Copper Mountain Archives - Summit Express

Get Hitched in Breckenridge

February 23, 2021 by Summit Express

Here comes the Bride.

2020 was a make it or break it year for many relationships. Congratulations to all the couples who made it through Covid and are heading to the alter in 2021. To all the couple who had to postpone their 2020 wedding; we are ready for you. Mother Nature provides the most spectacular décor you could possibly image. Wedding season in Summit County is year round. So what are you waiting for?

The Lodge at Breckenridge, a boutique hotel overlooking the Town of Breckenridge, is an ideal location for your dream mountain wedding. The Lodge at Breckenridge can accommodate all your guests in their 45 rooms and suites. They have 2 luxury private homes perfect for groomsmen or bridal parties, an onsite bar and restaurant, private decks, and a day spa all located minutes from world class skiing. The Lodge at Breckenridge allows pets, just in case your best man is man’s best friend.

Wedding Trends

2021’s matrimonial trend is the micro-wedding. Micro-weddings are a cross between an elopement and a big, traditional wedding. Its an inmate event with close friends and family. Its a much easier and safer option during Covid-19. Smaller weddings can be simple and relatively inexpensive, fairy-tale extravagant or anywhere in-between. Why Knot Weekday Weddings are a great way to save money with a weekday ceremony. Your friends and family can take advance of shorter weekday lift lines on the days prior to the big event. For more information about weddings at The Lodge at Breckenridge

Stress is an Option.

If your heart is set on a large event, Breckenridge offers multiple large venues to accommodate your every wish. Larger weddings, particularly during a pandemic, are more challenging to plan. Hiring a wedding planner to manage your event will reduce stress and red tape. Its best to hire a local wedding planner. Denver planners may not be familiar with the quirks of Summit County. Wedding Planners are familiar with local health ordinances and restrictions. Shawna Henderson, at Breck Mnt Weddings, lives year round in Breckenridge and has assisted dozens and dozens of happy couples creating their dream day. You can find additional information about wedding planners here: https://breck-mtn-wedding.business.site

Can my cousin marry us?

One of the most unique aspects of any Colorado wedding is the officiant. Your cousin, brother, uncle, or best friend does NOT need to become ordained online to preside over your ceremony. Legally, couples may solemnize their marriage in Colorado. This means that you do not need an officiant or witnesses. You do need a license that may be obtained weekdays at a County Clerks office in Colorado. Fill out the short application. Both parties will need to provide a legal form of identification. The fee is $30. You will receive your license valid for 35 days in about 15 minutes. For additional information on obtaining a marriage license in Summit County visit https://www.summitcounty.org/276/Marriage-Licenses

Summit County is a great place to begin your new life. No matter where you decide to tie the knot, we wish you only the best.

Congratulations from Summit Express!

The Groundhog was Right

February 19, 2021 by Summit Express

Mother Nature is Awake

Summit Express Vans Winter with skiers.jpg It seems like Mother Nature was napping early ski season. Keystone, Copper Mountain and Breckenridge have been up and running for months. December and January snow fall totals were lower than this powder-hound had hoped, but the combination of exceptional grooming and man made snow provided vacationers with great conditions for every skill levels. February brought back to back arctic storms across the Rocky Mountains and much of the southwest. If Mother nature was resting; she is awake now. Conditions are excellent! Check for yourself with live on mountain cameras.

https://www.coppercolorado.com/the-mountain/webcams/mountain

https://www.keystoneresort.com/the-mountain/mountain-conditions/mountain-cams.aspx

https://www.breckenridge.com/the-mountain/mountain-conditions/mountain-cams.aspx

Dress for Success

The warmest days of February could possibly be behind us. There is no reason to suffer on the slopes if you dress properly.

