Copper Mountain seeks 500-acre ski terrain expansion, new lifts, including highest chairlift in North America, and more in master plan
Copper Mountain Resort/Courtesy photo
A new master plan submitted by Copper Mountain Resort aims to expand ski terrain and add lifts to “meet the ever-growing demand for developed recreational skiing.”
The 122-page document also outlines facility upgrades, trail work, lift replacements, summer activity expansions and other capital projects aimed at improving on-mountain circulation and upgrading “guest experience.”
The news comes after Alterra Mountain Co. announced that it will allow unlimited access to Arapahoe Basin Ski Area for people who buy the 2025-26 Ikon Pass, which partners with Copper Mountain to allow pass holders to access its resorts. The Ikon Pass also announced its new pass rates, which increased significantly over this season’s prices.
The master plan issued by Copper aims to develop new terrain in the Tucker Gulch, Jacque East and Sail Away regions which are currently in its special-use permit area, which allows it to operate the resort in partnership with the U.S. National Forest Service.
Copper is asking to expand its operational boundary to add acreage on the south side of Tucker Mountain and on the east face of Jacque Peak in an attempt to “appeal to expert skiers and include the new highest lift in North America,” according to the master plan.
To access the new terrain, the resort is requesting a detachable quad to access Jacque East and a fixed-grip triple chair called Thunderbird that would connect Tucker Gulch to Tucker Mountain, providing access to base areas.
The Jacque East detachable lift would stop short of the summit, reaching 13,150 feet. Breckenridge Ski Resort currently holds the record for the highest chairlift in North America for its Imperial Express chairlift, which tops out at 12,840 feet.
The Jacque Peak expansion would add 500 acres of skiable terrain into the resort operations boundary, adding open bowls, steep couloirs and rolling valley floor. The terrain is for advanced and expert-level skiers.
The master plan also calls for adding the following chairlifts:
- Sail Away, a detachable quad, which is expected to reduce crowding at Center Village base area and provide an alternative west-to-east route from Union Peak area to Copper Mountain area
- SuperPipe, a surface lift, which is expected to reduce lines at American Eagle lift and crowding on Main Vein and Fairplay
- Terrain Park, a fixed-grip double, which will run in winter and summer to reduce congestion in the West Village base area and reduce lines on the Woodward Express lift
- Union Meadows Express, a detachable quad, which will improve access to Union Meadows, Copper Bowl and Tucker Gulch by adding lift service to areas previously only accessible by hiking or traversing
The resort also outlined lift upgrades it wants to pursue in the coming years.
The resort was already approved to complete an upgrade to Timberline Express to make it a detachable six-person lift. It also already received approval to upgrade and realign Lumberjack lift with a detachable six-person lift.
New lift upgrades include changing Super Bee to a detachable, eight-person lift with a mid-station, changing Rendezvous to a detachable quad, changing Excelerator to a detachable, six-person lift that extends downhill, changing Blackjack to a detachable quad, changing Mountain Chief to a fixed-grip triple and changing Alpine to a detachable quad.
Copper is also seeking glading projects in the 17 Glades, Sail Away Glades, Lyman Glade, Enchanted Forest, Union Meadows, Timberline and Seadog areas.
Efforts to widen Copperopolis, Carefree, Clear Cut, Ptarmigan, Upper Main Vein, and Sail Away runs are also being considered.
The catwalk between the Aerie and a new bottom terminal of Redezvous is also slated for realignment.
The resort also wants to replace T-Rex Grill and Flyer’s Restaurant while upgrading Woodward Summer Camp.
Powder trenching is also proposed for Copper Bowl, Tucker Ridge, West Ridge and Tucker Gulch.
Mountain bike trails are already approved for upgrades, but Copper wants to also add an Aerie Summer Activities Center at the top of the American Eagle Lift.
This story is from SummitDaily.com
