Ski Cooper: Winter Recreation for the Whole Family

Featuring more than 400 skiable acres and 250 inches of natural snowfall a year, Ski Cooper is one of Colorado Ski Country's hidden treasures.

Known to locals as "Skoop," Ski Cooper draws skiers from around the world, with 26 runs, smaller crowds and affordable prices.

Ski Cooper, located atop Tennessee Pass, ten miles north of Leadville on U.S. Highway 24, is Colorado's fifth-oldest ski area. Building on its unusually rich history and prime location, Ski Cooper has in recent years earned recognition as one of the nation's most successful and innovative small ski areas. With full-day adult lift tickets priced at just $39, Ski Cooper is one of the most affordable ski resorts around.

Ski Cooper's origin goes back to World War II, when the U.S. Army developed Cooper Hill and nearby Camp Hale as a training site for the ski troopers of the famed Tenth Mountain Division. Following the war, Cooper Hill opened to the public as a county-operated ski area under the auspices of the U.S. Forest Service since it's located in the San Isabel National Forest. Ski Cooper has come a long way since then.

Today it is a seven-day-a-week operation drawing skiers and riders from all around the world. Five lifts serve the 400 ski-able acres. There are 26 runs: 30 percent beginner, 40 percent intermediate and 30 percent expert. Ski Cooper averages 250 inches of natural snowfall a year. The longest run is Trails End, at 1.4 miles. The base sits at an elevation of 10,500 feet, with the summit at 11,700 feet.

The base facilities include the Ski School, which offers alpine, telemark and snowboard instruction; a Day Lodge with guest services, ticket offices, first aid room, lunch room, restaurant and bar; a rental shop; the Children's Center, featuring a Children's Ski School, rental equipment and Day Care for ages 2-8; the Tennessee Pass Nordic Center, with rental equipment for cross country skiing, telemark gear and snowshoes; and the Tennessee Pass Cookhouse, which serves dinner daily and lunch on weekends. In 1988, an additional 2,500 acres were opened for a guided, backcountry experience accessible only by Snow Cat on Chicago Ridge, adjacent to the lift-served area.

Ski Cooper hosts events throughout the winter, including the Special Olympics, the Telefast, Santa with live reindeer, telemark and women's clinics, Senior Days, a Nastar race course, Youth Ski League Championships, Masters, High School races, Speed camps, and the Tenth Mountain Division reunion and memorial service located at the monument.

Courtesy of the Lake County Marketing Action Committee