FACE MASKS are required in public places including lift lines. Disposable cloth, thin nylon and cotton masks freeze up and slip off. The best mask I have found for skiing was designed for athletes and costs $30. INVEST!!! You will not regret it. https://www.underarmour.com/en-us/c/accessories-facemasks-hoods-gaiters/

Base Layers, also known as Long Underwear, are a must. Even on cold days, your body sweats. Your base layer should be moisture wicking. Sweat is absorbed and pushed away from your skin keeping you warm. Yes to wool. No to Cotton.

Layers. Layer. Layers. Light weight fleece or wool top over your base layer. Add a vest if you tend to be cold.

Ski Jacket. The best jackets to keep you warm are insulated and water resistant. Jackets have a variety of features like hoods, zippers vents and tons of pockets. Jackets come in all sorts of patterns and textures. Feel free to make a fashion statement with your outerwear.

Bibs or Snow Pants. Like jackets, should be insulated, water resistant and made of a moisture wicking fabric. Save your jeans for après.

Ski Socks are specially made to support your foot and keep your toes warm while skiing and riding. Avoid cotton socks. They do not absorb sweat. Wet feet are cold feet. Avoid wearing 2 pairs of socks. This restricts blood flow and makes your feet colder.

Gloves or Mittens. Mittens tend to be warmer than gloves. You don’t need ski- or snowboard-specific, but do choose water resistant and insulated gloves or mittens to keep your digits toasty.

WEAR A HELMET! Not only do helmets protect your head from injury, they keep your noggin warm.

Protect your Eyes from wind, sun, snow glare, and ultra-violet rays with polarized googles. Googles can be pricey but are worth it. Photokeratitis or snow blindness, is a sunburn to the cornea. Its not permeant but it is painful. If you don’t have googles, choose a sunglass with sport quality glass, plastic and polycarbonate lenses.

Stay warm, have fun!

Copper Mountain 2021

January 25, 2021 by Summit Express

Welcome to Copper Mountain 2021

It’s just 3 weeks into the new year and already 2021 feels extra special. Here’s hoping for the safety and well being of family, friends, co-workers, community, and every visitor to Summit County.

I’m feeling optimistic this year! Several long months ago I feared there would be NO ski season at all. I could not have been more wrong.

Winter 20/21 is in full swing. And it’s really fun!!

I had the pleasure to ski Copper Mountain last week. It was glorious! Copper has over 120 open trails sprawling across 1700 acres of various terrain. From steep tree runs and bowls off the t-bar to family-friendly tubing and the snow coaster; there truly is something for everyone.

If you have not planned your winter get-away, it’s not too late.

Everything you need to know before you go can be found at https://www.coppercolorado.com The knowledgeable Copper Reservation team will help you plan your perfect Colorado vacation by calling 888-760-7561. It’s certainly not too late to plan a trip, but you will need to make a plan. Covid limitations=less availability, so make reservations for everything from Airport shuttle to Snowmobiles.

Copper Mountain is a self-contained resort community. Everything you want or need is within walking distance of Copper Center Village. Copper has an inner resort bus system to drive you where you need to be whether it’s groceries, gear, or dining. You absolutely do not need a car if you are staying at Copper.

Dining options at Copper are plentiful and affordable.

The resort has added lots of physically distanced outdoor dining seats in Center Village as well as Grab & Go dining options. So grab a burger and a seat and enjoy the uphill view of snowboarders doing tricks on Woodward half pipe. Additional information on Copper Mountain dining https://www.coppercolorado.com/things-to-do/dining-apres/on-mountain-dining

Plan your runs on the Lift

Colorado resorts, for safety reasons, allow only people traveling together to ride up the gondola together. It’s just a few extra minutes on your first ride up the American Flyer and American Eagle lifts. Once you get up the mountain there are multiple mid-way lifts to help you avoid the base. It’s always a good idea to look at the trail map on your ride up.

You simply can’t go wrong visiting Summit County this year. I hope I see you at Copper soon.

Ski Reservations or Lack Thereof

January 2, 2021 by Kevin W

Forgot to book Epic pass ski reservations or just didn’t make them in time? Have no fear . . There is so much more to do here.

