Ski Copper
Our checklist for choosing the best ski resorts for family vacations with teens and tweens gives extra weight to mountains with teen specific activities, a range of on and off slope diversions and ski-in/ski-out family friendly accommodations where everyone can spread out and teens can enjoy some independence. We’ve been taking a peek at what Colorado has to offer and have found two top resorts that are high on our teens’ list of best ski resorts for families with teens and tweens. They are:
Copper Mountain
Located 75 miles from Denver, Copper Mountain has 2600 feet of vertical drop, 22 lifts, and 126 marked trails. In addition to skiing and snowboarding, the resort offers ice skating, snowshoeing, tubing, snowmobiling, sleigh rides, dog sledding, cross country skiing, a racquet and athletic club, a spa and a range of shopping, dining, and après ski activities. The mountain has a wide range of slope side accommodations, including a number of condo complexes located within a few minutes walk of a chairlift.
Woodward at Copper
Group lessons are available for tweens and teens up to age 15. However, one of the major reasons Copper Mountain makes our list is the Woodward at Copper year round snowboard and ski training camp. Based in The Barn, the program teaches all levels of park and pipe riders and skiers using progressive training techniques. The Barn is a 19,400 square foot indoor training facility that features Flybed trampolines, a spotting rig, a spring floor, 3 foam pits with 23,000 cubes of foam, Snowflex jumps, and other resources to help skiers and boarders work on tricks in a safe and supervised environment.
Day long indoor/outdoor winter camp programs are available for ages 8 and up. Introductory and drop-in options for 1 hour and 45 minute sessions are available. These allow riders to use the facility to work on individual skills, and focus their training on the trampolines, jump line, rail garden, quarter pipe, log jib, spring floor or any of the skate features. Ask about their 20% good student discount for winter camps and drop in sessions!
Winter Park
Welcome to Winter Park
Winter Park, just 67 miles from Denver, has over 2,600 feet of vertical, over 130 trails, and 7 parks and pipe areas. Ski-in/ski-out condos and lodging and the mountain’s relatively compact base area let teens and their friends have some freedom. The resort is currently offering a buy 3 nights get the 4th night free promotion for some of these properties.
Winter Park offers more teen specific lessons and camps than many mountains. Teen Freeride Camps for ages 14-17 are offered during major school vacation periods. The camp matches teens with groups of similar skill levels. Working with their coach, the group can decide what they want to work on that day. Teens can join the program for a day or a whole week. Teens and tweens ages 14 and younger can join more traditional group lesson programs for a day or a week. Half day walk-in sessions are sometimes available. Book ahead online to save about 10% on many of these programs.
Beyond the slopes there are lots of other fun activities including snow mobiles, skating, backcountry skiing snowcat tours, snowshoe hikes, chairlift rides, an arcade and a dual NASTAR race course where skiers and riders can race side-by-side against friends and family or against the clock.
It’s Never Too Late to Learn
While many families get their kids skiing at early ages, some teens and tweens take an interest in skiing or snowboarding a little later. Skiing and snowboarding are terrific lifetime sports so don’t discourage an older kid who whats to learn. Invest in a couple of private lessons or a teen camp with groups specifically for beginners and you’ll be amazed how soon they they will be flying down the slopes!
Looking for top ski resorts back East? Check our top picks in Vermont and New Hampshire.
Photos courtesy of the individual resorts and programs.
