To me it looks like Copper is getting ready for the 2019 Ikon Pass Invasion. I plan to be part of that invasion.
We spent 5 days there last week as part of our MAX Pass tour and probably will be IKON passholders for 2019.
To me it looks like Copper is getting ready for the 2019 Ikon Pass Invasion. I plan to be part of that invasion.
I'd forgotten about the N lift. I'd rather see that than the Tucker or Lumberjack upgrade but it should go all the way up next to the base of Storm King.
Oh, I didn’t know about the N lift! I like the idea of not having to go all the way to the base to get from Sierra to Solitude!
I'm not a fan of the N lift. With the Eagle capacity upgrade that wasn't previously proposed I hope the N lift doesn't happen.
My thinking is Enchanted and the Glades would get destroyed with the N lift. The extra 3-minute ski to the Super Bee and longer lift ride are just painful enough that few skiers do laps, so you can almost always find good snow.
With all the potential terrain for expansion and old lifts that need to be replaced at some point, I'd rather Copper not use its limited capital adding more lifts to existing terrain, and the resulting increased skier density.
Here's the N lift description from the MDP:
N Lift
From a skier/rider circulation perspective, a shortcoming of CMR is that traveling from the west side of the mountain (Timberline, American Flyer, Sierra, etc.) to the east side of the mountain (American Eagle, Excelerator, Super Bee, etc.) involves a seemingly roundabout and tedious trip including an extended ski-out to the Center Village and a relatively long ride on American Eagle or Super Bee. In order to facilitate the west-to-east transfer, a new lift will be installed from lower Carefree trail to near the top terminal of American Eagle. In addition to improving cross-mountain circulation, this detachable chairlift will also provide direct access to proposed Intermediate and Advanced ski runs, the Bittersweet Alpine ski racing venue, and the improved and expanded Sail Away Glades.
And the MDP map again showing lift upgrades and the potential new N lift in red:
Note that the Eagle was not previously planned to be upgraded to a DC-6/chondola as is now proposed. I think upgrading the Eagle capacity is more cost effective than adding the N lift, as they go to the same spot, and the Eagle was reaching end-of-life anyway.
I also like easy lapping of terrain. I think there are more important areas to make lapping easier.This is where we disagree. I'm all about making it easier for me to lap terrain. I don't care what other people do. For example, I almost never ski Tucker because it's too much hassle and if I want to hike or skin, I'll just go hit real backcountry terrain where I can guarantee the snow is untracked and doesn't have moguls underneath. That being said I'm not a big fan of having all high speed lifts. Don't ever replace A with more capacity (I'm sure that's part of the new neighborhood being built over there though). I would like to see them extend Sierra down the hill to somewhere along the edge Coppertone near the bottom of I dropper but keep it a slow triple.
Yes, Union Meadows is flat but it would make a bunch of nice intermediate and advanced runs and glades like the much loved Gold Digger and Retreat.Union Meadows holds great snow, but it is very flat. If it had a lift through it, it would be tracked out in hours and there wouldn't be much reason to go over there. Plus, you'd have all the jerrys hanging out in the smoke hut.
Jacques Basin expansion, LOL. Yeah, keep dreaming on that one Tball. I'd rather they do something different over there, like a limited access model or guided tours only (Silverton esque), then just carpet bomb the thing with lifts.
View attachment 44872
http://www.coppercolorado.com/the-mountain/webcams/mountain/super-bee-hd-cam
Really? The cats couldn't help but to brutally groom the bump course on Rosie's?
Yeah, it's clear on the website no uphill access. The airs in the course were probably the attraction. The course is nowhere near the construction, though.I don't know why they had a cat on the mountain but I do know why no groomer bar: they are closed
I would assume that once they are closed for the season they would not allow any touring or private motorized access especially if they are installing lifts.
Its too bad the Tucker lift isn't going in this year but its understandable. Three lifts in a year would have been absurdly hard to do.
My prediction is that the Tucker lift will not happen. Or won't happen for at least a decade. They've had approval for years but not spent the money -- it's a lift that would serve a very limited group of skiers and a lot of those skiers don't want a lift...
Mike
My prediction is that the Tucker lift will not happen. Or won't happen for at least a decade. They've had approval for years but not spent the money -- it's a lift that would serve a very limited group of skiers and a lot of those skiers don't want a lift...
Mike
I've heard this as wellTucker actually is supposed to start next summer; scuttlebutt is that it was Gary Rogers' last action before leaving. Solitude is also going down in spring, to be replaced.