Spring Skiing at Copper Mountain

Over Easter this year our whole family was traveling.  Mom and Dad were on a road trip to Utah to see our cousins Kat and Paul, and Kerry and I were lucky enough to be able to join Kyleen and Scott on a ski trip to Copper Mountain.  

We left MN early on a Wednesday morning and by 2PM that afternoon we had our skis on and were getting  a quick couple of runs in for our first taste of altitude.  We were extremely pleased with the snow conditions.  Copper had gotten about 8-10 inches in the previous week, and despite it being late spring, that snow was still powdery on most of the mountain.

On Friday my friend Will was able to come up and join us for the day.  We spent the morning skiing a bunch of stuff on the front side of the mountain then had an early lunch and hit the back bowls to session some serious vertical.  The snow was awesome and we were cooked by 3 o'clock.  It was then time to hit JJ's bar and listen to some great music and enjoy some well earned beverages.

We stayed in a condo just a short walk from one of the main lifts.  We ate all of our breakfasts and lunches in the condo and at least one supper.  Scott approves of the nights menu. 

Our last couple of days brought a bit of new snow followed by some spring sunshine.  

Copper was Kerry's old stomping grounds when she lived out here, so it was fun having her remember runs and give us on advice on the good stuff.  All of us got schooled in high speed carving from my sister, the racer chick.  Dang, she can fly down the hill.  I think the "Slow Zone" ski patrols were giving her the hairy eyeball every once in a while.

There's nothing better than skiing all morning, then stopping mid-hill and kicking back in lawn chairs and having a snack in the warm sun at the Tiki bar.  Spring skiing at its best!

After four days of skiing, Kyleen and I decided we still had the legs on us to eek out a few more runs on our last morning at the resort.  We caught the front chair and headed directly to the back bowl.  We were met with a few inches of fresh snow and were the first ones to make tracks down to the Resolution chair at the base of the bowl.  A fantastic way to start our last morning of skiing!

Kyleen, getting ready first tracks on Triple Zero

Our digs for the week.  Copper Springs #225

To cap off an already great trip, we got to have an Easter dinner prepared by Chef Jim at his house in Lakewood.  Ray, Laura, Eamon and Tighe were able to join us as well as Will and his girlfriend Kristin.  Dinner was phenomenal and great times were had catching up with great friends.