Ski Cooper 2026–27: Opening Day, Lift Ticket Prices, Lessons & a Family Day Plan

Ski Cooper plans to open for the 2026–27 season on Wednesday, December 9, 2026 (tentative and weather permitting) and to close on Sunday, April 4, 2027. Adult day passes are holding at last season's rates: $49 on non-holiday weekdays and $99 on weekends and holidays for ages 22–68, and day passes go on sale November 1, 2026. Cooper sits atop Tennessee Pass about 10 miles north of Leadville on U.S. 24, so from Twin Lakes it is a straightforward drive through Leadville.

Quick answer: Ski Cooper 2026–27 key facts

• Tentative opening day: Wednesday, December 9, 2026. Tentative closing day: Sunday, April 4, 2027.
• Location: top of Tennessee Pass, about 10 miles north of Leadville on U.S. 24.
• Mountain: 5 lifts, 64 runs, 480 lift-served acres, base 10,500 ft, summit 11,700 ft, about 1,200 ft of vertical.
• Terrain mix: 18% beginner, 26% intermediate, 32% advanced, 24% expert.
• Snow: 100% natural snow, no snowmaking. Cooper cites an average of roughly 250–260 inches a year.
• Hours: ticket window opens at 8 a.m.; the 10th Mountain Double runs 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Lessons: phone booking opens November 23, 2026, at 800-707-6114, extension 3.

Ski Cooper lift ticket prices for 2026–27

Cooper says it is holding day pass prices at last year's rates, with day passes on sale from November 1, 2026. The official 2026–27 day pass chart:

• Ages 22–68: $49 Monday to Friday (not holidays or spring break), $99 weekends and holidays.
• Ages 15–21: $40 weekdays, $69 weekends and holidays.
• Ages 6–14: $35 every day.
• Ages 5 and under, and age 69 and up: Cooper steers these guests to a season pass instead of a day pass.

Holiday and spring break dates, when the full rate applies every day, are December 19, 2026 to January 3, 2027; January 15–17, 2027; February 12–14, 2027; and March 13–26, 2027. If your group has flexibility, a midweek visit outside those windows is where Cooper's pricing is most striking.

Is a Ski Cooper season pass worth it?

For locals or anyone planning several trips, the 2026–27 season pass is $499 for ages 22–68 if bought by September 30, then $599 from October 1. Ages 15–21 are $329, then $379; ages 6–14 are $219, then $279. Kids 5 and under pay only a $10 processing fee, ages 69–74 pay $25, and 75 and up pay a $10 fee. Adult and youth passes include three free days at each of Cooper's partner resorts, and Cooper says it participates in the Powder Alliance and Freedom Pass. You must pick up a partner benefits card at Guest Services before using those days.

Ski and snowboard lessons at Cooper

Cooper takes lesson bookings by phone starting November 23, 2026 (800-707-6114, extension 3). Ski lessons start at age 3 and snowboard lessons at age 6. The ski school recommends booking at least two days ahead and warns it may not be able to take walk-ups, so book before you drive up. Young children must be potty trained.

The lesson page currently lists the 2025–26 menu and prices, which give a useful baseline until the new season's rates post:

• Platinum lesson, private or semi-private, ages 6 and up: 10 a.m. to noon or 1 to 3 p.m.; listed at $199 for one person or $149 each for two or more.
• Kids ski lessons for ages 3–5: one-hour sessions with small age-based groups; listed at $99 for one child or $69 each for two or more.
• First-timer group lesson, ages 6 and up: 10 a.m. to noon, offered only in high season; listed at $119.

Check in at the Ski School window first. If you are renting, Cooper asks you to arrive at least 1.5 hours before the lesson. For children under 15, lessons use the EZ Street Magic Carpet and the Buckeye lift, and a parent must attend any lesson that uses the chairlift. Cooper also describes its magic carpet as Colorado's longest.

