There is a particular kind of quiet on a ski hill before the first chair of the season. Fresh snow, cold air, a few dozen locals stomping their boots through the base area. At Ski Cooper, that moment is almost here.
Ski Cooper sits atop Tennessee Pass, 9 mile drive north of Leadville, and it has been doing things its own way for decades. Natural snow. Short lift lines. Prices that let you bring the whole family. They are also part of Colorado Ski Country USA’s Gems Discount program, which makes it even easier to add a Cooper day to your Colorado ski season.
Opening Day: Wednesday, December 9, Weather Permitting
Ski Cooper plans to open for the season on Wednesday, December 9, 2026, snow permitting. The ticket window opens at 8 a.m. and the main lifts spin from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The tentative closing day is Sunday, April 4, 2027.
Cooper runs on natural snow, so Mother Nature has the final say. Check Cooper’s mountain stats and schedule page for the latest before you drive up.
Skiing Like It Used To Be
Cooper is one of Colorado’s remaining independently owned ski areas, and it feels like it. There are no gondola villages or valet lots. There is a lodge, a long row of evergreens, and views across the Sawatch Range.
- Base elevation: 10,500 feet
- Top elevation: 11,700 feet
- Vertical drop: 1,200 feet
- Terrain: 64 trails and 480 lift served acres
- Lifts: 5, including Colorado’s longest magic carpet
- Snow: about 250 inches of natural snow in an average season
Cooper also grooms differently. Instead of grooming the same runs every night until they turn to hardpack, the crew rotates which trails get groomed. The result is a softer surface and plenty of corduroy every day.
A Hill With History
In 1942, the U.S. Army chose this corner of the Rockies to train the ski troopers of the 10th Mountain Division. Soldiers lived at Camp Hale and trained on Cooper Hill before shipping out to Italy in 1945. Today Camp Hale is part of the Camp Hale National Monument, and a memorial to the soldiers stands at Cooper’s entrance atop the Continental Divide. Read more about Ski Cooper’s history, and look for 10th Mountain Day at Cooper on February 26, 2027.
Same Prices As Last Year
Ski Cooper is holding day pass and season pass prices at last year’s rates. Day passes go on sale November 1, 2026.
Day passes for the season:
- Ages 22 to 68: $49 on non holiday weekdays, $99 on weekends and holidays
- Ages 15 to 21: $40 on non holiday weekdays, $69 on weekends and holidays
- Ages 6 to 14: $35 every day
- Ages 5 and under, and 69 and up: a season pass is the best price
Holiday and spring break dates are December 19, 2026 to January 3, 2027; January 15 to 17, 2027; February 12 to 14, 2027; and March 13 to 26, 2027. Full details are on Cooper’s day pass page.
Planning to come back all winter? A Cooper season pass for ages 22 to 68 is $599, ages 6 to 14 is $279, and kids 5 and under ride for a $10 processing fee. Most season passes include three free days at each of Cooper’s partner resorts through the Powder Alliance and Freedom Pass, plus 10% off food and non alcoholic drinks at the cafes and pubs on the hill.
Ski Cooper Is On The Gems Card
The Gems Discount Card from Colorado Ski Country USA celebrates the smaller ski areas that give Colorado its character. For $50, the card gives you discounted adult lift tickets at ten of them, two days at each one:
- Arapahoe Basin
- Cooper
- Echo Mountain
- Eldora
- Granby Ranch
- Loveland
- Monarch
- Powderhorn
- Purgatory
- Sunlight
What to know before you buy:
- The card is not a lift ticket. You buy the card once, then pay the discounted rate each day you ski.
- Blackout dates: December 25, 2026 to January 1, 2027; January 16 to 17, 2027; and February 13 to 14, 2027.
- Sales end January 31, 2027, or sooner if cards sell out. The limit is one card per person.
- Validate each visit in the Colorado Ski Country Pass Portal up to seven days ahead or the day of, and screenshot your code since cell service can be spotty at mountain ticket windows.
- Compare prices. Colorado Ski Country notes that a resort’s own deal can sometimes beat the card. At Cooper, check the $49 weekday rate before you choose.
The Gems Card is also a fun excuse for a road trip. Start with a powder morning at Cooper, then work your way around the state to the other areas on the list.
The Best Place To Learn
Cooper has acres of gentle learning terrain, Colorado’s longest magic carpet, and a ski school known for patient, friendly instructors. Lessons are booked by phone starting November 23, 2026, at 800-707-6114, extension 3. Ski lessons start at age 3 and snowboard lessons at age 6. Book at least two days ahead, since lessons fill and walk ups are not guaranteed. If you need gear, rent at Ski Cooper’s rental shop on site and arrive about an hour and a half before your lesson. See all options on the lessons page.
Before And After The First Chair
A few dates are already on the Cooper calendar. The Warren Miller film comes to the Cooper Lodge on November 20 at 7 p.m., a good way to get the whole crew excited for winter. On Christmas Eve, Santa visits the lodge from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. And in February, 10th Mountain Day honors the soldiers who first skied this hill.
On the mountain, warm up at the Base Camp Cafe or Ridgeview Cafe, then meet friends for après at Katie O’Rourke’s Irish Pub or the Timberline Taproom.
Make A Weekend Of It
Leadville is your basecamp. Stay downtown or near Twin Lakes on our Where To Stay page, rent gear in town at Alpine Ski & Sport or Bill’s Rentals, and end the day with a Leadville Lager at Two Mile Brewing. Anyone who would rather glide than ski downhill can spend the day at the Tennessee Pass Nordic Center, also on Tennessee Pass. Traveling with kids? Our winter guide for families has more ideas, and our winter driving tips will help you get here safely.
Opening day is coming. Watch the forecast, grab a Gems Card or a Cooper pass, and plan your first turns of the season at Ski Cooper.
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