The new reservations system for skiing has certainly made the whole aspect of the sport a little harder than just waking up. . .checking the weather . . .and going skiing. These days it’s a little more stressful to book a short ski trip when the option to ski every day can be an uncertainty. Although skiing and snowboarding is our most popular activity here in the mountains, our quaint little county still offers so much more.

Here’s a few winter activities that you wont normally see on the travel brochures:

Natural Pond Skating

Summit Cove Pond– A low profile neighborhood pond 5 mins from keystone. This pond is regularly maintenance by locals. There is plenty of room to skate for leisure and goals for hockey as well. This pond is smaller and freezes very well. No worries on safety issues here
Walmart Pond– Right behind Walmart you can find another small pond. Lots of hockey games going on here. Plus if you need equipment Walmart is literally a stones throw away.
Silverthorne Elementary School pond– Just off of highway 9 before the elementary school is a large pond that often will host organized hockey games like the PBR classic.
Lake Dillon- Not into skating? Test your luck ice fishing on the lake or just relax and watch the kite boarders on a sunny day

Winter Hiking

Most people picture snowshoeing through deep snow when it comes to hiking in the winter but that is not always the case here in Summit. Most of our popular hiking trails see a lot of foot traffic all year long, which allows for easy access using just a pair of winter boots.

winter hikes in summit county < 3

The troll –Isak Heartstone has become one of the most popular hiking destinations in Breck over the past few years. He now sits in a very accessible location behind the ice rink. This enormous troll is always worth a visit. Maybe two or three visits actually.
Officers Gultch– This hike is especially nice if you have dogs with you on your trip. This spot is right off i70 on the way to Copper. It may be a little out of the way for some but it is also way less traveled than most hikes in the county and still offers amazing views as well as a large frozen lake to hike around. This is one of my favorite spots to go with my dogs, especially when the county gets crowded.
Old Lake Dillon– You might drive by this hike everyday with out knowing that it even exists. Perched above the current Lake Dillon lies an old lake that is now used as a reservoir. The only way you can even see this hidden gem is from the mountains above. . .that is unless you hike up and see if for yourself up close and personal. It’s a fairly shot hike but it will open up a slew of new views of the lake below and surrounding peaks. This hike has a great boot pack all year around and is located right off the dam road.

Good old fashioned sledding

It is not very hard find a good sledding hill around these parts. Just take a look around and you’ll see what I mean. There are hills everywhere but if you aren’t feeling adventurous then go check out the new sledding hill by the airport lot in Breckenridge. It’s one of the newer additions to that up and coming area.

Still set on skiing no matter what?

Here’s what to do: If you don’t have an epic pass or just can’t get reservations to Breckenridge and or Keystone try getting a ticket for Copper Mountain. If you can take the bus there is no need for reservations there. Hopefully you get to enjoy some ski days on your visit but if not always ask a local for some advice on what to do. We are generally pretty friendly people up here in the mountains! Most will point you in the right direction.

After a slow start. . .snow is finally starting to pile up in the mountains. Go get yourself some turns..but don’t forget a reservation!!

Be safe out there and please remember to respect all restrictions that are still set in place for our county. We thank you for helping us to keep Summit County safe

Do’s and Don’ts: Last Minute Bookings

December 9, 2020 by Kevin W

the Do’s and mostly Don’ts: Last Minute Bookings

Planning on coming out to Summit County to ski and snowboard this year? If so, make sure you are ahead of the game this season.

With new restrictions in town it has become a little more tricky to travel to the mountains. . .but that does not mean it has to be stressful. Here are some tips to make sure your travel plans go smoothly.

