Ski Cooper – Leadville, CO | Guide: Terrain, Village, Stats, Trail Map

Ski Cooper is a small, laid-back mountain located in the scenic Leadville area. It has 480 acres of skiable terrain from beginner to expert including steep tree skiing in Tennessee Creek Basin.

The views are usually exceptional around Cooper, due in part to the state’s two largest mountains hovering in the distance: Mount Elbert and Mount Massive. Opened in 1942, Ski Cooper is one of the oldest Colorado ski resorts.

It began as a training ground for the 10th Mountain Division, a Special Forces team during WWII. They were trained for high-alpine fighting and later served in the Alps during the end of the war.

Aerial view of Ski Cooper Colorado in Wintertime — Aerial of Ski Cooper.

Ski Cooper is a fun, family mountain, offering great skiing, a friendly atmosphere, and remarkable mountain views. Although it has always been a beginner and intermediate mountain, Ski Cooper has opened up the Tennessee Creek Basin to expert skiers. A new chair lift was added for the 2019/2020 season, accessing 3 types of new terrain, all steep.

Terrain

Ski Cooper Colorado — A snow dragon at Ski Cooper.

Ski Cooper has a good mix of beginner and intermediate terrain. You’ll find lots of green and blue groomers, as well as bumps, glades, and a terrain park. The terrain is spread out over two sides of the mountain and includes 480 skiable acres. It gets 250 inches of light fluffy snow each year. There’s a total of 26 trails.

Beginners and intermediates will find plenty of variety and long runs at Ski Cooper. There are also not a whole lot of fast skiers to worry about whizzing by you. Ski Cooper is a local mountain where everyone is having a good time skiing in the Rockies.

Image of the terrain at Ski Cooper in Colorado — Trails at Ski Cooper. Photo: Ski Cooper / Chicago Ridge

Experts will find a few single black diamonds, but some of them could be considered blues. There are some nice tree runs where powder stashes hide. The terrain park has several features and is large enough to learn the basics. If you are looking for more action, sign up for Ski Cooper’s snowcat tours.

The Chicago Ridge Snowcat Tours serves up some of the best cat skiing in the state. They operate on 2,600 acres of terrain in the San Isabel and White River national forests. You can see the Chicago Ridge while skiing at Ski Cooper and it looks massive. You’ll go up to 12,600 feet in elevation atop the Continental Divide.

Village

There is a base lodge with several reasonably priced amenities including a cafeteria, bar, and gift shop in the lodge. Ski Cooper is located on the top of the Tennessee Pass on Highway 24, north of Leadville. Downtown Leadville offers dining, lodging, shopping, and other attractions in a western historic district.