Taking a day trip to ski with children in Colorado can be challenging. There is usually a lot of traffic on I-70, lift tickets are expensive, you have to schlep all your gear across big parking lots or wait in line for a shuttle bus, the runs are crowded (which is scary if you have a beginner who makes wide turns), and eating lunch can also be crowded and expensive.
Check out this incredible lift line at Vail this winter after it snowed 17 inches in 24 hours. As of this writing, adult lift tickets are $209 per day at Vail.
Ski Cooper
This is why we were so excited to discover a little gem of a resort called Ski Cooper in Leadville a few winters ago. It is smaller than the giant resorts, much less expensive, and family-friendly. It has a variety of terrain that is laid out nicely with runs of the same ability grouped together in areas. There are some challenging runs with steepness and moguls, especially on the new back bowl which is mostly double blacks, but the normal blacks are similar to challenging blues at other resorts. When my kids did their first one at Ski Cooper, they were psyched that they did a black diamond!
Getting There
From Colorado Springs, we can get there on free-flowing highways with beautiful scenery (views from Wilkerson Pass and Buena Vista) in about 2.5 hours. If you want to check how long it is from your house, here is the address: 232 Co Rd 29, Leadville, CO 80461
Ski and Snowboard Rental
We rent skis at a rental shop in Leadville called Bill’s Ski Rentals that has been around for two generations. The owners are super nice and it’s right on the way. A kid’s ski package is only $14. You can enter their height, weight, shoe size, and skiing ability in a form on their website to save time later. http://www.billsrentals.com/
Parking and Lunch
Once at Ski Cooper, you can usually park close to the lodge or drop off all your gear and other people before parking. You can bring a cooler and leave it on the shelves in the lodge.
If you prefer to buy lunch, the prices are much less than at other resorts. Ten years ago, I think I spent $7 for a Snickers bar at Vail.
Uncrowded lift lines and runs
The lift lines are usually quick and the runs are not crowded. Kids can practice their wide, sweeping turns without fear of collisions.
Lift Tickets
Ski Cooper is now doing lift tickets that are lifetime, plastic cards with a radio frequency identification (RFID) chip in them. You have to purchase them in-person at the resort. After that, you can reload them online ahead of time and skip the ticket counter. You put the card in a pocket and the employee just aims a scanner gun toward you while you’re in line.
As of this writing, adults are $62, kids ages 6-14 are $30, and kids 5 and under are free. I rode up the lift with a woman who worked in the lift ticket office. She shared with me that Tuesdays are 2-for-1 days and Thursdays are half-price days. However, I don’t see those prices listed on their website and they may not be valid over holidays like Spring Break, so you may want to call ahead to verify. 800-707-6114 https://www.skicooper.com/affordable-lift-tickets/
Fifth-Grade Passport
My daughter is in 5th grade this year. All 5th graders in Colorado can get a Ski Passport that gives them 66 days of free skiing (3 days at each of 22 resorts that participate). https://www.coloradoski.com/passport At Ski Cooper, two parents both get $31 lift tickets all three times the 5th grader uses their passport. What a bargain! Our family of four skied for a total of $101 last weekend. My daughter was free, my husband and I were each $31, and my 13-year-old son was $39.
Lodging
If you would like to break up the drive and spend the night, the Silver King Inn and Suites in Leadville has rooms with 2 full beds for $85/night. The beds were comfortable, everything was clean, and they had a free continental breakfast in the morning. http://www.silverkinginnandsuites.com/
To Share or Not To Share…
I almost hesitate to write about Ski Cooper, as it’s still a lesser-known gem in Colorado. I’d hate to see it start to become as crowded as the big-name resorts. However, I wanted to share these tips and deals, especially if you have a 5th grader, that make it so much more fun and affordable to ski as a family.
Please leave a comment and let me know what you think of Cooper if you go.
