Ski Cooper

For a great family experience with that personalized touch, Ski Cooper is a great vacation destination. It is located in the San Isabel National Forest and enjoys great scenery, brilliant snow and is close to the historic town of Leadville. Opened in 1942 as a military training site, the resort now shows little influence of its somewhat harsh beginnings.

Ski Cooper has earned a reputation as being a great place for beginner skiers and families to enjoy a winter vacation. A relatively small resort, it has 26 trails which are spread out over 400 acres of mountain. These trails are rated: 30% beginner, 40% intermediate and 30% advanced, so there is really something for every member of the family to enjoy no matter how experienced or inexperienced you are. In addition to a number of great runs, there are children’s courses and women’s courses, and the childcare facilities are excellent. Access to the slopes is facilitated by 5 different lifts and you can also enrol in group lessons or private lessons to improve your skiing skills.

Ski Cooper is not just about the runs, it is also a well-developed resort. It offers ski equipment rentals, great food and comfortable lounging. Accommodation is provided in the nearby town of Leadville where you can also enjoy sleigh rides, shopping, dining and a visit to one or two museums.

At Ski Cooper, you can enjoy alpine skiing, snowboarding, cross-country skiing, snowcat riding, bowl skiing, snowmobile trails and backcountry skiing. The Piney Creek Nordic Center has 25 kilometers of cross-country terrain and the longest ski run is 7400 ft long. The resort is situated at an elevation of 10 500 ft, which is just 1 200 ft below the mountain’s summit. It receives an average annual snowfall of 250 inches, which means that it usually has great snow. Ski Cooper is open between November and April and is a great place to take the family on an affordable family vacation.