Skiing Q: Copper Mountain or Beaver Creek?

[Howard Treesong]

Family Treesong has decided to take a short ski trip in a couple of weeks and can't decide as between Copper Mountain and Beaver Creek. Any OOT cognoscenti out there that can give some guidance? I'm expert, Mrs. T is light intermediate, and the Little Ts, 4 and 7, skiied last season but are novices. Ease of access, pleasant family atmosphere are keys -- nightlife is, somewhat sadly, irrelevant.

[Wynton]

I am an awful skier, with no experience at Copper Mountain. But because my in-laws have a place at Beaver Creek, we've been going there for years.

Beaver Creek seems to have a reputation as a pretty complete mountain, i.e., plenty of runs at different levels (though I avoid the blacks). Most is also ski-in and ski-out, which is great. And the village itself is pretty family-friendly, though absurdly expensive.

[Dam]

I don't Ski and don't know either resort, but if I was to go off name alone, it'd be Beaver Creek every time.

[UncleSalty]

Beaver creek has nicer amenities, and in my opinion usually has nicer snow. The terrain is great at both, but Copper is about 45 minutes closer to Denver, which means during the weekends it is significantly more crowded with city folk.

You will spend less money as a family if you stay at Copper vs. Beave but there are cheaper lodging alternatives for either one. (Dillon/Frisco/Silverthorne for Copper or Avon for Beaver Creek.)

Beaver Creek will allow you close access to Vail if you want to ski there at all, while Copper is close to Keystone and Breck. The same Denver crowd issues will be found at Keystone and Breck as at Copper though.

All in all, if I didn't live here and had only one family vacation to ski in the mountains every year, I would choose Beaver Creek. (This assumes you absolutely need to be within a short drive from DIA - if not I would probably pick Steamboat since crowds are not an issue there ever.) There is also a small airport in Eagle that is extremely convenient for Vail and Beaver Creek. Check for flights into there when you're booking airfare.

[Sadat X]

The Beave, hands down. Every time I've been to Copper, it's been way too crowded.

[ICallHimGamblor]

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The Beave, hands down. Every time I've been to Copper, it's been way too crowded.

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I completely agree. Copper is a larger mountain but has way longer lines. Beaver has always been perfect as far as terrain and crowds. My fave place.

[AquaSwing]

I guess I'm against the grain but I would choose Copper, especially if there are varying amounts of skill level. Copper is naturally divided by skill. The crowds I don't know about since I haven't skiied in Colorado since 2001.

Also, I like the more traditional feel of Copper over the swanky feel of Beaver.

Either way, they are both great places to ski. Vail is also very nice and sits between them.

[ICallHimGamblor]

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. Vail is also very nice and sits between them.

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Yes, in the same way that the New Jersey sits between New York and California.

[Howard Treesong]

Thanks for the responses, gentlemen. The Beave wins on the theory that I'm not price-sensitive but very line-sensitive.

[J.A.Sucker]

This is the correct choice. BC is one of the best mountains in CO for beginners/intermediates. The weather is also slightly better, believe it or not. It gets more sun.

I miss Colorado reading these threads... [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]