I decided to try something a little different the other day and headed up to Ski Cooper, just west of Leadville, Colorado, at the summit of Tennessee Pass. With minimal snow on the I-70 corridor and holiday tourists lingering, I wanted to experience this little ski area I had heard about and ridden my road bike by a dozen times in summer months. With their famed Tennessee Pass Nordic Center and Cookhouse, all-natural snow conditions, backside access to Chicago Ridge, and hassle-free environment, I just had to give it a shot.
Yes, this is truly one of Colorado’s last family-oriented and locals-oriented ski areas. No snow making, no paid parking, no condos, no busses, no high-speed six packs. Now, if you need these things, then by all means, this mountain is not for you. No, you should probably go to Vail if you like nice covered parking. And oh the snowmaking at Vail is the best. And you get great cell reception there. Not such good cell service up there on Tennessee Pass, no sir. But then again, everyone seems to know each other anyway, and most conversations are best had on the lifts or chatting face to face at the tops of the runs. The thing is, however, that Ski Cooper receives the same snow and weather patterns that Vail does.
Skiing on all all-natural snow is a bit of a novelty, given our low snowfall thus far this season, and how used to in general we get to having our lift-served slopes enhanced by artificial snow. While the coverage was a bit thin on south facing slopes, there was no white ice to be found. Conditions on the main runs were great, especially on the back side, with a few inches of creamy new to turn through, and more on the way.
I love these original Colorado ski areas, with plenty of dogs running around in the parking lot, rickety lifts, friendly locals, and interesting terrain. I was lucky enough to make small talk with a serious local before my first lift ride—a charming double-chair that takes you to the top of the front side of the area. Again, if you like really fast lifts, you might want to look elsewhere. “No fashion shows here,” Harold explained to me. “This is Carhart country.” So Harold and I rode lifts together. Turns out, he is one of the owners of the Leadville Backcountry Yurts, which I had been scoping out just last week looking for a romantic New Years spot. He and his partners are constructing another backcountry hut this summer, over off of California Pass, and he invited me up to do some work and earn some nights at the cabin for next season.
The old signs on the slopes of Ski Cooper are really something to behold. If it weren’t for my fancy plastic boots and powder skis, I might have thought I had taken a wrong turn, back into a simpler time. This ski area was the original training site for the 10th Mountain Division during WWII, and their memorial stands at the turn-off to the parking lot. They put in the first t-bar lift here, did some tree thinning, and the spirit of these early Colorado mountaineers is palpable. Ski Cooper isn’t even privately owned. No corporate fat cats or shareholders to contend with. It’s owned and managed by the Leadville Parks and Rec, so all money taken in goes right back into the area.
Down at the base, I take a stroll through the lodge, in all its throwback splendor. The entire upstairs is for people who prefer to bring their lunch. No 14 dollar cheeseburgers here. But if that’s what you like, remember, Vail is just over the ridge as the crow flies.