Rentals and where to eat

Cooper's rental shop sits next to the base lodge and is holding 2026–27 prices: $35 for a ski or snowboard package for ages 14 and under, $45 for 15 and over, $55 for high-performance or powder skis, and $15 for a helmet. Online rental purchases go on sale in mid-November and speed up check-in, but Cooper notes they are not a guaranteed reservation. Arrive around 8 a.m. for the best selection, and before 9:30 a.m. at the latest.

On the mountain, the Base Camp Cafeteria runs 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Katie O'Rourke's Irish Pub runs 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and the Ridgeview Café sits in a yurt at the top of the 10th Mountain chairlift from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., which makes it an easy midday regroup spot. The Timberline Taproom was listed as closed when we checked.

What happened to Chicago Ridge snowcat skiing?

The resort still brands itself Cooper and Chicago Ridge, but snowcat tours on Chicago Ridge are not on Cooper's current menu, and its old snowcat page no longer loads. Uncover Colorado's listing describes the snowcat operation as closed indefinitely. If you want cat skiing, confirm directly with Cooper before planning around it. Strong skiers can still find Cooper's hardest lift-served terrain in the Tennessee Creek Basin, which the resort describes as experts-only double black diamond terrain.

Driving to Ski Cooper from Twin Lakes

From Twin Lakes, head north on U.S. 24 to Leadville, continue through town, and climb to the top of Tennessee Pass. In good conditions the house is roughly 20–30 minutes from Leadville, and Cooper is about 10 more miles, so plan on roughly 40–50 minutes door to lot, longer in snow. Check COtrip for U.S. 24 conditions before you leave. Cooper's weekend shuttle did not run in 2025–26, so plan to drive. If you'd rather base closer to the mountain than Twin Lakes, compare options at where to stay in Leadville.

Family tips for a Cooper day

1. Book lessons early, then buy tickets and rentals around the lesson time.
2. Pick a named meeting spot, such as the Ridgeview Café yurt or the base lodge, and a backup time.
3. Pack sunscreen and water. The base sits at 10,500 feet and the Twin Lakes house at about 9,200 feet, so take the first day easy.
4. Leave the dog at the house. Cooper's policy last season barred pets from the mountain and base area from December 1 through April 25, except service animals.
5. Watch the snow report. In 2026 Cooper closed early, on March 22, after what it called a historically low snow year, so check conditions before late-season trips.

Non-skiers have good options nearby. The Tennessee Pass Nordic Center, next to Cooper, rents classic and skate skis, snowshoes and fat bikes, runs daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Thanksgiving through the second weekend in April, and has a free walk-up tubing hill. For a different kind of winter day in the area, snowmobiling near Leadville is another option worth a look.

Events and history worth planning around

Cooper's calendar lists a Warren Miller movie night at the lodge on November 20, 10th Mountain Day on February 26, 2027, and a St. Patrick's Day celebration on March 17, 2027. Down in Leadville itself, Leadville Ski Joring is another winter event worth planning a trip around. The mountain's history runs deep: in 1942 the Army built Camp Hale nearby to train the 10th Mountain Division's ski troops, who trained on Cooper Hill before fighting in Italy in 1945. The ski area opened to the public after the war.

Ski Cooper vs. Copper Mountain

They are different resorts. Cooper is the small, all-natural-snow area on Tennessee Pass; Copper Mountain is the large Summit County resort off I-70. Double-check the name before buying tickets or setting your GPS. Our Copper Mountain seasonal guide covers the bigger resort, and if part of your group would rather skip the slopes, a Leadville downtown and Tabor Opera House day is an easy alternative.

Where to stay for a Ski Cooper trip

The Big Mack in Twin Lakes sleeps 12 across four bedrooms (three king rooms plus a downstairs bunk room), so a whole family or ski group can share one base. After a day on Tennessee Pass there's a hot tub, a fireplace, a full kitchen for big breakfasts before the drive, and a washer and dryer for wet ski layers. For more winter ideas nearby, see things to do in Twin Lakes and Leadville.

Check your dates and book direct.