Snowmaking Begins on Copper Mountain (PHOTOS)

We might still be experiencing shorts weather along the Front Range, but the mountains are getting their first taste of winter. This week, snowmaking started on Copper Mountain, which opens to skiers at 9 a.m. on November 11. Why start making snow this early? "We try to start making snow as...

By Ana Campbell

October 5, 2016

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We might still be experiencing shorts weather along the Front Range, but the mountains are getting their first taste of winter.

This week, snowmaking started on Copper Mountain, which opens to skiers at 9 a.m. on November 11.

Why start making snow this early?

"We try to start making snow as early as early as we can and as early as conditions will allow to make sure that we can open to the public as soon as possible," says Morgan Whitehouse, communications coordinator with Copper Mountain.

Conditions need to be perfect not just for recreational skiers; the U.S. Ski team spends the last two months of the year practicing at Copper.

The snowmaking started on Andy's Encore but will move to other trails as conditions allow. And it's not just temperatures that affect when snowmaking can begin, Whitehouse says. High (relatively speaking) humidity is crucial.

Browse the photos below and look forward to dusting off your skis.

Ana Campbell has been Westword's managing editor since 2016. She has worked at magazines and newspapers around the country, picking up a few awards along the way for her writing and editing. She grew up in south Texas.

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