Skiers at Copper Mountain can look forward to accessing more difficult terrain this winter, thanks to new lifts currently under construction. Originally envisioned in the 2011 resort master plan, the Storm King lift is being replaced with a new t-bar to allow for increased capacity and easier access to Spaulding Bowl, Upper Enchanted Forest, and Copper Bowl. The second new lift is Celebrity Ridge, which despite its cheesy name will become popular with skiers trying to access Union Peak. The surface lift will be situated at the top of the Sierra chairlift and allow skiers to drop into Union Peak, Union Meadows, West Ridge, and Copper Bowl. These developments are just the tip of the iceberg in a whole slew of upgrades detailed in Copper's resort master plan.
The replacement of the Storm King and the new Celebrity Ridge lift are part of Copper Mountain's "12's" project, which in press release babble aims to "elevate the mountain experience for advanced intermediate and expert level skiers and riders." The "12's" refers to the three peaks at Copper Mountain that are above 12,000 feet: Tucker Mountain, Union Peak, and Copper Peak. Here's some highlights of the other upgrades that will be coming to the ski resort in the next few years:
· Replacement of the American Flyer chair with a new six-seat lift
· Addition of an east-west connector lift between Union Peak and Copper Peak
· Replacement of the Alpine Chair with a detachable high-speed lift
· Addition of the Tucker Lift which will access terrain currently only accessible by the Tucker Mountain Snowcat
· Various summer improvements include a mountain coaster, zip lines, and ropes course
· New snowmaking on critical connecting trails throughout the resort
Okay Curbed Ski Copper lovers, which upgrades are you most looking forward to? Will you head to Copper this year to ride the new t-bar or the Celebrity Ridge lift? Let us know in the comments.
· White River National Forest Resort Development Plans
· USFS OKs New Copper Mountain Master Plan [Summit County Citizens Voice]
· Ski Area Master Development Plans [Curbed Ski Archives]
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