The Newest Speed Demon
Without further ado, Copper Mountain presents the new Union Creek high speed quad. Hold on to your snow pants, the new Union Creek lift is ready to take you to the top. Check out the footage of its progress and Copper's first snow fall!!
Posted by
Chris Runyon
on October 10, 2011
There are two situations where people start getting cold on the slopes: waiting in lines and sitting on the chairlift for too long. Thankfully, with the new Union Creek high speed quad we say ADIOS to long lines and cold bums. So hold on to your snow pants, the new Union Creek high speed lift is ready to take you to the top.
This past summer we said farewell to High Point lift, aka H lift. A sad but extremely sweet feeling swept over Copper as we gladly welcomed the brand-spanking new Union Creek high speed quad. With many memories on High Point lift, we hope getting you to the top will allow you to create even more awesome runs. “We wanted to create a wonderful family experience for everyone visiting Copper Mountain Resort,” says Bruce Hodson, Director of Operations.
The new high speed quad lift moves twice the amount of people, twice as fast. The average chair lift ride on High Point for two people was around ten to twelve minutes. Union Creek is kicking it up a notch by taking four people up the hill in five minutes and twenty-two seconds. Not too shabby, right?
With the expansion of the West Village Parking Lot in 2010, guests can easily get to Union Creek and enjoy the new trails, Snow Deal and Bridge Way. "We also increased the quality of snow conditions and with our new snowmaking guns,” said Hodson. The new trails will separate terrain park enthusiasts and beginner level skiers and snowboarders to have an overall better experience on the mountain. Snow Deal and Bridge Way will also allow additional access to homeowners and renters. The new lift is east of its original position, allowing more space around the Kokomo lift.
Above is a sped-up version of footage taken of the chairs being installed at the bottom terminal and our first snow fall! To give you an idea, operations have to assemble a carrier and then install it on line one at a time. Altogether, that’s 104 carriers taking 30 minutes per carrier at 20 carriers per day for 5 days straight. The Union Creek Cafeteria outdoor seating and eating area also received a facelift this summer. The construction will be finished before the Opening Day, November 4th 2011.
Union Creek lift will be the fastest way to access the Timberline Express lift. Of course, the Secret Pass is the best way to beat the lines. Guest can still sign-up for lessons at the Ski and Ride School at Union Creek. It also will give guests access to some amazing tree runs; a well-known secret from Summit County locals.
Check out our long-term master plan here.
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Your Comments
How about a map of the new long-term master plan? Sounds exciting and well thought out.
Comment posted by Robert Burgen on October 12, 2011 5:56 AM MDT
Yes I too would like to see a map of the proposed improvements. The project in whole sounds super exciting and I can't wait. Replacing High Point is a good start though.
Comment posted by Richard on October 13, 2011 1:35 PM MDT
An exciting addition to a great Central Colorado mountain resort. I suspect the Ski&Ride school folks are super excited to have a new teaching tool, with quick access to Timberline. Great decision PC! That's the way to do it.
Comment posted by Powdermonk on October 19, 2011 8:48 AM MDT
Powdermonk, we are extremely excited of the new lift and the Ski & Ride school couldn't be happier. They get to teach the youngsters more and ride the lift less. That's what it's all about.
Comment posted by Chris Runyon on October 24, 2011 5:40 PM MDT
This is PERFECT! Fast lifts are a must these days at ski resorts. I can't stand how cold I get when I'm riding the chair to the top of the mountain - because you know I always ride it to the top!
Comment posted by Ski Boots on October 27, 2011 8:29 AM MDT
I would like to see a new map and photos of the Union Creek Improvements....exactly where did they put this new quad lift? Did they expand and improve the Union Creek cafeteria? My family started coming to Union Creek over 30 years ago, but not so for the past 10 because of the limited access, limited services, and limited lifts from the bottom....maybe you can entice us back....but we want to see more first.
Comment posted by Kory on November 6, 2011 1:00 PM MST
Here is the new trail map of the Copper Mountain. Check it out here: http://www.coppercolorado.com/winter/the_mountain/trail_map/trailmap_1112.pdf. Zoom in and click around to get a better idea of the new Union Creek area. The main enhancements to the cafeteria have been expanding the deck and adding 56 new picnic tables (each able to seat 6 people). Now you can get your food, grab a seat, and head back out on the slopes.
Comment posted by Chris Runyon on November 10, 2011 12:07 PM MST
This is a great article. I am pretty much impressed with your good work. You put really very helpful information.
Comment posted by Demon Snow on March 23, 2012 6:39 AM MDT