Rip, Wander and Ride at Copper Mountain this Summer

The Barn. Woodward at Copper. Photo courtesy Tripp Fay, Copper Mountain.

Copper Mountain has always been one of my favorite mountain destinations. Only 78 miles west of Denver, it’s a perfect day trip or a fun-filled weekend destination.

All summer long, you’ll find tons of fun activities, great restaurants and special events in the village. Need more convincing?

Here are three excellent reasons to visit Copper this summer.

Woodward At Copper

Woodward at Copper is Colorado’s summer freestyle skiing destination. For day visitors and drop-ins the action is in The Barn, Woodward’s indoor training facility. The Barn was fully renovated this spring, with new synthetic surfaces on the jump lines, a new foam pit and a larger street area for BMX, mountain bike, skateboards and park skis and snowboards.

Photo courtesy Tripp Fay, Copper Mountain.

Daily sessions are available and first-timers are required to take a fully coached introductory lesson. After the intro is over, they can come and go all summer long.

If you want to get on snow to practice your skills, Woodward at Copper offers week-long camps for kids and adults. Mornings are spent on snow on the mountain, where a new summer lift takes skiers and snowboarders to the Central terrain park, which is open to campers only.

There are camps for teenagers, groms, women and everyone else, of all ages. Professional athletes attend most camp sessions to coach and inspire.

Three years ago, my sons went to Woodward Ski Camp. They loved it. They loved being on snow in July. They developed new skills and learned respect for the sport. I can’t recommend it enough.

Photo courtesy Copper Mountain/Woodward at Copper

Wanderlust Colorado

If yoga, music and mindful partying are your thing, Wanderlust Colorado is your festival. Sister to Squaw Valley’s Wanderlust Festival, the Colorado festival begins on  July 4 with yoga workshops, endless music, hiking, biking, wine tasting, farm to table dining and more.

Photo courtesy Tripp Fay, Copper Mountain.

Really serious about your yoga? Come a day early and let medical researchers, yogis, musicians and motivational speakers inspire you at the Mountain Pose Medicine and Yoga Symposium on July 3.

Mountain Pose Yoga. Photo courtesy Copper Mountain.

Bike For Fun, For A Cause And Because You Can

Or, if you don’t want to mountain bike, try the zipline!
Photo courtesy Tripp Fay, Copper Mountain.

It’s no surprise that biking has become a summer staple at most ski resorts. Copper Mountain gets in on the action with  a full network of lift-served beginner through advanced trails. 

Unlimited bike haul is $15 on the American Eagle lift.

If skinny tires are your thing, try the Courage Classic to benefit The Children’s Hospital in Denver. This summer’s Courage Classic runs July 20-July 22^nd and covers 157 miles.

Choose your route each day and challenge your lungs and legs or spin out the kinks and enjoy a relaxing ride with your family. All routes start and finish at Copper Mountain, where lodging and camping are available. Last year, over 2,000 riders participated.

Photo courtesy Tripp Fay, Copper Mountain.

If that sounds like too many people or too many miles, do what the locals do and ride from Copper to Vail on the I-70 bike path. While the ride from Copper Mountain to the summit of Vail Pass is the “easy” way up, if you drop down into Vail, you can ride the “hard” way back. The round-trip is about 52 miles, and definitely a “must-do” ride for road bikers.

Enjoy!

Portions of this post originally published at Liftopia.com on June 6, 2013. 

Photo courtesy Tripp Fay, Copper Mountain.

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