If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. |
|
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
Opinions: Ski Cooper in Colorado?
Not Copper; Cooper.
http://www.skicooper.com/skimap.html For reasons I can't quite articulate, I'm curious about this place. Is it worth the extremely reasonably priced pass? I already have the colorado pass and a winter park 4pass, so this would just be some variety, I suppose. I guess there's a part of me that misses those tiny mid-east-coast resorts where you always ended up at the same parking lot no matter which trail you took down. For some reason, Eldora doesn't strike my interest for this, but Cooper does. -- monique Longmont, CO |
Ads |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
Monique Y. Mudama wrote:
Not Copper; Cooper. http://www.skicooper.com/skimap.html For reasons I can't quite articulate, I'm curious about this place. Is it worth the extremely reasonably priced pass? I already have the colorado pass and a winter park 4pass, so this would just be some variety, I suppose. I guess there's a part of me that misses those tiny mid-east-coast resorts where you always ended up at the same parking lot no matter which trail you took down. For some reason, Eldora doesn't strike my interest for this, but Cooper does. In fact, you _don't_ always end up at the same parking lot at Eldora...but I take your meaning. At the risk of belaboring the obvious, though, why not spring for a one-day ticket and find out? Both Cooper and Eldo are cheap enough to try the experiment. I've had a lot of fun at Eldo (and, btw, if you like racing, you should hook up with the Eldo Masters -- I've trained with them a bunch and it's tons of fun), and I've heard a lot of good stuff about Cooper from my bro. p.s. if you go to Eldo, check out Upper Avalanche ;-) You'll like it! -- Mary Malmros Some days you're the windshield, other days you're the bug. |
#3
|
|||
|
|||
Monique Y. Mudama wrote:
Not Copper; Cooper. http://www.skicooper.com/skimap.html For reasons I can't quite articulate, I'm curious about this place. Is it worth the extremely reasonably priced pass? I already have the colorado pass and a winter park 4pass, so this would just be some variety, I suppose. I guess there's a part of me that misses those tiny mid-east-coast resorts where you always ended up at the same parking lot no matter which trail you took down. For some reason, Eldora doesn't strike my interest for this, but Cooper does. Either one would be worthwhile. I have had many a fun day at Eldora. It makes for a nice change of pace, especially when dealing with the I-70 traffic. They have a good variety of terrain, and the small-town feel is cool too. Cooper is the same way. Not much in the way of challenging terrain, but a fun p[lace to ski nonetheless, and I don't think I have ever seen a real lift line there. The only drawback to Cooper is the drive. These days I would probably be inclined to stay the night in Summit County somewhere (like the Holiday Inn since my wife gets free nights there due to corporate travel). But if I am going to go to the trouble of staying somewhere, I'll go to Glenwood and ski at Sunlight. I skiied there for the first time last year with my wife, and was very pleasantly surprised. So much so that we went back later in the year with the kids. It was a fun time, and there aren't many things that beat being in the Hot Springs pool in Glenwood after a good day of skiing. Again, the terrain isn't overly challenging, but the total experience is pretty much terrific. Made for a great Valentine's trip last year. With ski/ swim/ stay packages at the local hotels, it is also extremely affordable. |
#4
|
|||
|
|||
On 2005-01-11, Mary Malmros penned:
Monique Y. Mudama wrote: Not Copper; Cooper. http://www.skicooper.com/skimap.html For reasons I can't quite articulate, I'm curious about this place. Is it worth the extremely reasonably priced pass? I already have the colorado pass and a winter park 4pass, so this would just be some variety, I suppose. I guess there's a part of me that misses those tiny mid-east-coast resorts where you always ended up at the same parking lot no matter which trail you took down. For some reason, Eldora doesn't strike my interest for this, but Cooper does. In fact, you _don't_ always end up at the same parking lot at Eldora...but I take your meaning. See, Eldora's too big! I knew there was a reason I rejected it out of hand =P Honestly, looking at it, Eldora is much bigger than Liberty or Roundtop, where much of my high school skiing took place. At the