Facilities & Services
Copper Mountain has well established resort facilities spread across the three base villages: East Village, Center Village and Union Creek. The services are more than adequate to cater to most ski holiday needs, and families are particularly well catered for.
Eating On Mountain
The on mountain eateries are excellent for both quality and price. The T-Rex Grill, Flyers and Solitude Station are Copper’s three on mountain eateries.
Solitude Station is the main on mountain eatery and is located near the top of the American Eagle chair. It has a cafe providing quite good coffee (by American standards!) and lighter meals and snacks, as well as a large informal dining section with a wide range of foods. A number of Cajun style meals are available and these are delicious. Try the crawfish etoufee, jambalaya and gumbo. Be aware though that the Cajun meals will inflict severe lunchtime legs when you hit the slopes again!
There is a huge variety of eateries in the base area with Jacks (Center Village), Grand Hall (East Village) and Union Creek Food Hall (in Union Creek – duh!) the most obvious sit down locations within limping distance of the lifts.
Children’s Facilities and Programs
Copper goes the extra yard when it comes to catering for families and making sure that parents have a great time.
The ‘Schoolhouse’ at the Union Creek base is the centre of children’s skiing at Copper. It is an impressive facility and a tour will convince all parents that their little bundles of joy are well cared for and entertained while part of Ski & Ride School program. Free parent orientations of the facilities are available.
The only specialised child minding facility in Copper is located in Mountain Plaza (Center Village). Rates for a full day start from around $85/day (08-09 price).
After-hours childcare (5.30-10pm) for kids aged from 8 weeks to 12 years old is provided through the ‘Kids Night Out’ program. A range of activities plus pizza and drinks are provided free on the proviso that you spend at least $30 at a commercial outlet in the resort – awesome!
Other children’s programs include imaginative stuff like ‘Kids in the Kitchen’. Every Monday and Wednesday afternoon, the program teaches kids how to make a pizza. Each child creates their own dessert pizza, gets a souvenir chefs hat and apron, plus the family gets a full meal and drinks (feeds four) for $65 (08-09 price).
Ski and Board School
With JP Chevalier at the helm, Copper’s Ski & Ride School is undoubtedly one of the best you’ll ever come across. The range of programs available is massive and includes some free stuff such as Free Tips. Free Tips is a free run with a Copper instructor down the Kokomo lift (suited to beginners and low intermediates).
As well as the children’s programs and standard group and private lessons, Copper Ski & Ride school also runs programs such as Express Groups and Buster Series. The Express Groups program is a great way to meet new friends and rapidly improve your skiing. With no more than two other skiers and an instructor (everyone fits on a quad chair!), you’ll be ripping up the Copper steeps in no time. The Buster series was new for season 08/09. Its focus is on specifics with names that are self explanatory – Tree Busters, Bump Busters, Powder Busters and Carving Busters.
Equipment Rental
Copper’s ski and board rental shops are conveniently located at each of the three base areas and throughout the Center Village area. Gear Check, located in the Mountain Adventure Centre of Copper One Lodge has it all, so you probably won’t need to go any further.