On Feb. 28, 2002 a group of 20 Snow Sharks, led by trip leader, Judy Holder, left for Denver, CO. It was a cold morning in Tampa so the cold temperatures in Denver were not such a shock! After a bus ride from Denver to Copper Mountain via the grocery store, the group settled in their luxurious accommodations in the Mill Club right at the base of American Eagle chair lift.

The condos at the Mill Club were of the highest quality. Each condo had a gas fireplace, slate floors with heaters in the bathroom floors, granite counter tops, crown molding throughout the unit, balconies with views of the village or the slopes, and washer/dryers in each unit. The hot tub and fitness center was located on the 2nd floor, ski lockers on the 1st floor, and the chair lift was 1/2 block from the front door. All the restaurants, shops, ski rentals, etc. were within a short walk from the front door. Each guest had access to the Athletic Club where there was an indoor Olympic-sized pool, indoor tennis court and racquetball court, an indoor golf driving net, a full weight room and cardiovascular equipment. There were also spas, steam rooms, saunas and massage and facial services.

Copper Mountain Resort stands upon the site of Wheeler Station, an old 1880's mining/logging camp founded by Judge John S. Wheeler in the summer of 1879. Wheeler Station flourished with a population of 250, two railroads, and numerous sawmills and silver mines. In 1881, John Wheeler described his boomtown as a resort that may attract thousands each year. A hundred years later, his dream came true. The U.S. Forest Service terms Copper Mountain "the most perfect ski mountain in the U.S." Copper Mountain emerged in 1972 as a major ski area and a year-round resort with international acclaim. Copper Mountain is the property of Intrawest Resorts, the same Canadian firm that owns the popular Whistler Mountain in British Columbia.

The award-winning trail system features naturally separated terrain for beginning, intermediate, and expert skiers. The 2,400 ski able acres including 4 bowls and 125 alpine runs (21% beginner, 25% intermediate, 36% advanced, 18% expert) are serviced by 23 lifts including 1 six-person high-speed and 4 high-speed quad. The mountain starts with green slopes on the far right and gradually gets more difficult as you move to the left of the mountain. With an average yearly snowfall of 280 inches and snowmaking that covers 400 acres, Copper Mountain's ski season lasts from mid-November through the end of April, and often into May.

Unfortunately as soon as the group settled in, so did an arctic blast. On Friday morning we woke up to sub-zero temperatures. New record lows were recorded Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at Copper Mountain but that did not stop the "die-hard" skiers. By Sunday afternoon the sun came out and the temperatures began to climb to a more normal range. On Tuesday, our last day of skiing, the group thought it was "a heat wave" with temperatures in the '20's.

The best part of the trip was the "Beeline Advantage" card. When you stay at Copper Mountain's lodging, you get VIP access throughout the resort. There was an exclusive priority lift access through a dedicated line. Each lift had a special flag where you enter and then the attendant would stop the other skiers and you go right in - no lift lines! There was also an exclusive 15 minute early access to the mountain via the American Eagle lift.

When the group was not skiing, there were plenty of other activities to keep everyone busy. There were snow cat tours, snowmobiling, dog sledding, horseback riding, a spa, sleigh rides, dinner rides, hot air balloon rides, a tubing hill, cross country skiing, snowshoeing, and more. The Summit Stage, a county-operated bus system, took us all over the county to Keystone, Arapahoe Basin, Breckenridge, Frisco, and the outlet mall! The last night the group had a wonderful dinner at the Indian Motorcycle Club.

According to Judy, Copper Mountain is " the perfect ski mountain". It is a very friendly mountain with lots of groomed slopes each day. Everyone had plenty of runs to ski - from beginner to advanced. Add in all the extra activities and there was too much to do in too little time!