risk of belaboring the obvious, though, why not spring for a one-day ticket and find out? Both Cooper and Eldo are cheap enough to try the experiment. I've had a lot of fun at Eldo (and, btw, if you like racing, you should hook up with the Eldo Masters -- I've trained with them a bunch and it's tons of fun), and I've heard a lot of good stuff about Cooper from my bro. Sure, they're fairly cheap, but two tickets still add up, and if everyone told me the places suck, I'd just as soon not spend the cash. My company does have four Eldo season passes on rotation, but you have to reserve them and of course they're reserved from the start. I've also heard that Eldo is only worth visiting if it's just snowed ..? I hear there's a nighttime racing thing at Eldo, but it's Wednesday night ... not really great timing for me. p.s. if you go to Eldo, check out Upper Avalanche ;-) You'll like it! Is that a run or a description of conditions? =P -- monique Longmont, CO |
#5
|
|||
|
|||
On 2005-01-11, Chester Bullock penned:
Either one would be worthwhile. I have had many a fun day at Eldora. It makes for a nice change of pace, especially when dealing with the I-70 traffic. They have a good variety of terrain, and the small-town feel is cool too. I guess I've always gotten the impression that it would be crowded and tracked out because it's so convenient for the family crowd. Maybe that's why Cooper sounds more interesting; you hear less about it, so I figure it might be more of an "undiscovered gem" than Eldora. Also, what's this business about snowcat tours? I figure I won't learn to ski powder unless I'm exposed to a lot of it, and it's hard to find enough powder to really practice when you're at a resort ... it's gone as soon as the ropes are down. Cooper is the same way. Not much in the way of challenging terrain, but a fun p[lace to ski nonetheless, and I don't think I have ever seen a real lift line there. The only drawback to Cooper is the drive. These days I would probably be inclined to stay the night in Summit County somewhere (like the Holiday Inn since my wife gets free nights there due to corporate travel). A lack of lift line can make up for an awful lot of deficiencies. Is the drive any worse from the Boulder area than other Summit Co. resorts? But if I am going to go to the trouble of staying somewhere, I'll go to Glenwood and ski at Sunlight. I skiied there for the first time last year with my wife, and was very pleasantly surprised. So much so that we went back later in the year with the kids. It was a fun time, and there aren't many things that beat being in the Hot Springs pool in Glenwood after a good day of skiing. Again, the terrain isn't overly challenging, but the total experience is pretty much terrific. Made for a great Valentine's trip last year. With ski/ swim/ stay packages at the local hotels, it is also extremely affordable. It sounds like fun. Is it weird for me to say that I get overwhelmed by these big resorts? Sometimes I feel like I spend 80% of my time on the mountain just getting to and from the 20% of the mountain I actually ski. Seems like I'm always taking two or three lifts to get from the lodge to the peak/side I actually want, and then of course I have to find my way back at the end of the day. Maybe, sometimes, less is more. -- monique Longmont, CO |
#6
|
|||
|
|||
Monique Y. Mudama wrote:
Not Copper; Cooper. http://www.skicooper.com/skimap.html For reasons I can't quite articulate, I'm curious about this place. Is it worth the extremely reasonably priced pass? I already have the colorado pass and a winter park 4pass, so this would just be some variety, I suppose. I guess there's a part of me that misses those tiny mid-east-coast resorts where you always ended up at the same parking lot no matter which trail you took down. For some reason, Eldora doesn't strike my interest for this, but Cooper does. I've driven by it a bunch and have always wondered, but never skied there. Love the "mom & pop" style web site! Hey, Monarch has cat skiing too - I used to pack for them in college. I'd be really interested to hear more or see some pictures of the Cooper cat operation. Might be great (or not). Looks like they have similar vertical and altitude - if thy get much moisture the snow should be great. I like funky little resorts if the skiing is decent enough. Monarch is like that. No high speed quads, not much of a base area, but fun terrain, good snow, and cheap passes. Places like that may sometimes get a lot of groups like churches and schools for winter or spring break, so try to miss those times if you can. Monarch is pretty quiet for most of the season, but hit it at peak spring break or winter break and the lot will be full of buses and the lines can get long. Although I have to say, good line technique can usually get you through much faster. These are often the crowds who will completely fill one side of the maze but leave the other empty. Matt (but I'd try a day ticket first myself) |
