Copper Mountain, CO – Copper’s High Alpine Project: The 12’s is a planned multi-year enhancement of the Colorado ski and snowboard resort’s high alpine skiing and riding, including expanded terrain, improved lift access and additional cat skiing operations. The 12’s gets its name from the three peaks with elevations in excess of 12,000 feet encompassed by the plan: Tucker Mountain, Union Peak and Copper Peak. These capital improvements were recently approved by the U.S. Forest Service and construction on the first portion of the plan is already underway with completion anticipated in time for this winter.

Phase I of the High Alpine Project includes the upgrade and replacement of the Storm King lift on 12,441-foot Copper Peak. Copper Mountain guests this winter will see a new t-bar lift in its place, providing access to skiing and riding in Spaulding Bowl, Upper Enchanted Forest and Copper Bowl. The new Storm King lift will offer a substantial upgrade, doubling the uphill lift capacity of the original lift installed in 1985.  Also, Copper Mountain has announced “Celebrity Ridge,” a new surface lift at the top of the Sierra chairlift providing easier access to Union Peak, Union Meadows, West Ridge and Copper Bowl, located adjacent to the top of the Mountain Chief chairlift. Copper has also improved ski-out in Spaulding Bowl and re-graded terrain within the Sierra area this winter, allowing the high alpine terrain at Copper Mountain to open earlier and stay open longer.

Phase II of Copper’s High Alpine Project includes future enhancements to current terrain offerings and more acreage. This includes lift service to expert steeps, (currently hike-to snowcat access on 12,337-foot Tucker Mountain), as well as a snowcat accessed terrain expansion. The popularity of the terrain accessed by the resort’s free Tucker Mountain Snowcat led Copper Mountain to propose installation of the Tucker Lift. Over 260 skiable acres, presently accessed by the Tucker Mountain Snowcat, will become lift-served in this stage of the High Alpine Project.

“Copper Mountain has always been recognized for its naturally divided terrain, north facing slopes and superior beginner and intermediate terrain.   With The 12’s, we are focused on improving access and adding acreage to some of the best high alpine skiing and riding Colorado has to offer,” says Gary Rodgers, Copper Mountain’s President and General Manager. “The 12’s provide our loyal guests, who love skiing and riding the high alpine, the opportunity to experience over 1,000 acres of advanced intermediate and expert terrain above tree line.  They will be amazed at the improvements we have made and will continue to make to enhance the high alpine experience unique to Copper Mountain.”