Why Your Family Will Love Copper Mountain in the Summer

Nothing seems to inspire the mockery of my two boys, ages 9 and 11, like trying to tackle an outdoor ninja course and falling on the first obstacle.

“C’mon, Mom! Try it again without stopping!” they urged, laughing as I floundered to regain my footing.

“I don’t see any other moms out here,” I muttered, climbing across a gangly net of ropes in my half-hearted attempt to complete the Woodward WreckTangle, a nine-element outdoor obstacle course set at the base of Copper Mountain.

One of the many summer-fun features at the ski resort just 75 miles west of Denver and 20 miles east of Vail, the WreckTangle is the newest offering inspiring visitors to be “Raised on a Colorado Summer.”

“Copper has always had a brimming events lineup and weekly programs, but our capital spend this year is far beyond hiking and connecting with nature,” says John Monson, director of sales and marketing for Copper Mountain Resort.

That $20 million outlay through 2017/2018 includes plans for a high-speed quad chairlift and improved lift-pass technology, in addition to the WreckTangle and a mountain coaster slated to open in fall 2017. It’s all part of a campaign to draw visitors to resort, even in non-winter months.

“Families are not only looking for lodging deals, or to avoid crowds or vacation in more favorable weather, they are seeking experiences that are laid-back, affordable and ultimately get the kids outside and away from their phones and tablets,” Monson says.

For a $69 activity pass, for example, kids can enjoy the mountain-top bungee, the WreckTangle, and go karts, to name a few, as well as activities at West Lake that features bumper boats, Hydrobikes and an over-water zip line. The resort also offers a host of free programming, from Kids Eat Free deals to weekly Pedals and Pints bike rides, campfires and fireworks displays.

Additionally, the resort offers unique features like the country’s highest beer garden, the Solitude Beer Garden, located at the top of the American Eagle chairlift. It also boasts Colorado’s only summer-snow experience, Woodward Copper’s Big Island Terrain Park, a snowy playground where families can ski, snowboard or have a summer snowball fight.

The idea, Monson says, is to position Copper Mountain as a user-friendly and accessible resort.

“Many other resorts become very busy, and lodging fills up quickly when guests are booking months in advance,” he says. “Here at Copper, you’ll find more of a laid-back, family experience without as many complications of summer travel that other destinations have.”