Colorado gem Ski Cooper is prospering amongst giants. Over the previous ten seasons, visits have grown 63 p.c, fueled partly by inexpensive elevate tickets. Final winter, a midweek ticket value $45, whatever the time or technique of buy. Peak days value $110 with Fridays and Sundays operating a bit much less. Surrounded by Copper Mountain, Vail, Breckenridge and Beaver Creek; Cooper’s buyer base naturally skews native. However the hill additionally attracts a rising variety of skiers from the Entrance Vary and surrounding states, owing to its accessible tickets and laid again character.
Cooper is an outlier, particularly in Colorado. Lake County owns the mounted belongings like buildings and the hill straddles two Nationwide Forests. Operations are dealt with by Cooper Hill Ski Space Inc., a 501(c)4 nonprofit group. Final yr the mountain introduced in $6.8 million in income, greater than triple its gross sales in 2011. Bills have additionally creeped up however not as rapidly as income. The ski space netted $1.1 million in 2024 and carries no debt. This mannequin has allowed constant re-investment together with a brand new conveyor elevate in 2006, the Little Horse T-Bar enlargement in 2019 and overhaul of the Piney Basin triple in 2021. Future enhancements can be funded by retained earnings, not debt or taxpayer funds.
As a result of Cooper sits on Forest Service land, it’s required to periodically file a Grasp Improvement Plan (MDP.) The present grasp plan dates again to 1999 and Cooper is within the last levels of perfecting its 2025 Grasp Improvement Plan. The ski space expects to submit the plan to the Forest Service in July for acceptance. Like with all MDPs, initiatives are conceptual in nature and topic to NEPA approval earlier than implementation. Not like most grasp plans, Cooper’s 2025 MDP contains projected prices and phasing. In true Cooper vogue, it was ready in home moderately than by a consulting agency.
Part one contains aid for the base-to-summit tenth Mountain Double. Substitute of the workhorse tenth has lengthy been envisioned and was first accepted in 2000. As a substitute of alternative, Cooper now plans to run a brand new mounted grip quad alongside the double and make the most of each on peak days. The brand new quad mixed with water/sewer upgrades, a lodge addition and parking enlargement in part one would value $13 million.
Part two would see a brand new elevate constructed on Chicago Ridge referred to as Sawmill. This double chair would serve 250 acres inside Cooper’s current allow space however by no means beforehand lift-served. Sawmill would rise 1,093 vertical ft and improve Cooper’s general vertical drop by 382 ft. “A future Grasp Plan could envision additional elevate served use of the Chicago Ridge space inside the SUP,” the plan notes. New double chairs are exceedingly uncommon in the USA with the final one put in at Arapahoe Basin in 2020. The final occasion earlier than that was six years earlier at Crystal Mountain, Washington. Like with these examples, a double would permit Cooper to service intermediate and skilled terrain with a comparatively quick elevate (550 ft/min) at comparatively low value. Growth up Chicago Ridge would additionally require a brand new patrol facility, skier bridge and path enhancements. Along with a second newbie conveyor within the base space, part two totals $12 million.
Part three contains Cooper’s first-ever snowmaking system and a second new double chair referred to as Hoyt’s. This elevate would service 60 acres of intermediate-pitched meadows on the west-southwest face of Cooper Hill. Hoyt’s double would span roughly 4,000 ft with a vertical of 942 ft and 5 new trails.
A 3rd mission in part three is a alternative for the Buckeye Platter, which dates again to 1983. This mission is deliberate as a T-Bar, growing capability by 120 p.c. The mountain’s second T-Bar may run at a speedy 600 ft per minute with an intermediate unload station. Mixed with a brand new lodge and extra parking, part three is estimated to value $14.5 million.
Cooper’s present snug carrying capability (CCC) totals 1,819 friends however will get exceeded a number of occasions most winters. If all MDP initiatives are accomplished, the ski space may comfortably accommodate 3,682 friends, successfully doubling capability. “Ski Cooper’s targets are to proceed working at lower than full capability, however add lifts, elevate capability, and terrain with a view to enhance circulation, maintain wait occasions at lifts at a cushty degree, enhance general terrain choices, and subsequently keep the reliably high-level ski expertise Ski Cooper’s friends have come to anticipate,” the plan notes.
Lake County is at present soliciting suggestions on the plan earlier than submittal to the feds.
