Once little more than a series of strip malls, Copper Mountain is now a thriving resort with a bustling base. The resort's heart is a pedestrian-only village anchored by Burning Stones Plaza, which is prime people-watching turf. High-speed ski lifts march up the mountain on one side of the plaza, and the other three sides are flanked by condominiums with retail shops and restaurants on the ground floors. Lodgings extend west toward West Village and east to Center and East villages, where a six-pack high-speed lift ferries skiers.
In winter Burning Stones is filled with skiers on their way to and from the slopes and shoppers browsing for gifts to give to those left at home. In summer people relax on condo balconies or restaurant patios as they listen to free concerts on the plaza or watch athletes inch up the 37-foot-high climbing wall, the largest outdoor climbing wall in the state. Kids can also learn to kayak or float in paddleboats.
