) | |
) Ski Cooper Looking SE | |
)  Ski Cooper Location in Colorado ) Ski Cooper Ski Cooper (the United States) | |
| Location | Eagle / Lake counties, Colorado, USA |
| Nearest major city | Leadville, Colorado |
| Coordinates | 39°21′36″N 106°18′07″W / 39.360°N 106.302°W |
| Vertical | 1,200 feet (366 m) |
| Top elevation | 11,700 feet (3,566 m) |
| Base elevation | 10,500 feet (3,200 m) |
| Skiable area | 470 acres (1.9 km2) lift served 2,400 acres (9.7 km2) snowcat served |
| Runs | 60 total){kind=small} - 31% beginner){kind=small} - 35% intermediate){kind=small} - 34% advanced/expert |
| Longest run | Trails End 1.4 miles (2.3 km) |
| Lift system | 1 Triple, 1 Double, 3 Surface |
| Snowfall | 250 inches (640 cm) |
| Snowmaking | none |
| Website | skicooper.com |
Ski Cooper is an alpine ski resort in Colorado, one of the oldest in the state. Opened as Cooper Hill Ski Area 79 years ago in 1942, the ski area served as the training site for the 10th Mountain Division, based at nearby Camp Hale during World War II [1]
The resort is owned by Lake County and managed by Cooper Hill Ski Area, a 501(c)4 nonprofit with a volunteer board. Dan Torsell has served as the general manager since 2012.[2]
Location
Ski Cooper is located at Tennessee Pass, at the dividing line between the San Isabel National Forest[3] and the White River National Forest, near Leadville.
Description
Ski Cooper markets itself as a family resort because of its affordability and accessibility. It is among the most affordable ski areas in the state, second to only Howelsen Hill in Steamboat Springs.[4]
The resort has 60 runs serviced by two chairlifts (double and triple), two t-bars, and one magic carpet conveyor lift. It has ample beginner and intermediate terrain and all-natural snow.[5] Ski Cooper also has glade and tree skiing areas, and began to offer mogul skiing terrain in the 2012/13 ski season.[6] Dining options at the resort include a cafeteria, a pub, and a restaurant in a mountaintop yurt. Equipment rental and a retail store are also available on the property.
Ski Cooper is home to the Chicago Ridge Snowcat Tours which provides access to 2,400 acres (9.7 km2) of backcountry skiing. The resort has also been known to host Ski & Snowboard Cross NorAm level races, with the most recent being in February 2019.
History
The Cooper Hill Ski Area, as it was then known, was founded in 1942. That year, the US Army selected the area to serve as the 10th Mountain Division training site because of its proximity to the Pando rail station.[1] Ski Cooper opened to the public as a ski resort in the postwar period and continues to host a Memorial Day celebration for the World War II veterans of the 10th Mountain Division.
The resort has undergone $5 million in renovations since 1992.[7] In January 2020, the resort expanded with the opening of the Tennessee Creek Basin Area.[8]
References
- ^ a b "Information about Cooper". Ski Cooper.
- ^ Blevins, Jason. "Ski Cooper's expanded expert terrain, financial vibrancy reveal model for nonprofit ski area management". The Colorado Sun.
- ^ "Districts(USDA FS)". Retrieved 19 July 2011.
- ^ "Colorado Lift Ticket Prices". Retrieved 23 August 2011.
- ^ "Mountain Stats". Retrieved 23 August 2011.
- ^ "Ski Cooper Home Page". Retrieved 4 June 2013.
- ^ Jason Blevins (12 December 2010). "Debate rages over revamping Ski Cooper". The Denver Post. Retrieved 19 July 2011.
- ^ Torsell, Dan. "What's Cookin at Cooper". Ski Cooper.