Considered one of outgoing White River Nationwide Forest Supervisor Scott Fitzwilliams’ last actions final week was accepting a brand new grasp plan for Copper Mountain, one among eleven ski areas he oversaw for 15 years. The plan, ready by SE Group, contains three direct elevate replacements, 4 elevate replacements in prolonged alignments, 4 new infill lifts inside current terrain and two growth lifts. Notably, all tasks reside inside Copper’s current 7,343 acre allow boundary. Copper’s operation right this moment spans 3,641 acres and that may develop to 4,154 acres, an growth of 14 %. “The improve plan works to enhance circulation across the mountain with up to date elevate infrastructure, in addition to present company with entry to new and distinctive terrain inside Copper’s current Particular Use Allow space,” notes SE Group.
Two elevate tasks within the plan have already been permitted however not but carried out. The primary is a six individual substitute for Lumberjack on the far west aspect of the resort. The present Lumberjack triple dates again to 1981 and takes greater than 9 minutes to experience. The substitute removable would run 4,818 toes and entry wonderful newbie terrain. This mission was initially permitted as a quad however was later re-approved as a six place.
The second permitted mission is an Alpine substitute, inexperienced lighted since 2006. Though Alpine lately obtained a brand new return terminal, the remainder of the elevate is nearing 50 years outdated and lacks enough capability for deliberate growth across the Alpine base. Removable Alpine’s prime terminal can be prolonged uphill, offering riders entry to extra terrain.
Essentially the most thrilling element of the plan is a elevate up Jacque Peak, situated west of Tucker Mountain, which gained elevate service in 2020. A 5,900 foot lengthy removable quad known as Jacque East would service intermediate and superior terrain within the Tucker Gulch drainage, changing into the very best elevate in North America. It will prime out at 13,150 toes, soundly beating Breckenridge’s Imperial Specific document of 12,840 toes (Loveland’s grasp plan features a elevate to only over 12,900 toes which could possibly be constructed earlier than Copper will get to Jacque Peak.) “The [Jacque East] elevate is strategically positioned to scale back potential impacts to recognized wetland areas with its alignment and decrease habitat impacts with its location above tree line, whereas nonetheless offering distinctive entry to excessive alpine terrain,” notes SE Group.
A second growth elevate can be put in between Tucker Mountain and Jacque Peak known as Thunderbird. This fastened triple would service superior terrain much like Three Bears. The brief elevate would additionally present important egress from Tucker Gulch again towards Copper’s base areas. “The Tucker Gulch growth is designed to emphasise the excessive alpine expertise,” the plan notes. “The overwhelming majority of the terrain is above treeline, lee to the predominant westerly winds, and well-suited to supply a panoramic however accessible visitor expertise.”
Associated to the Jacque Peak growth, each Blackjack and Mountain Chief in Copper Bowl are slated for substitute. These doubles date again to 1973 and 1977 and would see elevated site visitors as company come and go from Jacque Peak. Blackjack would possible get replaced with a removable quad and Mountain Chief a hard and fast triple in current alignments.
One other main elevate addition is named Union Meadows. This almost 8,000 foot removable quad would load west of the brand new Timberline Specific and unload on the prime of Union Meadows, offering entry to the long run Jacque East elevate. Union Meadows Specific would rise 1,366 vertical toes and carry as much as 2,400 riders per hour.
Elsewhere on the entrance aspect, quite a few lifts are earmarked for substitute. Chief amongst them is Tremendous Bee, Copper’s first six pack courting again to 1998. The brand new Tremendous Bee would develop into Copper’s first eight place chairlift and embody a mid-station close to the highest of Rosie’s Run. The intermediate station can be helpful for Copper’s intensive early season race coaching program. At almost 9,000 toes lengthy with an hourly capability of three,400 skiers, Tremendous Bee 8 can be a monster elevate. Alternatively, it could possibly be constructed as two separate lifts like Copper had for many years previous to Tremendous Bee’s development.
Excelerator is slated to go from a quad to a six pack with the underside terminal prolonged downhill to scale back crowding and cross site visitors close to the Aerie. Capability would bounce from 2,450 to three,200 skiers per hour.
Rendezvous can also be slated for extension with the underside terminal shifting considerably east and downhill. “Upgrading the Rendezvous elevate to a removable quad and lengthening its present alignment will enhance entry to the Copper Bowl space whereas nonetheless offering an unbelievable newbie expertise within the high-alpine,” notes the plan. A excessive pace Rendezvous would additionally scale back stress on American Flyer and Timberline Specific, which service related terrain.
Slightly below the brand new Rendezvous elevate, one other removable quad is proposed within the Sail Away Glades space. This elevate would fill the void between American Eagle and American Flyer, servicing a number of new trails. This pod would add to Copper’s intermediate terrain, take stress off base space lifts and enhance cross-mountain circulation. Sail Away Specific would run 968 vertical toes and transport 2,400 company an hour.
Lastly Copper intends to enhance entry to freestyle terrain, embracing its mantra as The Athlete’s Mountain. An 825 foot lengthy platter elevate is deliberate to run alongside the present Superpipe, offering faster laps. Equally, a 2,500 foot lengthy fastened grip chairlift is envisioned to service a terrain park close to Woodward Specific.
The plan additionally contains important snowmaking enhancements, new parking, eating places and upkeep amenities. General comfy carrying capability would improve from 12,940 company per day to 17,860 – not a aim or cap however relatively a planning benchmark. This may enable Copper to keep up its present surplus of terrain for the variety of skiers it hosts and proceed to supply a top quality expertise.
As at all times, grasp plans are conceptual in nature and don’t represent approval or timelines for particular tasks. Nevertheless, given Powdr’s current sale of Killington and pending gross sales of Eldora, Mt. Bachelor and SilverStar, they could have the money to comply with this formidable plan at their flagship mountain within the coming years.