#7
|
|||
|
|||
Monique Y. Mudama wrote:
On 2005-01-11, Mary Malmros penned: [snip] At the risk of belaboring the obvious, though, why not spring for a one-day ticket and find out? Both Cooper and Eldo are cheap enough to try the experiment. I've had a lot of fun at Eldo (and, btw, if you like racing, you should hook up with the Eldo Masters -- I've trained with them a bunch and it's tons of fun), and I've heard a lot of good stuff about Cooper from my bro. Sure, they're fairly cheap, but two tickets still add up, and if everyone told me the places suck, I'd just as soon not spend the cash. My company does have four Eldo season passes on rotation, but you have to reserve them and of course they're reserved from the start. I've also heard that Eldo is only worth visiting if it's just snowed ..? Not IMO, but a)I'm coming from the East and b)I'm usually doing at least some race training stuff when I'm there, so lack of fresh isn't that big a deal for me. For a powderhound, I suppose anywhere is only worth visiting if it's just snowed, but if you're looking for hardpack or moguls, I don't know why it would make a difference. I hear there's a nighttime racing thing at Eldo, but it's Wednesday night ... not really great timing for me. I was thinking of the Eldora Masters group that trains there during the days. They don't ever race there -- Rocky Mountain Masters race at places like Loveland, Winter Park, Copper, etc. p.s. if you go to Eldo, check out Upper Avalanche ;-) You'll like it! Is that a run or a description of conditions? =P It's a nice steep mogul run. -- Mary Malmros Some days you're the windshield, other days you're the bug. |
#8
|
|||
|
|||
Monique Y. Mudama wrote:
I guess I've always gotten the impression that it would be crowded and tracked out because it's so convenient for the family crowd. Maybe that's why Cooper sounds more interesting; you hear less about it, so I figure it might be more of an "undiscovered gem" than Eldora. Also, what's this business about snowcat tours? I figure I won't learn to ski powder unless I'm exposed to a lot of it, and it's hard to find enough powder to really practice when you're at a resort ... it's gone as soon as the ropes are down. Don't know anything about the cats, but I do know that no matter where you go, the mainstream powder will be tracked out quickly. You need to learn a mountain to be able to find the good stashes. I can find powder at Copper pretty much all day on a powder day there. Just have to know where to look, and also have the skill to go where it's at. Likewise, Mikey seems to know all the good stashes at Breck. A lack of lift line can make up for an awful lot of deficiencies. Is the drive any worse from the Boulder area than other Summit Co. resorts? I didn't think so. Probably depends on which way you go. It sounds like fun. Glenwood is fun, you should try it sometime. Is it weird for me to say that I get overwhelmed by these big resorts? Sometimes I feel like I spend 80% of my time on the mountain just getting to and from the 20% of the mountain I actually ski. Seems like I'm always taking two or three lifts to get from the lodge to the peak/side I actually want, and then of course I have to find my way back at the end of the day. Maybe, sometimes, less is more. That's how I feel about Vail, which is why I don't ski there. One of the worst lift layouts around in my opinion. I still like the big mountains though, because there are more chances of finding a run that suits your tastes on any given day. I go for the KAB pass so I can keep skiing at the Basin until late spring. If it weren't for that, and also for the terrible transit situation at Copper, I'd probably have a pass there instead. ---------------------- Chester Bullock, Colorado Mountain Cams, Snow Conditions, Opinionated Reports http://www.black-diamond.com AIM: tenxible YahooIM: ccb247 |
#9
|
|||
|
|||
Chester Bullock wrote:
[snip] If it weren't for that, and also for the terrible transit situation at Copper, I'd probably have a pass there instead. Serious question and not an attempt to argue. For me, after a 1.5 to 2 hour drive, the hassle factor to get to the lifts is a big deal. Where in the I-70 area is the transportation situation better? Vail - no free parking to speak of Keystone - a long walk from the free parking to the very crowded gondola area where there is only a dark, tiny place with a small number of lockers to change. Or a shuttle bus ride to a nicer base area from which it takes forever to get to a black run. (And generally the worst snow.) Breck - the shuttle from the free parking is at least as long as at Copper and the shuttle loading area may not be as convenient. (Though if you can take the long run into town, you can walk back to the parking lot.) Beaver Creek - might be better A-Basin - definitely better but often requires a walk through mud which ends up in the car. Mary Jane - better (as of last year.) I heard they changed things this year but don't know whether it is better or worse. Winter Park - a medium walk if you get there early and can park along the road. |
#10
|
|||
|
|||
vbenares wrote:
Serious question and not an attempt to argue. For me, after a 1.5 to 2 hour drive, the hassle factor to get to the lifts is a big deal. Where in the I-70 area is the transportation situation better? Vail - no free parking to speak of Parking sucks. You pay for it, then still walk as far as you do at Keystone. Keystone - a long walk from the free parking to the very crowded gondola area where there is only a dark, tiny place with a small number of lockers to change. Or a shuttle bus ride to a nicer base area from which it takes forever to get to a black run. (And generally the worst snow.) Agreed, pretty well sucks. Breck - the shuttle from the free parking is at least as long as at Copper and the shuttle loading area may not be as convenient. (Though if you can take the long run into town, you can walk back to the parking lot.) The shuttle ride might be as long, but the shuttles have seats, if you get there early it is a short walk to the shuttle stop, and if you take the shuttle to Peak 9, the walk to the lift is very short. Unlike Copper, where you walk a reasonable distance to a shuttle that (9/10 times) you have to stand up in, then ride a good distance, then walk a Keystone-like distance to get to the lifts (if you are going to the Main Village, which we do because the kids and wife aren't comfortable starting their day on the Super Bee yet). Try leaving Copper at about 4:30 or so, from the free lots. It's a friggin zoo. Makes I-25 in rush hour seem like smooth flowing traffic. That's one of my biggest beef's with the place, and not an easy one for them to solve. I was never aware of it when I lived there, for obvious reasons. But I think they are getting more skiers now than when I lived there too. Beaver Creek - might be better Never been, hoping to go this year. A-Basin - definitely better but often requires a walk through mud which ends up in the car. If you get there at the right time, you don't have to walk in the mud (or not very much of it). If you already have a pass, ski down to the Pali chair and off you go. Possibly the easiest of them all. Loveland is about the same as A-Basin, parking wise, but without a Pali chair quick access. Mary Jane - better (as of last year.) I heard they changed things this year but don't know whether it is better or worse. Haven't been for a couple years, but wasn't that bad. Winter Park - a medium walk if you get there early and can park along the road. Again, a couple years since I have been, but that parking situation was all jacked up. Was much easier to ride the shuttle from the condo, especially since it picked up pretty much right outside the front door. These are of course just my opinions. But I don't like walking as far as I have had to at some of these places, with kids in tow, etc. Makes it very challenging. It'll be better when they feel comfortable starting on the most accessible lift. ---------------------- Chester Bullock, Colorado Mountain Cams, Snow Conditions, Opinionated Reports http://www.black-diamond.com AIM: tenxible YahooIM: ccb247 |
|
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
In Colorado For A Ski Trip??? Visit Crested Butte Colorado!!!!! | PaulC | General | 0 | February 21st 04 06:35 PM |
Snow in Colorado | TCS | Alpine Skiing | 0 | November 18th 03 03:27 AM |
while I'm at it -- good bootfitter in Colorado? | Monique Y. Herman | Alpine Skiing (moderated) | 7 | October 22nd 03 02:35 AM |
Summer snowmaking in Colorado | Sam Seiber | Alpine Skiing (moderated) | 0 | August 7th 03 12:50 AM |
Colorado or Banff? In December-January | Serena | Snowboarding | 4 | July 22nd 03 03:19 PM |