Trip Tips:

Traveling with a big party? If that’s the case. . try to plan on splitting larger groups in two. With current restrictions in place it is MUCH easier to book reservations with smaller parties. Staying together of course is always the main goal but for travel purposes and booking accommodations you may have more luck searching for a services with a smaller party. **We truly love bringing people up to our beautiful home, which is why we always suggest booking in advance. https://www.summitexpress.com/
Make sure to call hotels ahead of time. Many establishments are only allowing same family parties into accommodations. Looking for solo accommodations may be easier than traveling with a group. Here’s a good read for anyone coming into town https://www.summitcountyco.gov/DocumentCenter/View/27752/Amended-and-Restated-PH-Order—COVID-19
Book your ski/ride reservations ahead of time! We’ve already seen the tragic stories~ People booked a 5 day trip and only could reserve 1 day of skiing so they ended up cutting the trip short and flying home. Make sure if you are skiing with an epic pass that you make reservations ahead of time. A ski trip with no skiing is never a good time. https://www.epicpass.com/info/reservation-details.aspx
Riding Copper? Make sure to book a parking reservation if you are driving or plan on taking the free Summit Stage bus. https://www.coppercolorado.com/plan-your-trip/getting-here/parking Last minute bookings have been available here so this might be the first actual DO’s in terms of do’s and don’ts for last minute booking. If you do not find a spot, NO SWEAT just hop on the Summit Stage and bus on over to Copper. No need for a parking pass if you aren’t parking! https://summitcountyco.gov/DocumentCenter/View/29947/Copper-Mtn-Win-20-21

All in all. . . the theme this winter is to make sure you are planning ahead. Last minute/spur the moment trips are always the best kinds BUT in these trying times booking ahead is always going to be the safest and most dependable option.

Lastly, whether you like the restrictions or not please adhere to all rules and regulations. I know this is a vacation town to most but to a lot of us this is a place we call home. We constantly have visitors coming and going from Summit County so please be courteous and keep our town and its locals safe. We all want to get back to work! Please help keep our season alive.

With that being said PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE support all the local business you can during your stay here. If you are ordering take out food or using any kind of services here please make sure to TIP. There are lots of people who make their living off tips and are currently taking huge cuts to make sure all our visitors can still experience how lovely are county truly is. Please HELP US HELP YOU!

Be safe out there everybody.

One of our drivers and dispatchers practicing his social distancing earlier this month

The Best Skiing and Snowboarding in Summit County

October 21, 2018 by Kevin W

Hey guys. Today I will be trying to give you an idea on the… Best Skiing in Summit

Locals Tips:

For me this is an easy pick. Most of you would picture the iconic Breckenridge Resort as one of the best but these days the fact that most people would guess that is the exact reason why it’s not #1. The best skiing is Copper Mountain. The in bounds terrain is unbeatable at around 2,456 sq foot, which offers long groomers, endless tree runs, and one of the best parks in the country.

Pro tip: Copper is usually WAY less crowded then the popular resorts offered on Vail’s Epic Passes.

This year they also introduce two new lifts, one using the bubble chairs (allowing you to stay even warmer) and the other lift featuring both gondolas and open chairs. One of the best parts of copper is the ease of access throughout the whole mountain. The other stand out for me is the simple fact that you can tell the employees like working there. It really creates a great atmosphere.

Great night life for anyone who is staying within the resort… no driving needed either!

The town at the bottom is also perfectly placed for all your drink and food needs 🙂

Copper was also just added to the new Ikon Pass, offering a huge selection of mountains. If you like to travel this pass is just the pass for you!

Copper is also home to Woodward. After a day on the slopes hit the Woodward barn for some indoor skateboarding or try out some new tricks in the foam pit!

They are a partner with Summit Express so save some money getting to and from the mountain. Give us (970-668-6000) or Copper a call. Either can help you arrange your transportation.

Copper also offers outdoor snowboarding through the summer. Whether it’s through the camp sessions or through the public park you can always get your snow fix at Copper.

Plenty of rentals for all abilities!

Locals Tip: Mario’s World. . .you won’t find it on your trail map but ask a local and try and ride this section of the mountain off the American Flyer lift. Oh and check out Eagle BBQ too. . .very cool up and coming restaurant at the bottom of the mountain.