Exciting news for Copper and Summit County residents: According to a press release from Copper Mountain, participating athletes will seek to earn a spot in the 2022 Beijing Olympic Winter Games when the Winter Dew Tour and Toyota U.S. Grand Prix return this season.
Both programs, which were rescheduled after being canceled last winter due to the coronavirus outbreak, are free and open to the public.
From December 8 to 11, the Grand Prix will attract world-class halfpipe skiers and snowboarders. Dew Tour (which runs from December 16 to 19) includes halfpipe and slopestyle competitions, men’s and women’s snowboard adaptive competitions, and even a nighttime event.
Olympic snowboarders including Shaun White, Julia Marino, Silverthorne resident Red Gerard, and skiers Maggie Voisin, Alex Hall, and Alex Ferreira will compete in this year’s Winter Dew Tour at Copper.
The ski area’s staff is currently developing Woodward Copper’s 22-foot superpipe, which stands at the base of the mountain’s Center Village and sets the setting for the competitions.
The resort will also hold Alpine ski race training in mid-October of 2022, including the launch of the US Ski Team Speed Center, before opening for the winter season on November 22. Both university and US Ski Teams will all be training at Copper.
Copper’s new branding as “the athlete’s mountain” is enhanced by the high-profile training and Olympic qualifying events. It is also a testament to the atmosphere fostered in Copper, Colorado, which continuously welcomes and supports professional athletes.
In a recent statement, Copper Mountain President and General Manager Dustin Lyman said, “Copper Mountain is a hub for athletes of all levels to get inspired, be challenged and feel empowered.”
Additional good news for Copper locals: The resort also revealed a new upgrade for customers who wish to go on the mountain early and get through lines swiftly. The upgrade, named “Fast Tracks,” offers early chairlift access to specific base areas At seven major lifts on the mountain, and there will be more dedicated lanes as well as chairlifts.
Fast Tracks is offered in limited quantities for each day of the season and can be purchased for $49 per day on the resort’s website at CopperColorado.com or at the resort. Starting November 1, the upgrade can be applied to a lift ticket, season pass, or four-pack.
In terms of COVID-19 safety precautions, Copper is the latest Summit County ski resort to announce that its employees will be required to be vaccinated against the virus by the start of the ski season. Arapahoe Basin Ski Area, Breckenridge Ski Resort, and Keystone Resort all made similar announcements last month.
Copper’s opening day will include giveaways and a first-chair celebration. Opening week will close with Copper’s annual Snowsation event, which will feature a free concert on November 26 and a snowcat parade followed by another free show on November 27.
The Real Estate of the Summit (REOTS) team is thrilled to see major sporting events returning to Summit County after the recent hiatus due to COVID, and we are incredibly excited to see it come back to Copper. The 2021 Winter Dew Tour and Toyota U.S. Grand Prix are just two instances of many events to come to Copper over the next few years. Copper truly is an exceptional place to live, and our brokers at REOTS are here to help you learn more about Copper and its housing market. We wish everyone an epic ski season!
