kids encyclopedia robot

Ski Cooper facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Quick facts for kids
Ski Cooper
SkiCooperLogoBlueBack.png
Ski Cooper Looking SE
Ski Cooper Looking SE
Ski Cooper is located in Colorado
Ski Cooper
Ski Cooper
Location in Colorado
Ski Cooper is located in the United States
Ski Cooper
Ski Cooper
Location in the United States
Location Eagle / Lake counties, Colorado, USA
Nearest city Leadville, Colorado
Coordinates 39°21′36″N 106°18′07″W / 39.360°N 106.302°W / 39.360; -106.302
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
Ski trail rating symbol-green circle.svg - 31% beginner
Ski trail rating symbol-blue square.svg - 35% intermediate
Ski trail rating symbol-black diamond.svg - 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 82 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

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.

Location

Ski Cooper is located at Tennessee Pass, at the dividing line between the San Isabel National Forest 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.

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. Ski Cooper also has glade and tree skiing areas, and began to offer mogul skiing terrain in the 2012/13 ski season. 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. 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. In January 2020, the resort expanded with the opening of the Tennessee Creek Basin Area.

kids search engine
Ski Cooper Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.